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Figure 8 Transcription of the embellished repeats of the D minor Sarabanda (bars 1-13) in Faust’s performance downbeat) and 17 (high B flat) and a trill in bar 19 (downbeat B natural). These are further emphasized by long appoggiaturas in bars 16, 17 (only to the prescribed trill) and 19. The last variation to the score is the arpeggiation of the two chords in bar 21. This enhances the dramatic power and sonority of the harmonies, but Faust goes an extra step: she plays the second chord (notated half notes a-D’-F’-A’-D”-F”) as a broken triad from bottom A to its octave, but instead of adding the wnitten top D and F as well, she plays those as melodic eighth notes on the last beat, gracing the D with a mordent (Audio of Faust playing repeat of bb. 16-22). The only other performer who arpeggiates the chords in b. 21 is Luca. But unlike Faust, he does it rapidly rather than dramatically. He also adds an appoggiatura to the top F of the second chord. The only other omament he adds in this movement is another upper appoggiatura, to highlight the dotted A quarter in b. 6.

Figure 8 Transcription of the embellished repeats of the D minor Sarabanda (bars 1-13) in Faust’s performance downbeat) and 17 (high B flat) and a trill in bar 19 (downbeat B natural). These are further emphasized by long appoggiaturas in bars 16, 17 (only to the prescribed trill) and 19. The last variation to the score is the arpeggiation of the two chords in bar 21. This enhances the dramatic power and sonority of the harmonies, but Faust goes an extra step: she plays the second chord (notated half notes a-D’-F’-A’-D”-F”) as a broken triad from bottom A to its octave, but instead of adding the wnitten top D and F as well, she plays those as melodic eighth notes on the last beat, gracing the D with a mordent (Audio of Faust playing repeat of bb. 16-22). The only other performer who arpeggiates the chords in b. 21 is Luca. But unlike Faust, he does it rapidly rather than dramatically. He also adds an appoggiatura to the top F of the second chord. The only other omament he adds in this movement is another upper appoggiatura, to highlight the dotted A quarter in b. 6.

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Table 1 Summary of subjectively-rated level of ornamentation (1 =a little; 10 =a lot), based on repeated comparative listening. Names of violinists known to be specialist period players are marked by italics. The recordings are listed in order of age of performer
Table 1 Summary of subjectively-rated level of ornamentation (1 =a little; 10 =a lot), based on repeated comparative listening. Names of violinists known to be specialist period players are marked by italics. The recordings are listed in order of age of performer
Figure 1 Bars 1-2 of Bach’s G minor Adagio for solo violin (BWV 1001). The top system is a hypothetical version that emulates the much sparser notation habits of Italian composers such as Corelli, who tended to prescribe only basic melodic pitches that the musicians were supposed to embellish during performance. The lower stave is Bach’s notation, reflecting one possible way of ornamenting the passage. His original slurs indicate ornamental groups to be performed as one musical gesture. patterns and melodic groups with some freedom. For instance, the opening bars of the G minor Adagio would likely have been notated as in Figure 1 by most other baroque composers, especially those of the Italian tradition.”” Instead, Bach notated a possible embellished performance version. Playing the notes rhythmically accurately is therefore a mistake, as spontaneous omamentation is never rhythmically stable or exact. As Lester points out, “Thinking of the Adagio as a prelude built upon standard thoroughbass patterns can [help] the melody [be] heard not so much as a series of fixed gestures, but rather as a continuously unfolding rhapsodic improvisation over a supporting bass.”*° Tracing the relative flexibility (or lack thereof) in performing the opening bars of the G minor Adagio in the course of the recorded history of the Solos thus provides an excellent window into the trajectory of Bach performance practice since the beginning of the twentieth century.” Among the recordings under examination here, Huggett, Wallfisch, Barton Pine, [bragimova, Mullova and others provide variedly flexible interpretations that create the impression of free ornamentation, while Fischer, K hatchatryan, Ehnes, Mintz, Perlman and others provide much more literal and measured readings.
