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ThomasdeSanctaMaria
LibroLlamadoArtedeTañer
(1565)
Chapters13-19
TranslatedbySionM.Honea
2
Introduction
ThomasdeSanctaMaria’s(orTomásdeSantaMaria)Artedetañerfantasiaisaparticularlyrelevantadditiontothisanthologyofimportantexcerptsrelatedtoperformancepractice.Chapters13through19ofPart1,thosetranslatedhere,representsourcesfortwomajortechniquesinhistoricalperformance.InregardtothefirstitcouldnotbebettersaidthanbytheauthorsofthearticleonSantaMariainGrove:
“Chapters13to19constitutetheearliestdetailedtreatmentofkeyboardtechnique,includinghandposition,touch,articulation,fingering(asurprisinglyprogressiveapproachusingallfivefingers),thetwoornaments,redobleandquiebro,andtheuseof‘pointed’,ordottedstyle.”
ThereaderofthepassagemayeasilypassoverthesecondreasonforSanctaMaria’sinclusionhere,whichtheauthorscall“theuseofthe‘pointed’ordottedstyle.”SanctaMariapresentsthesecondearliestdescriptionofthetechniqueknownasnotesinégales,anditisaveryinterestingdescription,givingthreedifferentmannersofexecutionforwhatisusuallypresentedinmoderntextsassimplifiedtotheone“swing”rhythm.
TheauthorsoftheGrovearticlealsopointoutaratheramazingqualityofSanctaMaria’stext,aqualityquiterareatthistime.Hisproseisalmostexclusivelymeticulouslyintelligibleatatimewhennovernacularhadyetdevelopedasignificantabilityfor“self-reflection”onitsownpotentialclarity.Itisfarmorecommontofindauthors’explanationsassuminginthereaderanunderstandingofthephenomenonexplainedinordertounderstandtheexplanation!Speakingasoneunfamiliarwithmorethanundergraduatekeyboardtechnique—andthatdecadesago—IcannotentirelyagreewiththeGroveauthors’slightlytaintedpraiseofSanctaMaria,“[His]textisfilledwithpedanticrepetitionandelaborationontheobvious–doubtlesstheproductofascholasticeducation–buttheworkismasterfulforitsclarityandsystematicorganizationandseemswhollyoriginal.”Afterlaboringthroughsomanyinarticulateandincomprehensiblepassagesinthecourseofproducingthetranslationsinthisseries,IfoundSanctaMaria’scompulsivenessrefreshing.IbelievethatevenIcouldfollowhisinstructionsinpractice.Ido,however,admitthedangerforatranslatorthatliesinthetext,itssheerrepetitivenesseasilycausesatendencyto“glazeover”andlosetrackofwhichhandsandwhichfingersthistime,or“didn’tIalreadytranslatethat?”
Ishouldalertthereaderatthistimetothefactthatthereareactuallytwochapters19,whichIhavelabeledaccordingly.Inadditiontochapters13throughboth19’s,Ihaveincludedapartialtranslationofchapterfive,specificallytheportiononthecompas,thetactus.Ifoundthathisdiscussionaidedmyownunderstandingandsoincludeditforthereader.AsafurtheraidtothereaderIhaveidentifiedallthemusicalexamplesinthetextalphabetically,makingitmucheasiertofindthemforconsultation.
InthepreparationofthistranslationIhaveutilizedDenisStevens’facsimileeditionpublishedbyGreggInternational(1972)forthetext.IhavealsooccasionallyconsultedthetranslationbyAlmonteHowellandWarrenHultberg,TheArtofPlayingtheFantasia(LatinAmericanLiteraryReviewPress,
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1991).Asismypractice,though,mytranslationwasproducedentirelyindependently.OnthoseoccasionswhenIcomparedtheHowell/HultbergtexttomyownIalwaysfoundthatthemsatisfactorilysimilar.TheHowell/Hultbergtextis,however,asmootherEnglishtranslationwithoutanylossoffidelity.AgainthisisbecauseIconsciouslychoosetoleavemoreoftheoriginalperceptibleinmyown.
ItisacuriousevidenceofthesmallworldthatIactuallyplayedaminisculeroleintheproductionoftheHowell/HultbergtranslationbyvirtueofthefactthatasthenheadofrarebooksatSibleyMusicLibraryIfacilitatedthelateprofessorHultberginobtainingamicrofilmcopyoftheLibrary’soriginalofSanctaMaria,oneofonlyfourcopiesintheUnitedStatesasreportedinRISM.
Lastbutnotatallleast,IwouldliketothankKangwaMundendewhoinfall2014kindlyproducedformetheentiresetofmusicalexamplesnecessaryforthisexcerpt.UnfortunatelyIwasunabletogetbacktomyrevisionofthetextuntilsummer2016,bywhichtimeIhad—inawayabsolutelymystifyingtome—lostaboutone-thirdoftheexamples.MylaborinhavingtoreproducethemanewrendersmeallthemoregratefulforKangwa’sefforts.Shouldtheexamplesincorporateanyerrors,thereadermaysafelyattributethemtome.
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ThomasdeSanctaMaria,LibrollamadoArtedeTañerfantasia(1565)
BookCalledArtofPlayingFantasia:
AswellforkeyedinstrumentsasforViheulaandeveryinstrument
Onwhichonemayplayinthreeorfourpartsandmore.
PartOne
Chapter5:OnTwoInstructionsforSingingPolyphonyinaBriefTime
[Part1,7r]1Itisadefiniteandestablishedthingthatpolyphonyisasimportantandnecessary
fortheplayer,evenforunderstandingwhatheplays,asforcomposingworksandmakingthemostof
them,withoutwhichitisimpossibleforanyonetobeperfectinthisart,becausejustasforalawyerto
beproficientinhisabilityitisproperandnecessaryforhimtoreadmanylearnedauthorsinorderdaily
toincreaseandknownewthings,sofortheplayeritisimportantandnecessaryinordertobeperfectin
thisabilitythathepracticecomposingpolyphonicworksafter[7v]selectcomposerssothatdailyheis
goingtobeenrichedbyknowingnewandexcellentthingswhenittranspiresthathecomposes
polyphonicworks.Itislikeafountandspringfromwhicharisesandproceedsalltheperfectionsthatit
ispossibletohaveinaconsummateplayer,andbecauseuptillnowforlackoffundamentalsonekeeps
spendingmuchtimeinlearningpolyphony,wewillgiveheretwoverybriefandcompendiousrulesby
meansofwhichinaveryshorttimeandquiteeasilyonecanknowandunderstand[polyphony]
completely,ofwhichthefirstwilltreatofthetactus2andthesecondofthenotesofthepolyphony.
Astothetactus,whichisakindoffoundationforpolyphonybecauseit[polyphony]always
dependsonit[tactus],3itisimportanttonotethatthekeyandregulationofallmusic—singingaswellas
1Thebookisfoliatednotpaginated,sothenumbersrefertotheparticularfolioandr=recto,v=verso.2IhavechosentotranslateSanctaMaria’sterm,compas,asthestandardtermusedatthetime,tactus.SanctaMariaseemsoccasionallytousecompasadditionallyinoneofitsothermeanings,rhythm,beat,measure,pulse,etc.,forwhichreasonitisevenmoredesirabletohaveaspecifictermforthepresentpurpose.3Thetactus,asS.M.willexplain,establishestheregularityofrhythmicmovement,whichisobviouslyvitalforpolyphony.
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playing—isthetactusandthehalf-tactus,4concerningwhichhewhowouldknowhowtomakeuseof
themwellwillobtain5agoodfoundationforsingingandplayingwell,becausethetactusisasureguide
inallmensurablemusic,whichbecauseofitscertaintywesayitisthe“bit”6[i.e.,thecontrollingfactor]
ofmusicbecauseitrestrainsusfromsingingorplayingfoolishlyandwithoutorderbutrather
conformingtoreason,byweightandmeasure,7andbypreceptsandrulesofmusic.Thus,thetactusis
withjusttitlecalledthegovernorbywhichallmusicisarrangedandruled,singingaswellasplaying,
providingitwithallgraceandbeing.Forthisreasonitseemsreasonableandconvenienttotreatthis
subjecthereatthebeginningbeforeenteringupon[thesubjectof]polyphony,forwhichknowledgeit
mustbeunderstoodthatthetactusisthemeasureoftimeadoptedinthechoirwiththeintentionthat
thevoicesjointogetherinconsonanceatthesametime.Orthetactusisthequantityinthedurationof
timethatthereisfromthebeatthatstrikesdowntothenextfollowingdownward[stroke].8Itmustbe
notedthatineachtactusnomorethanonebeatisstruckdown,onwhich[downward]beatthetactus
begins,insuchawaythateachtimethatabeatisstruckdownwardtherebeginsanewtactus.
Thetactuswithwhichallpracticalmusicismeasured,bothforsingingandplaying,wasderived
fromthemeasure(compas)withwhichonemeasuresanddefines9thequantitytowhosesimilaritythe
4Atthistimeasthebasic“beat”ortactushasgraduallyslowedithasbecomecommonforauthorstosubdividethetactusintotwounits,whichalsofacilitatesdiscussionofconducting.Dowland’s(1609)translationofOrnithoparchus’Micrologus,actuallyprovidestheEnglishtermsemitactusforthisrhythmicunit.AftersomedeliberationIhavechosenthesimpleEnglishoverthefullyLatinate.5Conjecturetiendraforterna.6Thepartofthebridleinthehorse’smouth.7Themetaphorisclear,=withprecision.8S.M.herereferstotheconductor’sbeat,inwhicheachdownwardstrokeindicatesthebeginningofatactus.Theusualdescriptionsarethatthetactusisbeatenwithanup-downmotion,thecompletionofwhichtwopartsmakesonecompletetactus.ThisratherconfusingcircumlocutionmaybebecauseS.M.writesatatimewhenthestandardtactusofasemibreveisslowingstillfurthersoastobebeginningtobeperceivedasameasurecomprisingseveralindividualbeats.9Thisisaconjecture,butareasonablysafeoneforiniuelà,frominhibir,inoriginLatininhibere.Thecommonlossofhprovidesconsiderableconfusionwiththeolderorthographicuseofuasv,pronouncedasb,thusyieldinginhibe(thirdpersonsingularpresent).Thelàisthefemininepronoun“it”inreferencetofemininemusica.EarlierSpanish,likeItalian,unliketoday,couldattachtheconjunctivepronountofiniteverbswhenininitialposition.Itcanalsobeobservedinanycircumstanceinwhichtheauthorfelttheverbwasemphaticforsomereason,asisarguablythecasehere.
