Corelli's OrnamentationAuthor(s): Sol BabitzSource: Music & Letters, Vol. 34, No. 2 (Apr., 1953), p. 182Published by: Oxford University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/730870 .Accessed: 31/05/2011 13:30

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combinations. He replaced it by another, and far finer, movement in ER, the one which now stands in the trio.

We must believe, surely, that there was no long delay between Schubert's attraction to the pile-drivers' song and its incorporation in an instrumental work. This means that the Trio in B[ dates probably from 1826, and possibly from late I825.

Marlborough. MAURICE J. E. BROWN.

CORELLI'S ORNAMENTATION Sir,

Stewart Deas, writing in Music & LETTERS (January I953) on Corelli's ornamentation of the first six sonatas of his Op. 5, says that such orna- mentation has no place in the straightforward dance movements of the second part of the book. If this is so then Geminiani's excellent ornamen- tation of the complete sonata IX, as published in Hawkins's History, is a mistake.

At the bottom of the matter is the desire on the part of Messrs. Deas, Pincherle and others to leave well enough alone and stem the progress of the idea of free ornamentation of early music by modern violinists. Only by ignoring historical facts can the arguments against free ornamentation be presented. Pincherle's statement that Corelli's written-out ornaments are merely pedagogic can be easily refuted on the concert stage by playing both versions in succession, as has been done, and leaving the decision to the audience.

1970 Cheremoya, SOL BABITZ. Hollywood 28,

California.

THE LONDON AUTOGRAPH OF 'THE 48' Sir,

In your January issue, page 40, Miss Richardson makes a slip in stating that I informed her that " Miss Emett received ?8 when she sold the manuscript in 1879 ". The information I gave her was that Miss Emett paid Clarissa Clarke ?8 for the autograph in I879. The receipt for this sum is included in Add. MS. 35,022 in the British Museum, signed by Clarissa Clarke and dated June I9th I879.

Lewes. STANLEY GODMAN.

HANDEL'S 'ESTHER' Sir,

Under 'Handeliana' (Music & LETTERS, April I950), I suggested that Burney's statements that a performance of' Esther' was given at the house of Bernard Gates, on February 23rd 1731 (i.e. I732), were open to question, because of a reference in a manuscript of the work sold some years ago by Ellis of Bond Street. This I had not seen, but I should now like to record that I have recently purchased a fine contemporary manu- script of the oratorio which confirms the evidence, given in the Ellis manuscript, that the work was performed on the date mentioned at the

combinations. He replaced it by another, and far finer, movement in ER, the one which now stands in the trio.

We must believe, surely, that there was no long delay between Schubert's attraction to the pile-drivers' song and its incorporation in an instrumental work. This means that the Trio in B[ dates probably from 1826, and possibly from late I825.

Marlborough. MAURICE J. E. BROWN.

CORELLI'S ORNAMENTATION Sir,

Stewart Deas, writing in Music & LETTERS (January I953) on Corelli's ornamentation of the first six sonatas of his Op. 5, says that such orna- mentation has no place in the straightforward dance movements of the second part of the book. If this is so then Geminiani's excellent ornamen- tation of the complete sonata IX, as published in Hawkins's History, is a mistake.

At the bottom of the matter is the desire on the part of Messrs. Deas, Pincherle and others to leave well enough alone and stem the progress of the idea of free ornamentation of early music by modern violinists. Only by ignoring historical facts can the arguments against free ornamentation be presented. Pincherle's statement that Corelli's written-out ornaments are merely pedagogic can be easily refuted on the concert stage by playing both versions in succession, as has been done, and leaving the decision to the audience.

1970 Cheremoya, SOL BABITZ. Hollywood 28,

California.

THE LONDON AUTOGRAPH OF 'THE 48' Sir,

In your January issue, page 40, Miss Richardson makes a slip in stating that I informed her that " Miss Emett received ?8 when she sold the manuscript in 1879 ". The information I gave her was that Miss Emett paid Clarissa Clarke ?8 for the autograph in I879. The receipt for this sum is included in Add. MS. 35,022 in the British Museum, signed by Clarissa Clarke and dated June I9th I879.

Lewes. STANLEY GODMAN.

HANDEL'S 'ESTHER' Sir,

Under 'Handeliana' (Music & LETTERS, April I950), I suggested that Burney's statements that a performance of' Esther' was given at the house of Bernard Gates, on February 23rd 1731 (i.e. I732), were open to question, because of a reference in a manuscript of the work sold some years ago by Ellis of Bond Street. This I had not seen, but I should now like to record that I have recently purchased a fine contemporary manu- script of the oratorio which confirms the evidence, given in the Ellis manuscript, that the work was performed on the date mentioned at the

combinations. He replaced it by another, and far finer, movement in ER, the one which now stands in the trio.