Figure 1 Bars 1-2 of Bach’s G minor Adagio for solo violin (BWV 1001). The top system is a hypothetical version that emulates the much sparser notation habits of Italian composers such as Corelli, who tended to prescribe only basic melodic pitches that the musicians were supposed to embellish during performance. The lower stave is Bach’s notation, reflecting one possible way of ornamenting the passage. His original slurs indicate ornamental groups to be performed as one musical gesture. patterns and melodic groups with some freedom. For instance, the opening bars of the G minor Adagio would likely have been notated as in Figure 1 by most other baroque composers, especially those of the Italian tradition.”” Instead, Bach notated a possible embellished performance version. Playing the notes rhythmically accurately is therefore a mistake, as spontaneous omamentation is never rhythmically stable or exact. As Lester points out, “Thinking of the Adagio as a prelude built upon standard thoroughbass patterns can [help] the melody [be] heard not so much as a series of fixed gestures, but rather as a continuously unfolding rhapsodic improvisation over a supporting bass.”*° Tracing the relative flexibility (or lack thereof) in performing the opening bars of the G minor Adagio in the course of the recorded history of the Solos thus provides an excellent window into the trajectory of Bach performance practice since the beginning of the twentieth century.” Among the recordings under examination here, Huggett, Wallfisch, Barton Pine, [bragimova, Mullova and others provide variedly flexible interpretations that create the impression of free ornamentation, while Fischer, K hatchatryan, Ehnes, Mintz, Perlman and others provide much more literal and measured readings.
Table 2 lists the most omamented movements and the violinists involved in order of the amount of omamentation and/or embellishment observed. It is immediately apparent that the E Major Partita features prominently and that none of the opening adagios of the sonatas is represented. On the other hand, a number of violinists embellish further the two Sarabande movements and the A minor Andante. It is also noteworthy that the list of names includes fewer baroque violinists than non-specialists— only Luca, Huggett, van Dael, Wallfisch and Podger represent period instrumentalists, and only Luca’s name can be seen in the columns of the slow movements. As I will show shortly, the dance movements tend to be embroidered largely with various graces. Finding period violinists in these columns is not surprising at all. But even in this regard, their names pop up inconsistently in one or the other movement only, Table 2 The most embellished movements, listed in order of amount of ornamentation. The named violinists add graces and embellishments extensively, decreasingly so as moving downward in each column. Others not listed in the table may also add a few graces here and there.
Table 2 lists the most omamented movements and the violinists involved in order of the amount of omamentation and/or embellishment observed. It is immediately apparent that the E Major Partita features prominently and that none of the opening adagios of the sonatas is represented. On the other hand, a number of violinists embellish further the two Sarabande movements and the A minor Andante. It is also noteworthy that the list of names includes fewer baroque violinists than non-specialists— only Luca, Huggett, van Dael, Wallfisch and Podger represent period instrumentalists, and only Luca’s name can be seen in the columns of the slow movements. As I will show shortly, the dance movements tend to be embroidered largely with various graces. Finding period violinists in these columns is not surprising at all. But even in this regard, their names pop up inconsistently in one or the other movement only, Table 2 The most embellished movements, listed in order of amount of ornamentation. The named violinists add graces and embellishments extensively, decreasingly so as moving downward in each column. Others not listed in the table may also add a few graces here and there.
Apart from these transcribed alternatives (including the slight changes to rhythm and articulation by Faust during the penultimate statement shown in the ossia system in Figure 2), there are also minor variants in earlier appearances of the theme in several recordings. Mullova varied one bar in the statement after the first episode (b. 23.) where, instead of a double stop on the downbeat, she played the two notes as consecutive A-C # eighth-notes. A typical addition (a short trill or a quick turn) observed in several other recordings may occur in b. 5 (or equivalent moments of the theme, e.g. bb. 21, 45, etc.). Examples can be heard in
Apart from these transcribed alternatives (including the slight changes to rhythm and articulation by Faust during the penultimate statement shown in the ossia system in Figure 2), there are also minor variants in earlier appearances of the theme in several recordings. Mullova varied one bar in the statement after the first episode (b. 23.) where, instead of a double stop on the downbeat, she played the two notes as consecutive A-C # eighth-notes. A typical addition (a short trill or a quick turn) observed in several other recordings may occur in b. 5 (or equivalent moments of the theme, e.g. bb. 21, 45, etc.). Examples can be heard in
Figure 3. E Major Minuet I. Summary examples of alterations
Figure 3. E Major Minuet I. Summary examples of alterations
Figure 4 Transcription of seven different ornamentations of the Loure (bars 1-3 during repeat). The colors indicate similar solutions imitate. Rather, their delivery implies an internalized vocabulary upon which they draw freely and spontaneously.
Figure 4 Transcription of seven different ornamentations of the Loure (bars 1-3 during repeat). The colors indicate similar solutions imitate. Rather, their delivery implies an internalized vocabulary upon which they draw freely and spontaneously.