6
tactus(compas)ofthepracticalmusicmeasuresthetimethatisspentinthenotesofpolyphony,andfor
thisreasonpolyphonyiscalledmensuralsong,whichmeanssongthatismeasuredorcanbemeasured
[i.e.,quantified]forwhosemeasurementthetactus(compas)wasinvented,uponwhichallpractical
musicisfounded.10Fromthisitfollowsthatallmusic,bothsungandplayed,issubjectandboundtothe
tactusandnotthetactustomusic,byreasonofbeingruledandgoverned[8r]byit,andofthis
beginnerswhoprofessthisartoughttobeveryaware.11
Thetactusisdividedandsplitintotwoequalparts,itmustbeknown,intotwohalf-tactus,12
whichareitsintegralpartsofwhichitiscomposed,whichdivisionandsplitmakesthebeatthatstrikes
upward,justlikeonedividesacontinuousquantityintotwoequalparts,onedividesandsplitsatapoint
inthemiddle,soalsoinmusicfordividingandsplittingthetactusintotwohalf-tactusonedividesand
splitswithabeatthatstrikesup,sothatthetactusalwaysstrikesdownandthehalf-tactusup.Sothe
half-tactusisthequantityormeasureordurationoftimethatthereisfromthedownwardbeattothe
upward,orfromtheupwardtothedownward.Takenotethatnomoretimeisspentinthedownward
stroketotheupward,whichisthehalf-tactus,thanfromtheupwardtothedownward,whichisthe
otherhalf-tactus,ofwhichdemonstrationismakebymarkingtwopointswithameasureonawallfrom
hightolow,inwhichoneseesclearlythatithasnomorequantityordistancefromthelowpointtothe
highthanfromthehightothelow.
Wehavetwodifferenttypesoftactusinpracticalmusic.Intheonetypethetactus,asIsay,is
dividedandsplitintotwoequalparts,andintheothertypeintothreepartsalsoequal.Thisisthe
10Again,the(extreme?)circumlocutiousnatureofthispassageresultsfromthefactsthat(1)S.M.isbeingcommendablyspecificintryingtoreducemusicalphenomenatoconceptsexpressedbyspecificterms,but(2)hasnogoodchoicebuttousethetermcompasinbothageneralandspecificwayasrhythm/beatandtactusrespectively.Musicterminologystillpossessesmanyoftheseambiguousterms,suchastherelatedEnglish“measure,”andtheambiguousGerman“Takt,”aswellasFrench“clef”andEnglish“key.”11ItseemsrathermorelikelythatS.M.meansonlytocommunicatethatrhythmisnotidiosyncraticallyflexibleratherthanthathereferstothefactthatthetactusitselfisnolongeralwaysinvariableinspeed.InItalyataboutthistimethetactusofcformadrigalswastakenmoreslowlythanthatofCformotets.(Houle,MeterinMusic1600-1800,15-16).12Thepluraloftactŭs,afourthdeclensionnoun,istactūs.Thedistinctionisalmostalwaysclearfromcontext.
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tactusoftheproportionthattheycallbyothernametheternary,inwhichofthethreepartsthatit
contains,twoarespentinthedownwardstrokeandtheotherintheupwardstroke.Thisismadeby
singingtwosemibrevesinthestrokethatstrikesdownwardandoneinthatwhichstrikesupward,or
[thereare]twominimsinthedownwardstrokeandoneintheupwardstroke.13
Fourthingsarerequiredinorderperfectlytocomprehendthetactus.Firstistostrikewiththe
handadownwardstrokeandanotherupward,nottake,asIsay,moretimeinthedownwardstroketo
theupwardthanfromtheupwardtothedownward.Althoughtheupwardbeathasnothingtostrike
on,asdoestheonethatstrikesdown,14evensoallthesameitmustbestruckasifitwerestrikingon
somethings,aswemanytimesseethetactustakensilently15withouttappingthehandeitherdownward
orupward,andallthesametostrikewiththehandasifonetappeddownwardandupward;thesetwo
strokescomposeeachtactus.
Thesecondthingisthatwhenthehandstrikesdownwarditremainsstillallthetimethatthe
half-tactuslastswithoutrisinguntilthatpointthatitwouldhavetostrikeupward,andinthesameway
whenitstrikesupwarditremainsstillallthetimethatthehalf-tactuslastswithoutdroppinguntilthe
pointthatitwouldhavetostrikedownward,andbecauseofthisitisnecessarytoraiseandlowerthe
handwiththesameequality,namelythatthereisnomorespeedofmovementinraisingitthanin
loweringit.
Thethird[8v]thingisthatthestrokedownorupandthepoint[inthetactus]thatwouldoccur
withitshouldstrikejointlyatoneandthesametime,insuchawaythatthestrokeshouldstrikeneither
beforenorafterthepoint,northepointneitherbeforenorafterthestroke,untilalltogetheratthe13ThereareacoupleofpeculiarthingsaboutS.M.’sdiscussionofthetactusinregardtodupleandtriplemensuration.Itisasthoughheisuncomfortabletalkingaboutanythingbutaduplesubdivisionofthebreve,thetempuslevel.OnelooksinvaininhisbookforanymensurationsignbeyondcandC,both,tempusimperfectumprolatioimperfecta.Hismentionoftriplaisperfunctory.Finallythereistheunexplainedandoffhandmentionofatactusthatismeasuredinminimsnotsemibreves.Afterthisvirtuallydismissivementionoftriplehereturnstoduple.14ClearlyS.M.assumesthepresenceofalecternthatistobestruckinthethesisofthetactus.15Thephraseisenvago.Nocurrentmeaningofvagosuppliesagoodsense,butS.M.usesitinchapter18torefertoaninitialrest,fromthisIconjecture“silently.”
8
sametime,forwhichitisnecessarythateachstroke,thedownwardaswellastheupwardbestrucka
littleforcefullywithenergy,andfurther,bothshouldbestruckequally,thatisthatthedownwardbeat
notbestruckmoreforcefullythantheupwardstroke,northeupwardthanthedownward.16
Thefourththingisthatallthetactusshouldproceedmeasuredandevenbythemeasureofthe
firsttactus,thatisthatthemeasureoftimethatthefirsttactustakes,eachoneoftheothersthat
followstakesthesame,forthereasonthatonetakesnomoretimeinonethanintheother.
Weofferthisadvicetobeginningplayers,thattheykeepthemaincountbythehalf-tactus,
whichasIsayitis,alwaysstrikesupward,andinthiswaytheycannotgowronginplayinginrhythm
withallexactnessthatitrequiresbecausefromexperienceweseethatallthosewhodonotkeepthe
rhythmerrinthehalf-tactus.17
Itismuchtothepointforonewishingtokeepthetactusandhalf-tactuswellinsingingand
playingtotrainmuchinkeepingitsilently18withthehandorfootaccordingtotheconditionsand
circumstancesalreadynoted,andinthisway,then,easilymayonekeepitinsingingandplayingand
especiallyinthecaseofbeginningplayersisitveryimportantandnecessarytomaintainthetactusand
half-tactuswiththefoot,sinceinplayingonecannotkeepitwiththehand.
16Thepointseemstobethatthemovementofthehandshouldpreciselyconformtothedivisionofthetactus.Anyonewhohasperformedunderaconductorwitha“lazyictus”knowshowunsettlingthisdefectcanbe.17S.M.’spointappearstobeonestillvalidtoday,especiallyamongyoungplayers.Itisrelativelyeasytokeepasteadysuccessionofdownbeatscomparedwithplacingcorrectlythesubdivisionwithinthebeat.18OnceagainIfindnosatisfyingmodernsenseof“enseco”“drily”andconjecture,ratherunsatisfyinglygiventheaboveinterpretationof“envago,”assilently.
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[36v]Chapter13:OntheConditionsthatareRequiredforPlaying
WithallPerfectionandRefinement
Inorderforallmusictopossessthatgraceandessencethatouttobeinit,itisnecessaryfor
onetoplaywithalltherefinementthatisrequiredforit,whichraisesitbymanyfactors,19whichgives
itafreshessenceandgrace,but,whenlackingthis,allthatonewouldplay,howevergooditmaybe,will
possess20neithergracenorelegance.Itclearlyconsistsinthedifferencethatthereisintheverysame
workplayedbyaperfectandinterestingoranotherimperfectandcrudeplayer,becausewhenplayed
bytheperfectoneitseemsathingveryintenseandfirst-rate,butplayedbytheimperfectoneitseems
athinglowandcrude,asiftheyweredifferentworks.
Theconditionsthatthusadornmusicarereducedtoeight.Thefirstistoplayintime
(compas).21Thesecondistoplacethehandswell.Thethirdistostrikethekeyswell,thefourthtoplay
withclarityandprecision.Thefifthistomovethehandswellineitherdirection,thatisinascendingto
theuppersideanddescendingtothelowerside.22Thesixthistostrikethefingersappropriately.The
seventhistoplaywithgoodstyle.23Theeighthistomakegoodturnsandtrills.24
Astoplayingintime,whichisthefirstcondition,wehavenomoretoadvisethereaderthanto
takeheedofeverythingwesaidaboveaboutthetactusandhalf-tactus.
