"On Frescobaldi's advice, are we sure it is to be applied broadly and not just to the openings of his toccatas?"
Breaking, or spreading chords was developed on instruments which don't have enough sustain by nature like harpsichord, lute etc for the sake of enriching the texture and increasing sonority. Actually it was such a common practice that it wasn't reflected in the notation. The variety of spreading was taken for granted and didn't need any mentioning. Try to imagine harpsichord music without spreading chords - absolutely awful! Arpeggio is a part of style providing that we start with bass on the beat. Some patterns of arpeggiation where written out by baroque composers under heading of ornaments (i.e. Jean-Henri D'Anglebert Pieces de Clavecin 1689). Breaking chords however doesn't need to mean loosing a pulse. This is just a result of a bad technique. Jaroslaw From: =?ISO646-US?Q?Jaros=3Faw_Lipski?= <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: 2008/01/31 Thu AM 11:47:49 CST To: 'Lute' <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Subject: [LUTE] Re: Playing in time (olim Polish, anyone?) Actually Bream is not "old fashioned". This is rather modern attitude - a need for steady rhythm and sharp accents. In baroque period breaking chords was absolutely common practice and thought of as embellishment. G.Frescobaldi, Toccate 1615 : "The openings of the toccatas are to be taken adagio and arpeggiando; it is the same with suspensions or discords, even in the middle of the work, one breaks them together, so as not to leave the instrument empty; which breaking is to be performed at the discretion of the performer" As far as rhythm is concerned flexibility was the rule: 1/Th. Mace Musick's Monument "Many Drudge, and take much Pains to Play their Lessons very Perfectly, which when they can do, you will perceive Little Life, or Spirit in them. They do not labour to find out the Humour, Life, or Spirit of their lessons." 2/Jean Rousseau, Traite de la Viole 1687 There are people who imagine that imparting the movement is to follow and keep time; but these are very different matters....." 3/Joachim Quantz, Essay 1752 "The performance should be easy and flexible. However difficult the passage, it must be played without stiffness or constraint." Obviously it involves the problem of borrowing or steeling time. However whatever we do, the question is not- should we do it- but rather -is it tasteful. And a Good taste is really precious for me. Jaroslaw -----Original Message----- From: Andrew Gibbs [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:40 AM To: Stewart McCoy Cc: Lute Net Subject: [LUTE] Re: Playing in time (olim Polish, anyone?) I like these quotes. .but do you think the occasional (and tasteful) spreading of chords is a bad or non-HIP thing? Andrew On 30 Jan 2008, at 17:17, Stewart McCoy wrote: > In the last few years, Julian Bream has given master classes at > Lute Society > meetings in London. He stressed two things: the need to play notes > together, > (i.e. not to roll and spread chords); and to play in time. He said, > "I may > be old-fashioned, but I like music to be played in time." -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