Figure 5 Double appoggiaturas in Gringolts’s and Faust’s recordings of the Loure (bb. 22-23 NN Double appoggiaturas arise in Gringolts’s version, in particular as he adds an upper appoggiatura to the trilled C dotted eighth in b. 22, and repeats the formula in the second voice in the next bar (Figure 5). This is an arguable choice, as the B sixteenth note preceding the C could be interpreted as a written-out lower appoggiatura to the trill, forming a smooth shape together with its written-out suffix. However, such a combination of appoggiaturas is of course possible in principle. Donington cites Quantz, Marpurg and C.P.E. Bach who provide examples for various “double appoggiaturas,” including the type introduced by Gringolts here. Donington recounts the advice of these eighteenth-century authors regarding execution but then concludes, “It is not, in any case, an ornament of much baroque importance.” Although Faust also seems to favor an upper appoggiatura, her solution is slightly different because she changes the lower appoggiatura into an upward slide, filling in the steps to the upper neighbor of the trilled C, and basically creating a compound omament consisting of a tur and a trill (cf. Figure 5).
Figure 5 Double appoggiaturas in Gringolts’s and Faust’s recordings of the Loure (bb. 22-23 NN Double appoggiaturas arise in Gringolts’s version, in particular as he adds an upper appoggiatura to the trilled C dotted eighth in b. 22, and repeats the formula in the second voice in the next bar (Figure 5). This is an arguable choice, as the B sixteenth note preceding the C could be interpreted as a written-out lower appoggiatura to the trill, forming a smooth shape together with its written-out suffix. However, such a combination of appoggiaturas is of course possible in principle. Donington cites Quantz, Marpurg and C.P.E. Bach who provide examples for various “double appoggiaturas,” including the type introduced by Gringolts here. Donington recounts the advice of these eighteenth-century authors regarding execution but then concludes, “It is not, in any case, an ornament of much baroque importance.” Although Faust also seems to favor an upper appoggiatura, her solution is slightly different because she changes the lower appoggiatura into an upward slide, filling in the steps to the upper neighbor of the trilled C, and basically creating a compound omament consisting of a tur and a trill (cf. Figure 5).
Figure 6 The original and 3 transcription of bars 6-8 of the Loure from Bach’s E Major partita showing contrasting relationships between rising and falling appoggiaturas to trills and mordents Few violinists realize the appropriateness of adding mordents in the Loure.” Y et the rising melody line in b. 7 seems to be a clear context for the French port de voix et pincé (known as Accent und Mordant by the Germans), where an unaccented mordent is appended to a rising appoggiatura.°° Opting for this type of grace provides contrast with the upper appoggiaturas followed by trills in the previous bar. Faust makes the distinction systematically; van Dael ornaments only the second half of b. 7, while Gringolts seem to overburden the bar with graces, mixing trills and mordents at will (Figure 6). My verdict here may appear neat and reasonable, but experts of baroque omamentation “rules” could object on two counts: first, that Bach prescribed mordents only for the keyboard; and second, that the mordent usually involved a half-note oscillation, which is not the case in the second half of b. 7. To the first objection, I might respond by referring to the many written-out mordents throughout Bach’s output (including the opening gesture of the E Major Preludio). Furthermore, the Barenreiter critical edition of the lute version of the E Major Partita (BWV 1006a) includes one mordent sign. It is placed on downbeat of b.5 of the Loure. This transcription by Bach is recommended by several authors as useful for violinists wishing to learn about ornamentation possibilities. Faust and van Dael adopt this mordent in their recording of the movement. Regarding the second objection, I concede that the whole tone relationship may have been the reason for Gringolts’s choice of a trill rather than a mordent at that point. However, his almost constant fast-flowing graces of flexible duration and shape make it slightly improbable that he has pre- planned everything in every minute detail and on the basis of scholarly opinion. In fact, his performance was difficult to transcribe because he plays the notes in a transient, non-defined way with rapidly shifting dynamics and bowing. Often, I could hear the exact pitches and shapes of his ornaments only at half the speed, making the debating of his choice of a short trill over a possible mordent a rather moot point. Therefore, this discussion was more to underscore the subjective nature of music performance, especially omamentation.
