Power Point Lecture II MUH 3212 1/13/2009 Prof. Lissette L. Jimenez, instructor

Historically Informed Performance Practice (HIPP) . Performance practice is the branch of musicology that seeks to apply the information we derive from the study of music history & historical musical sources to the actual performance of that music. Historically informed performances (HIPs) usually result in music that is fresher and more appealing than performances in an anachronistic modern style that disregards the conventions of the day.

Historically Informed Performance Practice (HIPP) .

Performance practice is the branch of musicology that seeks to apply the information we derive from the study of music history & historical musical sources to the actual performance of that music. Historically informed performances (HIPs) usually result in music that is fresher and more appealing than performances in an anachronistic modern style that disregards the conventions of the day.

That said, there is no Holy Grail of Authenticity – don’t be discouraged by the Early Music Police! It’s an attitude or approach - not limited to early musics .

That said, there is no Holy Grail of Authenticity – don’t be discouraged by the Early Music Police!

It’s an attitude or approach - not limited to early musics .

sounds better. it’s easier, and it’s more efficient. You learn more music, faster, and with less effort. For example, once you learn the form of a DaCapo aria, including how to embellish it, the next DaCapo becomes much easier. Should you necessarily or can you possibly learn all this information? – no, but a very little effort goes a long long way. Becoming aware of the general ideas behind HIPP will allow you to approach all music in this way.

sounds better.

it’s easier, and it’s more efficient. You learn more music, faster, and with less effort. For example, once you learn the form of a DaCapo aria, including how to embellish it, the next DaCapo becomes much easier.

Should you necessarily or can you possibly learn all this information? – no, but a very little effort goes a long long way. Becoming aware of the general ideas behind HIPP will allow you to approach all music in this way.

Sound Instruments Evidence: 1. Existing instruments and strings 2. Drawings and plans 3. Iconography (+ voices) 4. Secondary sources (+ voices) An example of #1: An example of #3

Sound

Instruments

Evidence:

1. Existing instruments and strings

2. Drawings and plans

3. Iconography (+ voices)

4. Secondary sources (+ voices)

An example of #1: An example of #3

Number of Performers Evidence: 1. Eyewitness reports 2. Iconography 3. Secondary Sources & Pay records.

Number of Performers

Evidence:

1. Eyewitness reports

2. Iconography

3. Secondary Sources & Pay records.

Situation The Physical Space (Setting) and the Arrangement of Performers Evidence: 1. Architectural Drawings 2. Iconography 3. Orchestral Seating Charts 4. Secondary sources & Pay records

Situation

The Physical Space (Setting) and the Arrangement of Performers

Evidence:

1. Architectural Drawings

2. Iconography

3. Orchestral Seating Charts

4. Secondary sources & Pay records

Example of #1

Example of #1

Example of #4

Example of #4

Acoustics Evidence: 1. Exant locations 2. Iconography and secondary source descriptions Example of #1

Acoustics

Evidence:

1. Exant locations

2. Iconography and secondary source descriptions

Example of #1

Pitch Evidence: Existing instruments Secondary sources Time Place Italy France (England) Germany Tuning and Temperaments Meantone and its Derivatives vs. Equal Temperatment Evidence: Treatises The music itself Instruments and their iconography Organs Fixed fret instruments

Pitch

Evidence:

Existing instruments

Secondary sources

Time

Place

Italy

France (England)

Germany

Tuning and Temperaments

Meantone and its Derivatives vs. Equal Temperatment

Evidence:

Treatises

The music itself

Instruments and their iconography

Organs

Fixed fret instruments

Articulation Evidence: Iconography Instruction manuals Prefaces (le nuove musicae) The music itself Written-in fingerings and articulations Plucked instruments Bowed instruments Keyboard instruments Wind instruments

Articulation

Evidence:

Iconography

Instruction manuals

Prefaces (le nuove musicae)

The music itself

Written-in fingerings and articulations

Plucked instruments

Bowed instruments

Keyboard instruments

Wind instruments

Ornamentation: Fundamental part of performance – composers assumed that their music would be ornamented Evidence: Instruction manuals Ornamented versions Prefaces National styles Italian French The special case of vibrato Vox humana Herbst Straight tone?

Ornamentation: Fundamental part of performance – composers assumed that their music would be ornamented

Evidence:

Instruction manuals

Ornamented versions

Prefaces

National styles

Italian

French

The special case of vibrato

Vox humana

Herbst

Straight tone?

Improvisation: The ability to improvise was considered a basic part of being a musician. Evidence: Job descriptions of the time – listed as a required skill that was fundamental to the role of accompanist. Basso Continuo Evidence: Instruction manuals The music itself Realized bass lines Melodic and Contrapuntal Evidence: Instruction manuals Ornamented versions

Improvisation:

The ability to improvise was considered a basic part of being a musician.

Evidence:

Job descriptions of the time – listed as a required skill that was fundamental to the role of accompanist.

Basso Continuo

Evidence:

Instruction manuals

The music itself

Realized bass lines

Melodic and Contrapuntal

Evidence:

Instruction manuals

Ornamented versions

Tempo: The true meaning of tempo markings: to communicate affect. Evidence: Treatises Dance Meter Pendulum markings Dynamics: more than just terraced. Evidence: Scores Instruction manuals.

Tempo: The true meaning of tempo markings: to communicate affect.