We must believe, surely, that there was no long delay between Schubert's attraction to the pile-drivers' song and its incorporation in an instrumental work. This means that the Trio in B[ dates probably from 1826, and possibly from late I825.

Marlborough. MAURICE J. E. BROWN.

CORELLI'S ORNAMENTATION Sir,

Stewart Deas, writing in Music & LETTERS (January I953) on Corelli's ornamentation of the first six sonatas of his Op. 5, says that such orna- mentation has no place in the straightforward dance movements of the second part of the book. If this is so then Geminiani's excellent ornamen- tation of the complete sonata IX, as published in Hawkins's History, is a mistake.

At the bottom of the matter is the desire on the part of Messrs. Deas, Pincherle and others to leave well enough alone and stem the progress of the idea of free ornamentation of early music by modern violinists. Only by ignoring historical facts can the arguments against free ornamentation be presented. Pincherle's statement that Corelli's written-out ornaments are merely pedagogic can be easily refuted on the concert stage by playing both versions in succession, as has been done, and leaving the decision to the audience.

1970 Cheremoya, SOL BABITZ. Hollywood 28,

California.

THE LONDON AUTOGRAPH OF 'THE 48' Sir,

In your January issue, page 40, Miss Richardson makes a slip in stating that I informed her that " Miss Emett received ?8 when she sold the manuscript in 1879 ". The information I gave her was that Miss Emett paid Clarissa Clarke ?8 for the autograph in I879. The receipt for this sum is included in Add. MS. 35,022 in the British Museum, signed by Clarissa Clarke and dated June I9th I879.

Lewes. STANLEY GODMAN.

HANDEL'S 'ESTHER' Sir,

Under 'Handeliana' (Music & LETTERS, April I950), I suggested that Burney's statements that a performance of' Esther' was given at the house of Bernard Gates, on February 23rd 1731 (i.e. I732), were open to question, because of a reference in a manuscript of the work sold some years ago by Ellis of Bond Street. This I had not seen, but I should now like to record that I have recently purchased a fine contemporary manu- script of the oratorio which confirms the evidence, given in the Ellis manuscript, that the work was performed on the date mentioned at the

combinations. He replaced it by another, and far finer, movement in ER, the one which now stands in the trio.

We must believe, surely, that there was no long delay between Schubert's attraction to the pile-drivers' song and its incorporation in an instrumental work. This means that the Trio in B[ dates probably from 1826, and possibly from late I825.

Marlborough. MAURICE J. E. BROWN.

CORELLI'S ORNAMENTATION Sir,

Stewart Deas, writing in Music & LETTERS (January I953) on Corelli's ornamentation of the first six sonatas of his Op. 5, says that such orna- mentation has no place in the straightforward dance movements of the second part of the book. If this is so then Geminiani's excellent ornamen- tation of the complete sonata IX, as published in Hawkins's History, is a mistake.

At the bottom of the matter is the desire on the part of Messrs. Deas, Pincherle and others to leave well enough alone and stem the progress of the idea of free ornamentation of early music by modern violinists. Only by ignoring historical facts can the arguments against free ornamentation be presented. Pincherle's statement that Corelli's written-out ornaments are merely pedagogic can be easily refuted on the concert stage by playing both versions in succession, as has been done, and leaving the decision to the audience.

1970 Cheremoya, SOL BABITZ. Hollywood 28,

California.

THE LONDON AUTOGRAPH OF 'THE 48' Sir,

In your January issue, page 40, Miss Richardson makes a slip in stating that I informed her that " Miss Emett received ?8 when she sold the manuscript in 1879 ". The information I gave her was that Miss Emett paid Clarissa Clarke ?8 for the autograph in I879. The receipt for this sum is included in Add. MS. 35,022 in the British Museum, signed by Clarissa Clarke and dated June I9th I879.

Lewes. STANLEY GODMAN.

HANDEL'S 'ESTHER' Sir,

Under 'Handeliana' (Music & LETTERS, April I950), I suggested that Burney's statements that a performance of' Esther' was given at the house of Bernard Gates, on February 23rd 1731 (i.e. I732), were open to question, because of a reference in a manuscript of the work sold some years ago by Ellis of Bond Street. This I had not seen, but I should now like to record that I have recently purchased a fine contemporary manu- script of the oratorio which confirms the evidence, given in the Ellis manuscript, that the work was performed on the date mentioned at the

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