19Thewordisquilates,whosemodernmeaningis“carat.”Ifthisisnotametaphor,thenitsothersenseisunknowntome.20Thewordternahereseemstobeamisprintfortiendraorpossiblyadialecticalformwithretentionofthee-gradevowelandassimilationofthedentalnasal“n”tothevoiceddental“d,”withmetathesisofconsonants.21SeeChapter5onthecompas.Onthisoccasionthetermistranslatedasanaidtounderstandingtheparticularcontext.Itusuallytranslatesastactusbutoccasionallyotherofitsmeaningsseemmoreappropriate.22Giventheentirecontextanditsmanyspatialreferences,itseemsmostlikelythatS.M.isdiscussingpropermovementofthehandsoverthekeyboard,notwithinasingle“part,”theupper(righthand)andlower(lefthand).23Thewordisayre,modernaireandwouldseemnaturaltotranslateas“melodicstyle,”butthefirst(oftwo)Chapter19dealsratherwithrhythmicstyle,especiallyitseemsasthatqualitywouldaffecttheoverallinterpretation.Thus,itseemsbesttousethebroaderterm.24Thetermsareredoblesandquiebrosrespectively.
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Chapter14:OntheMannerofPlacingtheHandswell
[37r]Beforeweenterintothissubjectmatter,wemustknowtheenumerationofthefingers,
whichbeginswiththethumbandendswiththelittlefinger,countingsuccessivelyfromonetofive.In
thiswaywecallthethumbfirstandtheonenexttoitsecond,themiddleonethird,andthenextthat
followsimmediatelyfourthandthelastonefifth.
Thesecondcondition,whichistoplacethehandswell,consistsofthreethings.Thefirstisthat
thehandsbeplacedcurved,25likethepawsofacat,26insuchawaythatbetweenthehandandfingers
thereisnotanyhump,butbeforethebaseofthefingersithastobeverysunkeninsuchawaythatthe
fingersmaybehigherthanthehandandpositionedinanarch,andsothefingersaredrawnmoretaut
inordertostrikeabetterstroke,becausejustastothedegreethatthebowisdrawnmoretaut,sodoes
itstrikeagreaterstroke,soalsothefingerstothedegreethattheyaremoretautdostrikeagreater
strokeonthekeys,andthenthenotessoundmorerobustandmorefullandwithgreaterlife.This
perfectionissogreatandofsuchvalueformusicthatapartfromthebeautyandgracethatsuch
positionproducesinthehands,itimpartsgreatessenceandsplendortoallthatoneplays,makingit
differentanddistinctivefromwhatisplayedwithoutthispositionofthehands.Thesecondthingsisto
keepthehandsverycompacted,whichonedoesbykeepingthefourfingersofbothhandsclose
together,whicharethesecond,third,fourthandfifth,eachtotheother,especiallypressingthesecond
fingertothethird,whichonecandobetterwiththerighthandthanwiththeleft,andthiscontributes
muchinthecaseofplayingwitheleganceandsweetness.Likewisethethumbmustgoverylow,even
muchlowerthantheotherfour.Further,itmustgobentinwardinsuchawaythatthemiddleofthe
fingerfromthejointforwardgoesbelowthepalm.Thelittle,whichisthefifth,mustbecontracted
morethanalltheothersinsuchawaythatalmostreachestothepalm.Itisimpossibletopositionthe
25Thisisaconjecturefortheobscureengaravatadas.26AtthemomentoftranslatingthispassageIhavethebenefitoftwocatslyingasleepwithinarm’sreachandfindabsolutelynohelpintheimage.Acat’spawwhensimplyrelaxedisstraightandcurvedoutwardtenselywhentheclawsareextruded.HowellandHultbergtranslatethispassagealmostidenticallyandoffernofurtherexplantion.
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handswellwithoutkeepingtheaforesaidtwofingersofbothhandscontractedinthismanner,namely
thethumbandlittlefinger,becauseonthosedependsthecompactnessofthehands,andfromhereit
resultsthatkeepingthefingersspreadeachfromtheother,especiallythethumbandlittlefinger,one
cannotplaywellbecausethehandsarehindered,andtheyarewithoutforceandpowerasiftheywere
tied.
Thethirdthingisthatthehandsarepositionedinsuchamannerthatthethree[37v]fingersof
eachhand,whicharethesecond,thirdandfourth,alwaysgooverthekeys,aswellwhenitwere
necessarytostrikethemaswhennot,andbeyondthisthesecondfinger,especiallythatoftheright
hand,mustgoalittlebitmoreraisedorhigherthantheotherthree,whicharethethird,fourthand
fifth.
Forthegoodpositionofthehands,andevenforplayingwell,itisnecessaryforthearmsfrom
theelbowsgoinwardextendedtowardthebodybutwithoutanystrain,althoughforlongascending
passagesofeighth-notesandsixteenth-noteswiththelefthand,itisnecessarytomovetheleftelbow
awayfromthebody,andlikewiseforlongdescendingpassagesofeighth-notesandsixteenth-noteswith
therighthanditisalsonecessarytomovetherightelbowawayfromthebody.
Chapter15:OntheMethodofStrikingtheKeys
Thethirdcondition,whichistostrikethekeyswell,consistsofsixthings.Thefirstistostrike
thekeyswiththepadsofthefingersinsuchawaythatthenailsdonotcomenearoreasilymake
contactwiththekeys,whichhappens27whenloweringthewristsandonehasextendedthefingersfrom
themiddleofthefingerforward,becausewhenstrikinginthismannertheysoundthenotesfull,sweet
andgentle.Thereasonforthisisbecauseasthefleshissomethingtender,itstrikeswithtenderness
andgentleness.Furthermore,oneplayswithclaritybecauseasthefingersmakeaseatonthekeys,
theyarenotableeithertosliporescapeinanydirection.Onthecontrary,whenonestrikeswiththe
27Namely,theproperpositionhappenswhendoingthefollowing.ThepositionoftheclausemayeasilymisleadthereaderintothinkingthatS.M.isdescribingthewrongposition.
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nailsonecommitstwogreatdefects.Thefirstisthatitsoundsloudonthewoodofthekeysbutthe
noteslittleandalsofaintandspiritless.Theseconddefectisthatoneplayswithoutclearnessand
clumsilyandconsequentlyunpleasantfortheearsbecauseasthefingersdonotmakeaseatonthe
keys,theyslipaway28then,andsothereismadeagreatnoiseonthekeys,andalsoasthenailsare
bony—andbonesandthekeysarehardthings—instrikingtheonewiththeother,theycannotsound
withsweetnessandgentlenessbutratherwithmuchdistasteandunpleasantness,asalreadynoted.
Thesecondthingistostrikethekeyswithastrongimpetus,whichbyothernameisfirmly,and
thenthenotespossessgreatessenceandspirit.
Thethirdthingisthatboththehandsshouldstrikethekeysequally,thatisthattheonehand
doesnotstrikemoreforcefullynormoregentlythantheother,butratherbothequally.Likewiseboth
handsmuststrikesojointlyatthesametimethateveniftheyshouldstrike[38r]manynotesatthe
sametime,aswhenthereisachordofthreeorfournotesormore,allseemlikeasinglesound.
Likewisebewarethatevenifthehandsstrikethekeysgently,forallthat,theymuststrikethemwitha
littleimpetus.Assaidaboveaboutstriking,itisoneofthemostessentialthingsthatthereisforplaying
anythingwhateverwithperfection.
Thefourththingisnottostrikethekeysfromabove,29forwhichitisnecessarytokeepthe
fingersclosetothekeys30andaftereachfingerhasstruckthekeytoraiseitaverylittle,andfurther,the
fingersmuststrikebyfallingstraightdownandinthesamewayrisingstraightupinsuchawaythatthey
hastentoreturntothesamepositionanddispositionthattheywereinbefore.Allofwhichproduces
greatsweetnessandgentlenessinthemusic;andfurther,thenotessoundmuchbutthekeyslittleor
28Luegodeslizanhaziafuera—aparticularlyconfusinglookingphrasebecausethelastthreewordscouldallbefiniteverbforms,thoughthelasttwoareactuallyadverbsmodifyingdeslizan.ApparentlyitwasalsoconfusingtoSpanishreaders,fortheGreggreprint,fromwhichthistranslationisprepared,reproduced,thoughunfortunatelyonlypartially,whatappearstobeaSpanishmarginalglossinahandprobablyoftheeighteenthcentury.29Aswillbecomeclear,bythisS.M.canonlymeannottostrikethekeysfromasignificantdistanceabovebuttokeepthefingerscloseoverthekeys.30Onceagain,S.M.isnotdescribingthefaultbuttheproperpractice.Heseemsby“fromabove”tomeanthatoneshouldnotkeepthefingersliftedfaroffthekeys.
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none.Onthecontrary,whenonestrikesfromabove,itproducesagreatlackofgraceanddisgustinthe
musicfortheears.Further,thekeyssoundmuchandthenoteslittle.Onecommitsthisdefectby
raisingthefingersmuchafterhavingstruckthekeys.Likewisethetimethatonespendsinraisingthe
fingersmuchandinloweringthemstealspartofthetimethatthenotesoughttobesounding,by
keepingthefingersoverthekeys.31Likewiseforstrikingthekeyswellitisnecessarynottoraisethe
palmsbutratheronlythefingersthatmuststrikethekeys,whilethepalmsremainstill.Beyondthis,
thekeysbothwhiteandblackmustbestruckattheirtiporend.Thisisunderstoodasoutwards.32
Strikingthekeyswellisalsooneofthethingsmostessentialandforemostthatthereisinplaying.