Evidence:

Treatises

Dance

Meter

Pendulum markings

Dynamics: more than just terraced.

Evidence:

Scores

Instruction manuals.

Rhythm and Notation Free and unmeasured: preludes and recits Evidence The music itself Treatises Dance music and related forms Evidence: The music itself Treatises Dance manuals Certain conventions were assumed: note inegales, overdotting, cadential trills, and other sorts of ornamentation Evidence Instructional manuals Tablatures Secondary reports

Rhythm and Notation

Free and unmeasured: preludes and recits

Evidence

The music itself

Treatises

Dance music and related forms

Evidence:

The music itself

Treatises

Dance manuals

Certain conventions were assumed: note inegales, overdotting, cadential trills, and other sorts of ornamentation

Evidence

Instructional manuals

Tablatures

Secondary reports

The interpretation of scores: what is literal and what is not Evidence: Concordances Introductory materials Function, tradition, and context of score production By being open to accepting the music in its original context. By studying the sources and then going with your instincts: inform your intuition!

The interpretation of scores: what is literal and what is not

Evidence:

Concordances

Introductory materials

Function, tradition, and context of score production

By being open to accepting the music in its original context.

By studying the sources and then going with your instincts: inform your intuition!

Karl Hochreither, Performance Practice of the Instrumental-Vocal Works of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2002. Timothy J. McGee. Singing Early Music – The Pronunciation of European Languages in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Indiana University Press. 1996.

Karl Hochreither, Performance Practice of the Instrumental-Vocal Works of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2002.

Timothy J. McGee. Singing Early Music – The Pronunciation of European Languages in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Indiana University Press. 1996.

The harpsichord was invented c. 1400 and during the Renaissance it was manufactured in various shapes and sizes and known by different names depending on the region (clavicembalo, clavacin, spinet, virginal.). It is not, however, the same as a clavichord, which was a hammered instrument characterized by its smaller, more intimate sound and the ability to slightly vary dynamics and produce a vibrato. The harpsichord’s action is as follows; when a key is depressed, a jack is activated and a plectrum (a quill) plucks a string and a pitch is sounded.

The harpsichord was invented c. 1400 and during the Renaissance it was manufactured in various shapes and sizes and known by different names depending on the region (clavicembalo, clavacin, spinet, virginal.).

It is not, however, the same as a clavichord, which was a hammered instrument characterized by its smaller, more intimate sound and the ability to slightly vary dynamics and produce a vibrato.

The harpsichord’s action is as follows; when a key is depressed, a jack is activated and a plectrum (a quill) plucks a string and a pitch is sounded.

The harpsichord was used as a continuo instrument in ensembles, and conductors of both Baroque and Classical era would conduct the ensemble from the harpsichord. It was not limited to this function, however, there is a wealth of solo repertoire for the harpsichord, including suites of Dance music, inventions, sonatas. Johann Sebastian Bach would regularly arrange concertos for other instruments for harpsichord and his advances on the concerto for solo instrument and ensemble prominently feature concerti for a single harpsichord or multiple harpsichord It also has a prominent solo in his Brandenburg #5, where it is featured as once of the concertino and is the only instrument of the group with a large cadenza, which Bach played himself in its premier.

The harpsichord was used as a continuo instrument in ensembles, and conductors of both Baroque and Classical era would conduct the ensemble from the harpsichord.

It was not limited to this function, however, there is a wealth of solo repertoire for the harpsichord, including suites of Dance music, inventions, sonatas.

Johann Sebastian Bach would regularly arrange concertos for other instruments for harpsichord and his advances on the concerto for solo instrument and ensemble prominently feature concerti for a single harpsichord or multiple harpsichord

It also has a prominent solo in his Brandenburg #5, where it is featured as once of the concertino and is the only instrument of the group with a large cadenza, which Bach played himself in its premier.

A Flemish Virginal

Single manual harpsichord in the Flemish style

French Double-manual Harpsichord

Hill, John Walter. Baroque Music. W W Norton & Co, 2005. Stolba, K. Marie, ed. The Development of Western Music . 3 rd Ed. McGraw Hill, 1998. Butt, John. Playing With History . Cambridge University Press, 2002. Dolata, David. MUH 3212 Lecture, “Performance Practice.” Spring 2008. Florida International University. Wolff, Christoph, ed. The New Bach Reader . W W Norton & Co, 1998. Wolff, Christoph. Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician . W W Norton & Co, 2000. Gay, Peter. Age of Enlightenment . Great Ages of Man Series. Time Incorporated, New York, 1966. Mattax, Charlotte, ed. Course Packets for Baroque and Classical Performance Practice, UIUC. 2004.

Hill, John Walter. Baroque Music. W W Norton & Co, 2005.

Stolba, K. Marie, ed. The Development of Western Music . 3 rd Ed. McGraw Hill, 1998.

Butt, John. Playing With History . Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Dolata, David. MUH 3212 Lecture, “Performance Practice.” Spring 2008. Florida International University.

Wolff, Christoph, ed. The New Bach Reader . W W Norton & Co, 1998.

Wolff, Christoph. Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician . W W Norton & Co, 2000.

Gay, Peter. Age of Enlightenment . Great Ages of Man Series. Time Incorporated, New York, 1966.

Mattax, Charlotte, ed. Course Packets for Baroque and Classical Performance Practice, UIUC. 2004.