Figure 6 The original and 3 transcription of bars 6-8 of the Loure from Bach’s E Major partita showing contrasting relationships between rising and falling appoggiaturas to trills and mordents Few violinists realize the appropriateness of adding mordents in the Loure.” Y et the rising melody line in b. 7 seems to be a clear context for the French port de voix et pincé (known as Accent und Mordant by the Germans), where an unaccented mordent is appended to a rising appoggiatura.°° Opting for this type of grace provides contrast with the upper appoggiaturas followed by trills in the previous bar. Faust makes the distinction systematically; van Dael ornaments only the second half of b. 7, while Gringolts seem to overburden the bar with graces, mixing trills and mordents at will (Figure 6). My verdict here may appear neat and reasonable, but experts of baroque omamentation “rules” could object on two counts: first, that Bach prescribed mordents only for the keyboard; and second, that the mordent usually involved a half-note oscillation, which is not the case in the second half of b. 7. To the first objection, I might respond by referring to the many written-out mordents throughout Bach’s output (including the opening gesture of the E Major Preludio). Furthermore, the Barenreiter critical edition of the lute version of the E Major Partita (BWV 1006a) includes one mordent sign. It is placed on downbeat of b.5 of the Loure. This transcription by Bach is recommended by several authors as useful for violinists wishing to learn about ornamentation possibilities. Faust and van Dael adopt this mordent in their recording of the movement. Regarding the second objection, I concede that the whole tone relationship may have been the reason for Gringolts’s choice of a trill rather than a mordent at that point. However, his almost constant fast-flowing graces of flexible duration and shape make it slightly improbable that he has pre- planned everything in every minute detail and on the basis of scholarly opinion. In fact, his performance was difficult to transcribe because he plays the notes in a transient, non-defined way with rapidly shifting dynamics and bowing. Often, I could hear the exact pitches and shapes of his ornaments only at half the speed, making the debating of his choice of a short trill over a possible mordent a rather moot point. Therefore, this discussion was more to underscore the subjective nature of music performance, especially omamentation.
Figure 7: Transcription of Mullova’s performance of the repeats in the B minor Sarabande Tognetti and Luca add less (Audio examples: Tognetti, bb. 8 and repeat of 1-8; Luca, repeat of bb. 9-32); Tognetti mostly just trills, some short (bb. 7-8, 21, 30) others with longer appoggiatura (bb. 3-4, 24). Some are added in first play only (b. 24), others in repeat only (bb. 3-4), but most are performed on both occasions. Luca plays faster and performs dotted rhythms in certain bars (first time bar, b. 4) which give energy, whereas Tognetti’s version is more “soulful.” Apart from lower appoggiaturas preceding mordents (bb. 2, 16), Luca also adds short trills (bb. 7, 10, 23) and tnlls with long upper appoggiaturas (bb. 4, 31). Furthermore, there are melodic neighbor notes and fillers (bb. 2, 3, 17, 23), often energized additionally through rhythmic accentuation (dotting or agogic stress, bb. 10, 30) or shaped melodically, preparing-embellishing a cadence (bb. 15-16). He also varies the accenting, articulation and rhythm during repeat compared to first play (e.g. b. 15 played with paired slurs in repeat only). Although the added decorations often fall on the downbeat, their shape, rhythm and delivery tend to function to give impetus to the second beat of the bar, which is traditionally accented in sarabands (e.g. bb. 2, 3, 10). Except for Luca adding two graces in bars 6 and 21, Faust is the only violinist who
Figure 7: Transcription of Mullova’s performance of the repeats in the B minor Sarabande Tognetti and Luca add less (Audio examples: Tognetti, bb. 8 and repeat of 1-8; Luca, repeat of bb. 9-32); Tognetti mostly just trills, some short (bb. 7-8, 21, 30) others with longer appoggiatura (bb. 3-4, 24). Some are added in first play only (b. 24), others in repeat only (bb. 3-4), but most are performed on both occasions. Luca plays faster and performs dotted rhythms in certain bars (first time bar, b. 4) which give energy, whereas Tognetti’s version is more “soulful.” Apart from lower appoggiaturas preceding mordents (bb. 2, 16), Luca also adds short trills (bb. 7, 10, 23) and tnlls with long upper appoggiaturas (bb. 4, 31). Furthermore, there are melodic neighbor notes and fillers (bb. 2, 3, 17, 23), often energized additionally through rhythmic accentuation (dotting or agogic stress, bb. 10, 30) or shaped melodically, preparing-embellishing a cadence (bb. 15-16). He also varies the accenting, articulation and rhythm during repeat compared to first play (e.g. b. 15 played with paired slurs in repeat only). Although the added decorations often fall on the downbeat, their shape, rhythm and delivery tend to function to give impetus to the second beat of the bar, which is traditionally accented in sarabands (e.g. bb. 2, 3, 10). Except for Luca adding two graces in bars 6 and 21, Faust is the only violinist who
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Baroque MusicOrnamentation (Baroque Music)Historically Informed Performance (HIP)
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