Thefifththingistodepressthekeysallthattheycanwellbelowered,insuchawaythatifthe
instrumentwereamonochord33thestrokes34wouldraisethecordswell,butinsuchawaythatthe
notesdonotleapfromtheirpitchbyraisingthenote,whichiscausedbypressingthefingers
excessively.35Ifitshouldbesomeotherinstrument,thekeysmustbelowereduntiltheymeetwiththe
liningthatisbelowthem.Itmustbeunderstood,ifthekeyscanbelowereduntiltheyjointhelining.36
Thesixththingisthatoncethekeysarestruck,thefingersshouldnotbetensedsomuchupon
them—becauseapartfromthenotesleapingfromthepitchbyraisingthenote,thehandsarehindered
asiftheywerejammed—northefingersberelaxedinsuchawaythatthenotesgrowfaint,butrather
thatthefingersremainonthem[thekeys]withouttensingtoomuchorrelaxingorraisingthemuntil
31Thissenseofthisisquiteobvioustothetranslator,ahornplayer,whohasspentmanyalessontryingtokeepthefingersofbeginningstudentsincontactwiththeinstrument’skeysfortheveryreasonS.M.described450yearsago.Thetraveltimebetweenthefingerandthekey,whenthefingersareoffthekeys,howeverminuteisstillsufficienttodisruptthesynchronicityoftheactionandthesoundproduction,whichparticularlydisruptspassagesoffasternotes.32Theoutsideedgeofthekey.33Themonochordalludedtoisamulti-stringedkeyboardinstrumentandancestoroftheclavichord,notGuido’snon-stringinstrument.34“Toques”maywellbeatechnicaltermforthestrikingmechanism,buttherepresentationoftheactionitselfcommunicatesthesenseaswell.35Excessivepressureonthemechanismpressesitagainstthestring,stretchingthelatterandcausingittogooffpitch.36Presumablysomeinstrumentshadsuchaliningandotherdidnot.
14
thepointthattheymuststrikeotherkeys,insuchawaythatthenotesremainalwaysthesameessence
ofsound.37
[38v]Chapter16:OntheMannerofPlayingwithClarityandDefinitionoftheNotes
Inregardtoplayingwithclarityanddefinitionofnotes,whichisthefourthcondition,letitbe
notedthattwothingsarerequiredforit.Thefirstandprincipalisthatinstrikingthefingersonthekeys,
alwaysthefingerthatwouldstrikefirstrisesbeforetheother[finger]thatimmediatelyfollowsafterit
maystrike,forbothascendinganddescendingalike,alwaysproceedinginthiswaybecauseinanyother
wayonefingerwouldbeovertakenbytheother.Whenonefingerovertakestheother,itfollowsthat
onenoteovertakesandobscurestheother,whichislikestriking[harmonic]seconds,andwhenone
noteovertakesandobscuresanotheritfollowsthatitgoessloppyandunclear,whateveroneplays,and
thenotesmaintainneitherclaritynordefinition.
Thesecondthingthatisrequiredistoraiseupeachfingeraverylittleafterhavingstruckthe
key,butinnowaytowithdrawitawayfromthekeysnorcontractitnordoubleit,whichwouldcausea
greatnoiseonthekeys,exceptinthecaseofturnsandtrillsaswillbetreatedinitsownplace.
Chapter17:OntheMethodofRunningtheHandsovertheUpperandLowerParts
Astorunningthehandsovertheupperandlowerparts[ofthekeyboard],whichisthefifth
condition,letitbenotedthatforthisfourthingsarerequired.Thefirstistocompactthehandswellin
themannerthatwasnotedbefore.
Thesecondthingistoturnthehandsawayaverylittletowardthepartthattheywouldmainly
movewhentheyplayeighth-notesorsixteenth-notes.
Thethirdthingiswhenonewouldruntowardtheupperpartandwouldgowiththerighthand,
whichcommonlyascendswiththetwofingers,whicharethethirdandfourth,toraisethethirdfinger
eachtimethatitwouldhavetostrikethekeymorethan[onewouldraise]thefourth,butnottoraise
37Toomuchpressureonthekeycanstretchthestringoutoftune,whereastoolittlemakesthesoundfaint.
15
thefourthmorethanasmuchasoneseparatesordetachesfromthekeysoastoseemthatitgoes
brushingoverthekeys;andfurthermore,thisfourthfingermustcontinuestrikingattheedgeofthe
keys,andthethirdfingerfurtherinside.Thesecondfingermustgoalittlecontractedandhigherthan
thethird,andpositionedinthiswaythissecondfingermustgofixedwiththethirdfingerandinthisway
thehandisveryforceful,withoutwhichitisentirelyimpossibletoascendthepassageswithperfection.
Therefore,itisnecessarytotakeveryseriouslywhathasbeensaidaboveaboutthesecondfinger
becauseitisveryimportant.Ifinascendingonrunswiththe[39r]lefthand,itisnecessaryforthe
fourthfingertoriseeachtimethatitwouldhavestruckthekeymuchmorethanthethirdfinger,which
istheoneinthemiddle.Whenonewouldascendwiththefirstandsecondfingeritisnecessaryforthe
secondtoriseeachtimethatitwouldhavestruckthekeymuchmorethandoesthefirst.Thefirstmust
notrisemorethanasmuchasseparatesordetachesitfromthekeys,sothatitseemsthatitisbrushing
them.Whenthehandsruntowardthelowerpart,ifitweretogobytherighthand,whichusually
descendswithtwofingers,namelythesecondandthird,thethirdfingermustriseeachtimethatit
wouldhavestruckthekeymorethandoesthesecondfinger,andthesecondfingermustnotrisefrom
thekeysmorethanasmuchasitseparatesordetachesfromtheminsuchawaythatitseemsthatitis
brushingoverthem.Further,thissecondfingermustkeepstrikingatthetipofthekeysandthethird
fingermoreforward.Ifindescendingoneweretorunwiththelefthand,whichusuallydescendswith
twofingers,namelythethirdandfourth,thethirdmustriseeachtimethatitwouldhavestruckthekey
muchmorethanthefourthdoes.Thefourthmustnotrisefromthekeysmorethansomuchas
separatesanddetachesfromtheminsuchawaythatitseemstobebrushingoverthem.Further,this
fourthfingermustkeepstrikingthetipofthekeysandthethirdfingermoreforward.Likewise,the
secondfingermustdrawnearthethirdfinger,namelythemiddleone,asmuchasmaybepossible.
16
Thefourththingisthatinrunningthehandsbothtotheupperpartaswellastothelower,the
threefingersofbothhands—whichIsayarethesecond,thirdandfourth—alwaysmustbegoingover
thekeysandneverdrawawayfromthem.
Chapter18:OntheMethodofStrikingwiththeAppropriateFingers
Inregardtostrikingwiththeappropriatefingers,whichisthesixthcondition,itmustbe
observedthattherighthandpossessesoneprincipalfingerbutthelefthandhastwo.Theoneofthe
righthandisthethirdfinger,whichisthemiddleone,andthetwoofthelefthandarethesecondand
third.Theyarecalledprincipalbecausewiththemonebeginsandendsturnsandtrills,bymeansof
whichonefurnishesmusicwithelegance.
Theblackkeysmustneverbestruckwiththethumbexceptwhenanoctaveisplayedin
whicheverofthetwohands,orwhensomenecessitypresentsitselfandnothingelsecanbedone.
Whenquarter-notesoreighth-notesareplayed,onemustneverstriketwotimessuccessively38
withthesamefinger,exceptifsomenecessitypresentsitselfsothatonecandonothingelse.Onemust
takecareofthiswithgreatstrictnessinthecaseofeighth-notesandquarter-notes.
[39v]Whenwhole-notes39wouldbeplayedwiththerighthandallmustbestruckwiththe
middlefinger,exceptwhenanothernotewouldprevent.Whentheywouldbeplayedwiththelefthand
theycanbestruckonewiththesecondfingerandtheotherwiththethird,andproceedinginthis
mannereitherallwiththesecondfingerorwiththethirdfinger,accordingtohowitwouldturnout
better,conformingtotheopinionofagoodjudge,anditisunderstood[thatthisis]whenanothernote
doesnotpreventit.38Thewordarreoinanypossiblesenseappropriateherehascompletelyfallenoutofmoderndictionaries.Fortunately,S.M.givesasuperbdefinitionwithillustrationsinPart2,Chapter11,whereitmeans“stepwise.”Onthisoccasionthatmeaningisnotquiteevidentandismorelikely“successively”awordalsoappropriatetonotesthatmovestepwise.39Thetranslationofnotevaluesintomoderntermsshouldnotmisleadthereaderintothinkingthattheypossessthedurationswewouldassumetoday.Authoritiesdifferastowheninthesixteenthcenturythetactus,thebasicpulse,changedfromthesemibreve(whole-note)totheminim(half-note).SanctaMariainthisworkusesonlytwomensurationsigns:candC.Itwouldseemsafetoassumethatthevalueofthewhole-notehereisnoslowerthantwobeatsatmodern60bpm.
17
Withtheseaforementionedfingersofbothhandsbymeansofwhichthewhole-noteswouldbe
struck,alsohalf-notesmustbestruck,althoughinplayingthemwiththerighthandindescendingone
canstrikeonewiththethirdfingerandtheotherwiththesecondfingerandproceedinginthisway
whenonehasmany,orallwiththemiddlefingeraccordingtowhatismoreappropriate.
Whenthereshouldbeplayedtwo,three,fourormorequarter-notesoreighth-notesonthe
samesign40orkey,whichisthesamething,itisnecessarytostrikeallwithtwofingers,withdrawing
themthetimesthatitwerenecessary.41Iftheyweretobeplayedwiththerighthand,theymustbe
struckwithtwofingers,namelythesecondandthird,andiftobeplayedwiththelefthandtheymustbe
struckwiththetwofingersthatarefirstandsecond,orwiththetwothataresecondandthird.Inorder
todothisperfectlyitisnecessarytoplacethehandturnedoverthekeysinsuchawaythatthearm
fromtheelbowtothefingersisoverthekeyboardofthemonochord.
Likewisewhen,followingadottedhalf-note,twonoteswouldbeplayedonasinglepitch,such
asfa,fa,theymustbestruckalsowithtwofingers,whichmustbethe
sameaswesaidabove,oftherightorleft,withwhichhalf-notesand
eighth-noteswouldbestruck,whentherearemanyonthesamepitch.
Whenbywhicheverofthetwohandsthereeitherascendordescendsuccessivelylongpassages
ofquarter-notesoreighth-notes,thefingerswithwhichtheywouldascendordescendalsomustgoin
succession,onefollowingaftertheotherwithoutleavinganyout,forwhichonemusttakecarethaton
infrequentoccasions[40r]allfivefingersascendordescendsuccessively,butrathermoreoftenfour
whicharethefirst,second,thirdandfourth.42
40S.M.apparentlymeansthevisualsymbolrepresentationofthepitch,i.e.,anote.41Thisisaratherawkwardwayofsayingtoalternatethefingers.42Thisisanotherawkwardexpression.S.M.’sstatementisactuallypositive,ineffect“onerarelyusesallfivefingers,”butthe“rarely”actsasakindofnegativeintheauthor’smind,whichconditionshisuseof“nibaxan”andsubsequentlyof“sino,”“butrather.”
18
Whenquarter-noteswouldascendordescendstepwisewiththelefthand,theymustascend
withtwofingers,thesecondandfirstbeginningwiththesecondanddescendwiththeothertwo
fingers,thethirdandfourthbeginningwiththethird,althoughsometimeswhenascendingthefirst
noteisstruckwiththethirdfingerandothertimesthetwofirstnotesascendwiththefourthandthird
beginningwiththefourth.Likewiseindescendingsometimesthefirstnoteisstruckwiththesecond
fingerandothertimesthefirsttwonotesdescendwiththefirstandsecond.
Whenlongpassagesofeighth-notesorsixteenth-noteswouldascendordescendstepwisewith
thesamelefthand,theymustascendordescendwithfourfingers,whicharefirst,second,thirdand
fourth,repeatingthemasmanytimesasnecessary,beginningwiththefourthfingerwhenascending
andfollowingsuccessivelywiththethird,secondandfirst,thenwhendescendingbeginningwiththe
firstfinger,followingafteritsuccessivelywiththesecond,thirdandfourth,sothatinascendingafter
thefirstfingerthefourthfollows,andindescendingafterthefourthfingerthefirstfollows.Placegreat
importanceontherulebecauseitisverygoodandnecessary.
Whentherighthandwouldascendstepwiseinquarter-notesoreighth-notes,itmustascend
withtwofingers,thethirdandfourthbeginningwiththethird,althoughsometimesthefirstnotemust
bestruckwiththesecondfinger,andothertimesthefirsttwonotesascendwiththefirstandsecond
fingers.Takecarethatthisruleisuniversalwithoutexception
19
Itmustbeobservedasauniversalrulethatseldomfails,thatwhenindescending[40v]withthe
righthandplayingquarter-notesoreighth-notes,onestrikeswiththethumb,thenafteritthemiddle
fingermustfollowimmediately.Thispresupposes,itmustbeunderstood,thatwhenonedescendsin
stepwisequarter-notesoreighth-noteswiththesamerighthand,theymustdescendwiththree
differentfingerings.Thefirstiswithtwofingers,secondandthirdbeginningwiththethird,although
sometimesthefirstnoteisstruckwiththefourthfinger.Thisdifferentfingeringservesforthemostpart
forquarter-notes.Theseconddifferentfingeringismadeindescendingstepwisewiththreefingers—
first,secondandthird,beginningwiththethirdandfollowingaftersuccessivelythesecondandfirst,
repeatingtheminthissameorderasmanytimesasnecessary,althoughsometimesthefirstnoteis
struckwiththefourthfinger.Finally,astotheseconddifferentfingering,afterthefirstfinger,namely
thethumb,thethird,themiddleone,follows,althoughsometimesafterthefirstthesecondfollows.
Thisseconddifferentfingeringforthemostpartservesforeighth-notes.
Thethirddifferentfingeringisusedwhendescendingstepwisewiththefourfingers,whichare
first,second,thirdandfourth,beginningwiththefourthandfollowingaftersuccessivelywiththethird,
secondandfirst,repeatingtheminthesameorderasmanytimesasneeded,insuchawaythatafter
thefirstfingerthefourthfollows,althoughsometimesthesecondorthirdfollows.Thisthirddifferent
20
fingeringservesforplayingeighth-notes,especiallywhenthereisanoddnumber,suchasfive,nineor
thirteen.Sometimesithappensthatinthesesecondandthirddifferentfingeringsonedescendspartof
thepassagewithtwofingers,secondandthird.
[41r]Oftenthefingerscombineinmanyotherways,concerningwhichrulescannotbeposited
becausetherearesomany,whichisinthejudgmentofeachoneaccordingtothenecessitypresented
andthebetterskilloneexercises.
Whenquarter-notesoreighth-notesorsixteenth-notesascendordescendbyleap,third,fourth,
orfifthorwhateverotherleap,insuchcasestheaforementionedleapsalsomustascendordescend
withalternatefingers,thatisbyfingersbetweenwhichmaybeoneortwoinbetween,accordingto
howtheleapproceeds,becausejustasintheaforementionedleapsnotesareleftoutinbetween,so
alsobetweenthefingerswithwhichoneascendsordescendstheseleapsmustoneleaveoutoneor
twoorthreeintermediateones[fingers],evenifoftenithappensthatthethirdsoreventhefourths
ascendordescendwithadjacentfingers,thatiswithsuccessivefingers.
21
Inregardtooctavesthatascendordescendstepwiseinquarter-notesoreighth-notes,itmustbenoted
thatthescalecanascendordescendintwoways.Theoneisbystrikingthefirstnoteonthetactusor
onthehalf-tactus,andinsuchcasethefirstnotemustbeaquarter-noteandalltheothersremain
eighth-notes.Theotherwayiswhenthefirstnotedoesnotstrikeonthetactusoronthehalf-tactus,
butratherontheoff-beat,43andthenatthebeginningoneobscuresaneighth-rest,whichhastofallon
thetactusoronthehalf-tactus.
[41v]Ofthosecontractedoctaves,44thefirstascends
inthisorderoffingersasfollows:fourth,third,second,
fourth,third,second,first,second.
Whentheaforementionedfirstoctaveinascendingwouldstrikethisfollowingscale:ut,re,mi,
fa,sol,re,mi,fa,mi,fa,mi,fa,mi,re,mi,fa,onecanascendwithtwodifferentfingerings.Theoneisby
thisorderoffingersasfollows:fourth,third,second,third,second,first,secondandfirstandtheother
notesremainingwiththeimmediatefingersthatfollow,asconformstothenotesofthescale.
43S.M.’stermisenvago,forwhichthereisnogoodEnglishtranslation.Unliketoday,S.M.thinksinrhythmicunitsofonlythetactusandhalf-tactus,withnowaytoexpressanyfurther,smallerabstractsubdivisions,henceenvago.Ihavechosen“ontheoff-beat,”whichis,ofcourse,ananachronism.LaterS.M.willusetheprecisetermforaquarter-rest,pausasemiminima.44The“contractedoctaves”arecoveredinChapter12.Itissufficientheretosaythatthenameresultsfromtheparticularconstructionofthemonochord’skeyboard,whichisatechnicalmatterbeyondmyexpertise.Theinterestedreaderisdirectedtothearticle“Clavichord”intheNewGroveDictionaryofMusicalInstrumentsandtheparticularlyavidonetoHenri-ArnautdeZwolle,Traités:(Paris:Bibliothèquenationale,ms.latin7295),Kassel:Bärenreiter,1972.
22
Theotherfingeringisbythefollowingorder:fourth,third,second,fifth,fourth,third,second
andfirstandtheothernotesremainingwiththefingersthatwouldfollowimmediatelyinsuccession,as
conformstothenotesofthescale.Thisisthe
betterorderoffingersbecausewiththesethe
notesascendmoreeasily.
Thesecondcontractedoctavemustascendwiththisfollowingorderoffingers:fourth,third,
fourth,third,second,first,secondandfirst.
Thethirdcontractedoctavecanascendwithtwodifferentfingerings.Theoneisbythis
followingorder:fourth,fifth,fourth,third,second,first,secondandfirst.
Theotherdifferentfingeringascendsbythisfollowingorder:third,fourth,third,second,first,
third,secondandfirst.[42r]
Theseaforesaidthreecontractedoctavesascendineighth-notesforthemostpart.
Whentheaforesaidthreecontractedoctavesdescendinquarter-notes,thefirstnotemustbe
struckwiththefirstfingerorsecond,andsometimes,althoughseldom,withthethirdandallthe
remainingnotesmustdescendwithtwofingers,whicharethethirdandfourth,finishingthelastnoteof
thefirstoctavewiththefifthfinger,althoughsometimesthelastthreenotesofthefirstoctavedescend
withthethreefingersthataresecond,thirdandfourth.
23
Withtheseaforesaidfingersthatdescendthethreecontractedoctavesonecanmaketrillson
allthenotesthatareplayedwiththethirdfinger,whichistheoneinthemiddle.
Whentheaforesaidthreecontractedoctavesdescendineighth-notes,thefirstofthem—
wheneverthefirstnotefallsonthetactusoronthehalf-tactus,justaswheneveritfallsontheoff-beat,
thatisholdingarestofaquarter-noteoreighth-notes[inthesecases]—onecandescendbytwo
differentfingerings.Theoneisbystrikingtwonotesinsuccessionwiththefirstfingerandfollowingit
successivelywiththesecond,third,fourth,third,fourthandfifth,ordescendingthelastthreenotes
withthesecond,thirdandfourthfingers.Letitbenotedthatthisisthebestorderoffingersfor
descendingthisfirstoctave.
Theotherfingeringis
bythisfollowingorder:first,
second,third,fourth,third,
second,third,fourth.
[42v]Thesecondcontractedoctavecandescendwithtwodifferentfingerings.Theoneand
moreimportantisinthisfollowingorder:twotimesinsuccessionwiththefirstfingerfollowingafterit
successivelythesecond,third,fourth,third,secondandthird.
Theotherfingeringisinthisfollowingorder:first,second,third,fourth,third,fourth,third,
fourth.
24
Thethirdcontractedoctavecandescendbytwodifferentfingerings.Thefirstandmore
importantisinthisfollowingorder:twotimesinsuccessionwiththefirstfingerfollowingafterit
successivelysecond,third,fourth,third,fourth,third.
Theotherfingeringisinthisfollowingorder:second,first,second,third,fourth,third,fourth,
third.
Astotheextended45octavesthatascendordescendwiththelefthand,itshouldbenotedthat
whentheywouldascendordescendinquarter-notestheycanascendordescendwithtwodifferent
fingerings.Intheone,ifitwereinascent,itmustascendwiththetwofingersthataresecondandfirst,
althoughsometimesthefirstnotewouldbestruckwiththethirdfingerandsometimesthetwofirst
notesshouldascendwiththetwofingersthatarefourthandthird.But,ifitwereindescent,itmust
descendwiththetwofingersthatarethirdandfourth,althoughsometimesthefirstnotewouldbe
struckwiththesecondfingerandothertimesthefirsttwonotesdescendwiththetwofingersthatare
firstandsecond.Withtheseaforesaidfingersinascentonecanmaketrillsonnotesthatarestruckwith
thesecondfingerandindescentonnotesthatarestruckwiththemiddlefinger.
45S.M.usestheterm“extended”torefertothoseoctavesonthekeyboardthathavethefullchromaticrangecovered.Thecurrentuseofthewordwouldmisleadthereadertoassumethatheisspeakingofscalesthatcovermorethananoctaveormorethanoneoctave.
25
Intheotherfingering,itmust
ascendordescendwithfourfingers,
whicharethefirst,second,thirdand
fourth,beginninginascent[43r]with
thefourthfingerandfollowingafter
successivelythethirdsecondandfirst,
repeatingtheminthesameorder.Butindescentbeginningwiththefirstfingerandfollowingafter
successivelysecond,third,fourthandrepeatingtheminthesameorder,althoughthisfingeringismore
appropriateforeighth-notesthanforquarter-notes,especiallywhenascending.
Whenthesesameaforesaidextendedoctaveswouldascendineighth-noteswiththesameleft
hand,theymayascendwithtwodifferentfingerings.Theoneandmoreimportantiswithfourfingers,
namelyfourth,third,secondandfirstbeginningwiththefourthand
followingafterthethird,secondandfirstrepeatingtheminthesame
orderinsuchawaythatwhentheyrepeatafterthefirstfingerthe
fourthfollows.
Theotherfingeringisbythisfollowingorder:fifth,fourth,third,second,first,followingthen
thesecondtimethird,second,first.
26
Whentheseextendedoctavesdescendineighth-noteswiththesamelefthand,theycan
descendwithtwofingerings.Thefirstandmoreimportantisinthefollowingorder:thefirstfinger
twiceinsuccessionfollowingaftersuccessivelythesecond,third,fourth,third,fourthandfifthorthird.
Thesecondfingeringisinthefollowingorder:first[43v]second,third,fourth,third,fourth,
third,fourth.
Whentheseextendedoctaveswouldascendinquarter-notesoreighth-notesintherighthand,
theymustascendwithtwofingers,thirdandfourth,althoughsometimesthefirstnotewouldbestruck
withthesecondfingerand
othertimesthefirsttwo
notesascendwiththefirst
fingerandsecond.Further
letitbenotedthatthisrule
isuniversalwithout
exception.
Whentheseextendedoctavesdescendinquarter-noteswiththerighthandtheymustdescend
withtwofingers,secondandthird,beginning
withthethird,althoughmanytimesthefirst
notewouldbestruckwiththefourthfinger
andalltheotherremainingnoteswiththe
aforesaidtwofingers,thirdandfourth.
27
Whentheseextendedoctavesdescendineighth-noteswiththerighthand,theycandescendin
twodifferentfingerings.Theoneisbythisfollowingorder:fourth,third,second,first,third,second,
first,third.
Theotherfingeringisbythisfollowingorder:fifth,fourth,third,second,first,third,second,first
orthird,although sometimesthe
firstnotewouldbe struckwiththe
thirdfingerand other[44r]times
thefirsttwonotes maydescendwith
thefourthfinger,butthisfingeringwithitsexceptionsismoreappropriatewhenthefirstnoteisa
quarter-noteandalltheothernotesareeighth-notesthanforwhenallareeighth-notes.
Whenonewouldascendthefollowingscalewiththelefthand:re,mi,sol,fa,re,mi,fa,mi,fa,
sol,la,sol,whichbeginsfromA-reupwards,onemustascendwiththefourfingersfourth,third,second,
firstbeginningwiththefourthandfollowingafter
successivelythird,secondfirst,repeatingbythissame
orderforthetimesrequired.
Likewise,whenthisscalewoulddescendwiththelefthandasfollows:sol,fa,la,sol,la,sol,fa,
mi,fa,mi,re,ut,re,whichbeginsfromG-solreutdownwardfromabove,itmustdescendwiththe
aforesaidfourfingersfirst,second,third,
fourth,repeatingtheminthesameorderfor
thetimesrequired.
Likewise,whenthelefthandwouldplaythisfollowingscale:re,ut,re,mi,re,mi,fa,sol,la,
whichbeginsfromD-solre,onecanplaywithtwodifferent
fingerings.Theoneisinthisfollowingorder:second,third,
second,first,fourth,third,secondfirst.Theotherfingeringisby
28
thefollowingorder:third,fourth,third,second,fourth,third,second,first,second.[44v]
Whentherighthandwoulddescendinthefollowingscale:fa,la,sol,fa,mi,la,sol,fa,mi,re,fa,
la,sol,fa,mi,re,whichbeginsfromasignhigherthanE-la[i.e.,anoteonaledgerline],onemust
descendinthisfingeringasfollows:fourth,third,
second,third,second,first,third,second,third,second,
fourth,third,second,third,second,first.[NB:The
trebleclefinExampleZisplacedonthemiddleline,
thismakingsenseoutoftheneededledgerline.]
Likewise,whentherighthandwoulddescendinthefollowingscale:la,sol,fa,mi,fa,mi,la,sol,
la,sol,fa,mi,fa,mi,re,ut,re,whichbeginsfromthenoteforE-la,onecandescendwithtwodifferent
fingerings.Theoneiswithfourfingers:fourththird,second,first,repeatingthemagaininthesame
orderforthetimesrequired.
Theotherfingeringiswiththreefingers:fourth,third,second,takingtheminthisfollowing
order:fourth,third,second,third,fourth,
third,second,third,returningthemand
repeatinginthesameorderforthetimes
required.
Inregardtotheconsonancesthatareproducedbyeachhandonitsown,itshouldbenotedthat
thirdscanbeproducedbywhicheverofthetwohandswiththreedifferentfingerings.Thefirstiswith
thefirstfingerandthesecond,whichisusedmoreinthelefthandthanintheright.
Thesecondfingeringiswiththefirstfingerandthethird,withthisfingeringonecanmakeaturn
onthelowernoteofthe[intervalofa]thirdasproducedinthelefthandandthehighernoteofthe
samethirdasproducedintherighthand.Therighthandusesthisfingeringmorethantheothertwo
[fingerings]becauseitproducesgraceonthehighernoteforaturnoratrill.
29
[45r]Thethirddifferentfingeringiswiththesecondfingerandthefourth.Thisisusedmore
withthelefthandthanwiththeright.
Whentwoorthreethirdsormoreareplayedoneaftertheother,struckwithonlyonehand,the
onethirdmustbeplayedwiththesecondfingeringandtheotherwiththethirdfingeringand
proceedinginthisway.
Fifthsandsixthscanbeproducedwitheitherofthetwohandsbymeansofthreedifferent
fingerings.Thefirstiswiththesecondfingerandfifth.Withtheaforesaidfingersonecanmakeaturn
ortrillonthehighnoteofthefifthorsixthwhenproducedinthelefthandandonthelowernoteofthe
samefifthorsixthproducedintherighthand.
Theseconddifferentfingeringiswiththefirstfingerandfourth,bymeansofwhichthepitches
mayremainequalinsound.
Thethirddifferentfingeringiswiththefirstandthirdfinger,withwhichonecanmakeaturnor
trillonthelowernoteofthefifthorsixththatwouldbeproducedinthelefthandandonthehigher
noteofthefifthorsixththatwouldbeproducedintherighthand.
Octavesmustbeproducedineitherofthetwohandswiththefirstfingerandfifth,exceptinthe
firstthreecontractedoctaves,whichmustbeplayedbythelefthandbythefirstandfourthfinger,or
withthesecondandfifthfinger,butitis
necessarytowarnthatwhen[played]jointly
withsomeoneoftheaforesaidthreeoctaves
onewouldproduceathirdoverthatoctave,
necessarilysuchanoctavemustbeproduced
withthesecondandfifthfinger,asmaybe
seeninthefollowingexamples.
30
Inplayingconsonancesonemustwatchwhatnotesfollowafterthembecauseonemustknow
howtostrikeeachconsonancewiththosefingersthatarefreeandinpositiontobeableeasilytotake
thenotesthatfollow.
Chapter19:OntheMethodofPlayinginGoodStyle46
[45v]Astoplayingwithgoodstyle,whichistheseventhcondition,oneshouldbeadvisedthat
forthisitisnecessarytoplayquarter-notesinonewaybuteighth-notesinthree.Themannerthatmust
bemaintainedforplayingquarter-notesistoholdonthefirstandhurrythesecond,andneithermore
norlesstoholdthethirdandhurrythefourth,andinthiswayallthequarter-notesthatoneplaysasif
thefirstquarter-notehadadotandthesecondwereaneighth-noteandsimilarlythethirdhadadot
andthefourthwereaneighth-noteandinthismannerallthequarter-notes.Further,takecarethatthe
quarter-notethathurriesmustnotgovery
rushedbutratheralittlemoderately.
Sothatonemayseeclearlyand
understandthedifferencethereisinplaying
quarter-notesintheonemannerandthe
other,notesareprintedwithandwithout
dots.47[Editorialnote:Theexampleborethe
originalmensurationsignoftempus
imperfectumprolatioimperfecta,c,which
provesextremelyawkwardtoachievein
modernmusicwritingprograms.Thusithas
46Thisisthefirstoftwochaptersnumbered19.47S.M.heregivesoneoftheveryearliestandmostimportantdescriptionsofnotesinégales.ItisparticularlyimportantfordemonstratingarenaissanceprovenanceforwhatisusuallyconsideredalaterbaroquepracticeprimarilyFrenchandprimarilyeighteenth-century.Inpassing,itisalsooneoftheclearestdescriptionsofaparticularperformancepracticeintheearlyprimarysources.
31
beenomittedhere,especiallywiththesupportthatfewofS.M.’smusicexamplesgivemensuration
signs.]
Ofthethreemannersofeighth-notes,twoaremadealmostinthesameway,whichisholding
ononeeighth-noteandhurryingthenext.Theydifferonefromtheotherinthatinonemannerone
beginstoholdonthefirsteighth-noteandhurriesthenext,andneithermorenorlessholdingthethird
andhurryingthefourth,andallinthesameway,whichisdoneasifthefirsteighth-notehadadotand
thesecondeighth-notewereasixteenth-note,andsimilarlythethirdeighth-notehadadotandthe
fourtheighth-notewereasixteenth-note,andallafterthisform.Thismannerservesforworksthatare
allcontrapuntal,andforextensiveandshortpassagesindiminution[Ex.DD].
Thesecondmannerismadebyhurryingthefirsteighth-noteandholdingbackonthesecond,
thenneithermorenorlesshurryingthethirdandholdingbackonthefourth,andtherestinthis
manner,whichisdoneasifthefirsteighth-notewereasixteenth-noteandthesecondeighth-notehad
adot[46r]andsimilarlythethirdeighth-notewereasixteenth-noteandthefourtheighth-notehada
dotandproceedinginsuchaway.Inthiswaytheeighth-notesthathadadotneverstrikeonabeatbut
ratherontheoff-beat[Ex.EE].48
Thethirdmannerismadebyhurryingthreeeighth-notesandholdingonthefourth.Further,
oneisadvisedthatthisdelaymustbeallthetimethatwouldbenecessarysothatthefiftheighth-note
isgoingtostrikeinits[proper]timeinthehalf-tactus,andtherestinthisway.Insuchawaytheygo
fourbyfour,whichmakesasifthethreeeighth-notesweresixteenth-notesandthefourtheighth-note
hadadot.49Thisthirdmanneristheverysmartestofall,anditservesfordiminutions50bothshortand
long.
48Onceagaintheterminologyof“beat”and“off-beat”issomewhatanachronisticbutgivesagoodimpressionofwhatS.M.means.49Thisisasuperbdocumentationofearlierperiods’non-arithmeticalapproachtotherepresentationofrhythm.EventhoughS.M.describesrhythmsintermsofabsolutenotevalues,suchassixteenth-notesandeighth-notes,hethenexplainsthatthisisnotreallytheaccuraterhythm.Rather,thepreciserhythmisattheleveloftactusand
32
Lettheadvicebetakenthatthedelayingoftheeighth-notesmustnotbemuch,butratheronly
somuchasmakesthemstandout,51whichisgiventounderstand“alittle,”becausetoomuchdelay
causesagreatlackofgraceanduglinessinthemusicandlikewiseforthissamereasonthethreeeighth-
notesthathurrymustnothurryexcessivelybutratherwithmoderationrelativetothedelaythatone
playsinthefourtheighth-note.
Both,sothateverythingmaybeunderstoodwithgreaterclarityandjustaseasilycanbeusedin
acomposition,areprintedhereinexamples,adotontheheadofeacheighth-noteandsixteenth-note,
whichwouldbeplayedonthehalf-tactus.
[[DD=1stmanner.EE=2ndmanner;FF=3rd
manner,buttheexactrhythmisnot
indicated.S.M.merelyshowsbymeansof
thedotabovethenoteheadwhereeach
newgroupingwouldfallonthetactusor
semi-tactus.]
[46v]
half-tactus,onwhichthefirstofeachgroupmustfall.Theothervaluesarerelativeandindicatethreeveryshortnotesandaconsiderablylongerone.Thisisemphasizedbythefactthatthethreesixteenth-notesplusonedottedeighth-notedonotequalfoureighth-notesinarithmeticalterms.Thismoreflexible,non-arithmeticalrepresentationofsimilarrhythmsappearsatleastaslateastheearlynineteenthcentury.50I.e.,improvisedreductionsoflongernotevaluesintoshorterones.51ThenoteonthisphraseintheHowellandHultbergtranslationpresentsanoddityhere;theytranslate“butonlyasmuchasindicated.”Strangely,intheirnotetheyremarkthattheybelievethisisamistranslationfoundinanearliertranslationandofferanimprovementas“onlyenoughtobringitout,”butdonotuseitinthemaintext!Myowntranslation,arrivedatindependently,seemssubstantiallyinagreementwiththeirpreferredtranslation.Itseemspeculiarthattheydidnotusethetranslationthattheythoughtcorrect.
33
Chapter19:OntheMethodofMakingTurnsandTrills52
Astoturnsandtrills,whichistheeighthcondition,itmustbenotedthat“turn”meansdoubled
orrepeatednotes,whichonlyare
doubledorrepeatedwithtwo
neighboringpitches,suchasmi-re-
mi-fa-mi-fa-mi-fa-mi.53
Likewisetrillmeansnotesdoubledorrepeatedsuchasmi-fa-mi-fa-mi-fa-mi,althoughthereare
manytrillsthatarenotrepeated,butsingle,suchasmi-fa-mi,orfa-mi-fa.Sothetrillsaredividedinto
twokinds,one
shouldknow,
repeatedand
single.54[47r]
52Thisisthesecondchapter19.Neitherornamenttranslatedhererespectivelyasturn(redouble)andtrill(quiebro)isexactlywhatwemeantodaybytheterms.Thereadershouldnotbetroubledbythis;terminologyremainedquitefluidthroughtheseventeenthcenturyandevenintotheeighteenth.Ihavechosen“turn”becauseS.M.’sredoublebeginslikeaturnthoughitcanendlikeatrill,andtrillbecausemostofthequiebrosaretrill-like.ThereadermaywanttoconsultothertranslationsinthisseriessuchasBovicelli,F.Rognoni,andPraetorius.53Thisisclearlywhattodaywouldbecalledaturnandtrillcombined.54I.e.,heisreferringtothenumberof“beats,”repetitionsofthealternationofthetwopitches,ineachtrill.HereS.M.impliesthatalltrillsare“unprepared”butlaterwillgiveadescriptionofapreparedtrillasbecomingfashionable.
34
Therepeatedtrilldiffersfromtheturninthattheturnhasonemorenotelower,whose
successionofpitchesismi-re-mi-fa-mi-fa-mi-fa-miandtherepeatedtrilldoesn’tsoundthe“re,”whose
successionofpitchesis
mi-fa-mi-fa-mi-fa-mi.
Turnsareonlymadeontheentiretactus,thatisonwhole-notes,whiletrillsaremadeonhalf-
notesandquarter-notesand,surprisingly,oneighth-notes.Further,takecarethatturnsinnowaymust
bemadeverylongbecausetheycauseuglinessinthemusic.55
Repeatedtrillsaremadeonhalfhalf-notesandsingles
(senzillos)onquarter-notes,56exceptforonethatisnotrepeated,
whichisonlymadeonahalf-note,whichsuccessionofpitchesissol-
fa-mi-fa.
Therepeatedtrillsaremadeonallhalf-notes,whicharestruckwithfingersthatcanmakethem,
butsinglescannotbemadeonallquarter-notesbutononeyesandanotherno,andallsimilarly.
Thereasonwhythetrillsthataremadeonquarter-notesaresinglesandnotrepeatedis
becauseofthesmallextentoftimethatthereisonquarter-notes,andforthissamereasontrillsarenot
madeoneighth-notesoronsixteenths.57
55Thefactsthatthetactusisclearlydescribedastwo-partandthatS.M.saysthatturnsareonlyonawhole-notebutmustneverbeverylongwouldbothseemtoindicatethatthe“beat”ofthemusicinthemodernsenseisthehalf-note,sothatturnswouldneverbemorethan2beats,notthemodernwhole-noteequaltofour.56Thesenzillo(single)isatrillofasingle“beat,”alternationofthepitches,and,astheillustration[HH]shows,canbetoeithertheupperorlowerneighbor.Thus,the“single”iseffectivelyeitheraregularoraninvertedmordent.57Hehasalreadyindicatedthatexceptionallytheycanbemadeoneighth-notes,butareunusual.Thereasonforthisrestrictionis,asindicatedabove,intemporalvaluesoftodaythequarter-notewouldequalaneighth-note,averyshorttimetomakeatrill.
35
Thereisonlyonekindofturnbutsixoftrills.Theturnisalwaysmadejointlywithawhole-and
ahalf-step,differentfrom
trills,whichonlyaremadeon
awhole-steporonahalf-
step,excepttheaforesaidtrillonhalf-notes[ExampleJJ],whichismadejointlywithawhole=stepanda
half-step,whosesuccessionofpitchesis,asIsaid,sol-fa-mi-fa.[47v]
Theaforesaidtrillonhalf-notes,whichismadejointlywithawhole-andhalf-step,necessarily
musttakethehalf-stepinthelowerpartandthewhole-stepintheupperbecauseanotherwaywould
producegreatlackofgraceandharshnessfortheears,andforthisreasonitmustnotbemadewhereit
finisheson“mi”insuchawaythatthesuccessionofpitcheswouldmakefa-mi-re-mibecauseinsucha
casethewhole-stepwouldgointhelowerandthehalf-stepintheupperpart,butitcanfinishon
whicheveroftheotherfive
pitches,whichareut,re,fa,
sol,la.58
Theturnsometimeskeepsthewhole-stepintheupperpartandthehalf-stepinthelowerpart;
andonthecontraryothertimesitkeepsthewhole-stepinthelowerpartandthehalf-stepintheupper
part.Further,beitnoted,thatinnowayisitpermittedtomakeaturnthatjoinstwowholesteps,one
inthelowerpartand
theotherinthe
upper,becausesucha
turnisverylackingin
graceandharshtotheears.
58Ofcourse,S.M.isworkingwithonlytheGuidonianhexachordsystem.
36
Theturnandtheaforesaidtrillthatismadebyjoiningawhole-andhalf-step,aremadewith
threefingersandalltheotherfivetrillswithtwofingers.
Whentheturnismadewiththerighthand,itismadewiththreefingers,thesecond,thirdand
fourth,beginningandendingonthethird.
[48r]Whenitismadewiththelefthanditismadewithtwodifferentfingerings.Oneiswith
threefingers,first,secondandthird,beginningandfinishingwiththesecond.
Theotherfingeringismadewiththreefingers,second,third,andfourth,beginningandending
withthethird.
Astotrills,itmustbenotedthatofsixthatthereareoftrills,twoaremadeonhalf-notesand
fouronquarter-notes.
Ofthetwothataremadeonhalf-notes[Ex.JJ&LL],theoneistheaforesaidthatismadejoining
awhole-andhalf-step;thistrillmustbemadewiththesamefingersoftherightandlefthandwith
whichtheturnismade.
Theothertrillonahalf-noteistheonethatismaderepeated,whichsuccessionofpitches
producesmi-fa-mi-fa-mi-fa-mior
fa-sol-fa-sol-fa-sol-fa.
Thistrill,whenitismadewiththerighthand,ismadewithtwofingers,thethirdandfourth,
beginningandendingwiththethird.Sometimesalsoitismadewiththetwofingerssecondandthird,
beginningandendingwiththesecond.
Whenitismadewiththelefthanditismadewithtwodifferentfingerings.Oneiswiththe
secondandfirst,beginningandendingwiththesecond.
Theotherfingeringiswiththethirdandsecond,beginningandendingwiththethird.
37
Acurrentusagethatmustreceivegreatattentionforitsgreateleganceistobegintheturnor
therepeatedtrillonhalf-notesfromanotehigherthanthatonwhichitfinishes,andfurther,thefirst
noteoftheaforesaidturnortrillmustbestruckaloneandthesecondnotemustbestruckonthe
consonancethatthenwouldbecreated.59
Likewise,theaforesaidfirstnotemustbestruckwiththefingerthatisnexttothefingerthat
endstheturnortrill,intheupperpart;thatis,thatwhentheywouldbestruckwiththerighthandthey
mustbeginwiththefourthfingerandfinishwiththethirdandwhentheywouldbestruckintheleft
hand,intheonefingeringtheymustbeginwith[48v]thefirstfingerandfinishwiththesecondandin
theotherfingeringtheymustbeginwiththesecondfingerandfinishwiththethird.
Thesemannersofturnsandtrillsandtheothermanneroftrillonhalf-notes,whichismade
joiningawhole-andahalf-step,areverynewandveryelegant,andtheyproducesuchgreatgraceand
melodiousnessinthemusicthattheyraiseittosuchalevelandtosuchpleasurefortheearsthatit
seemsanotherthingdistinctfromwhatisplayedwithoutthem,andthereforethereisgreatreasonfor
onealwaystomakeuseofthemandnotofothersbecausethey[thelatter]areout-of-dateandlack
grace.
Oftheotherfourtrillson[quarter-notes],60whicharesingles(senzillos),thatis,theyarenot
repeated,twoareforascendingandtheothersfordescending.
Thoseforascendingaremadeonlywithawhole-steporwitha
half-steplower,suchasmi-re-miorfa-mi-fa.
Thosefordescendingarealsomadeonlyonawhole-stepor
onahalf-step,butintheupperpart,suchasfa-sol-faormi-fa-mi.61
59Thisisanearlydescriptionofwhatwouldintheeighteenthcenturybecomethetrillpreparedbytheupperneighbor.60Thetexthastheobviousmisprintminimforsemiminim,orhalf-notefortherequisitequarter-note.
38
Ofthesefourtrillsthetwodifferfromtheothertwointhatthefirstaremadewiththreenotes,
suchasre-ut-re,ascendingorre-mi-redescending,andtheothertwoaremadewithtwonotes,suchas
fa-miascendingorfa-soldescending,allofwhicharemadeonlywithawhole-orhalf-step.62
Thosemadewithtwonotesandthosemadewiththree,allofthem,beginandendwiththe
samenote,bothascendinganddescending.
Whentheseaforesaidfourtrillswouldbeplayedwiththerighthand,inascendingtheymustbe
madewithtwofingers,thirdandsecond,beginningandendingwiththethird.Indescendingtheymust
bestruckwiththetwofingersthirdandfourth,beginningandendingwiththethird.Whentheyare
playedwiththelefthand,inascendingtheymustbestruckwiththetwofingerssecondandthird,
beginningandendingwiththesecond,andindescendingtheymustbemadewiththesametwofingers,
thirdandsecond,beginningandendingwiththethird.Sometimesithappensthatindescendingthey
aremadewiththetwofingers[49r]firstandsecond,beginningandendingwithsecond.
Ofthetwotrillsonquarter-notesthatinbothascendinganddescendingaremadewithtwo
notes,twothingsmustbeobserved.63Thefirstisthatthefingerthatwouldstrikethefirstnote,after
havingstruckthekeymustnotrisefromitbutratherremainalwaysfixedonit,andthefingerthat
wouldstrikethesecondnotemustdrawawayfromthekey,slidingit[thefinger]overit[thekey]like
onewhoscratches,andfurtherthefingerthatwouldstrikethefirstnotemustpressalittleonthekey,
depressingitlower.But,payattentionthatthefirstnoteofthesetwotrillsistheonethatwouldbe
struckwiththefingerthatendsthetrill.
Thesecondthingisthatthesecondnoteoftheaforesaidtrillsmustbestrucksosoonafterthe
firstthattheyalmostevenstrikeatthesametime,insuchawaythatitseemsthat[theintervalofa]
61Theexplanationsandexamplesforthesetwo“singles”couldeasilybeconfusingsincetheornamentsthemselveswouldseemtodotheoppositeofwhatS.M.says.IbelievethatwhatS.M.meansisthattheyarerespectivelyappropriateinascendingordescendinglines.62Foranauthorwhoisusually,ifanything,overlymeticulousinclarity,thisis,tomymind,S.M.’smostbewilderingstatement,whichheattemptstoclarifybelow.63Thefollowingpassageexplainstheenigmatictwo-notetrillsmentionedabove.
39
secondwerestruck.Itshouldbenotedthatoftheseaforesaidtwotrills,theoneforascendingisnotso
elegantnorsoundssogoodtotheearsastheonethatdescends,andforthisreasononeoughtnot
makeuseofit[theformer]veryoften.Theseaforesaidtrillscannotbeprintedandasaresultone
cannotprovideanexampleofthem.64
Fourimportantthingsarerequiredinordertomaketurnsandrepeatedtrillsonhalf-noteswith
completeperfection,withoutwhichitisimpossibletomakethemperfectly.Thefirstandmost
importantistoextendthefourfingers,second,third,fourthandfifth,alongeachotherasmuchas
werepossible,especiallytopressfleshagainstfleshofthefingerthatwouldstrikethelowestnoteof
theturnalongwiththefingerwithwhichthesameturnortrillwouldend,andstillmorebycontracting
italittleandplacingithigherthantheotherfingersandpositionedinthiswaytocarryitalittleoverthe
fingerthatwouldfinishtheturnortrill.Thiswillbeunderstoodclearly65whentheturnisplayedwith
therighthand,whichisusuallymadewiththethreefingers,second,thirdandfourth,endingalwayson
thethird.Onthisoccasionitisnecessarytocontractthesecondfingeralittleandplaceithigherthan
thethirdandinthiswaytopressthethirdfinger[againstit],mainlyattheendoftheturnandthesame
foralltrillsonhalf-notesandalsoforthoseonquarter-noteswhentheywouldbeplayedascendingin
themelody.Thisgreatlyhelpsandgivespowertothetwofingersthatrepeatthetwonotesoftheturn
andtrillssothattheyaremadewithmoreperfectionandspirit.Whentheaforesaidturnsandtrillsare
playedwiththelefthandandarestruckwiththethreefingers,[49v]first,secondandthird,itis
necessarytocontractthethirdalittleandtoplaceithigherthanthesecondfinger,mainlyattheendof
theturnortrills.Whenitwouldbeplayedwiththeotherthreefingersofthelefthand,second,third
andfourth,thefourthmustbecontractedalittleandplacedhigherthanthethird,andpositioninthis
waytopressitagainstthethird,mainlyattheendoftheturnortrills,which,asIsayitis,greatlyhelps
64Thedescriptionofthisornament,whichsoundssomethinglikethelateracciaccatura,demonstratesthebreadthofthepossiblespectrumofmeaningsfortheterminologyofthetime.Ibelievenoonefromourperspectivetodaywoulddreamofcallingthisa“trill”inthemodernsense.65S.M.’susualsuccinctclarityfailshiminthisdescription.
40
andgivespowertothetwofingersthatrepeatthetwonotesoftheturnandtrills,sothattheyare
madewithmoreperfectionandspirit.
Thesecondthingistodrawawayfromthekeysthetwofingersthatwouldstrikethelowernote
andthehighernoteoftheturnortrillonhalf-notesthataremadewithawhole-andahalf-step,and
likewiseitisnecessarytodrawawayfromthekeysthefingerthatwouldstrikethehighernoteofthe
trillsonhalf-notesandquarter-notes,whenmakingthemwiththerighthandjustaswhenwiththeleft
hand,exceptthatthefingerthatstrikesthelowernoteoftheturnandthetrillonhalf-notesmadewith
awhole-andahalf-step,whichstrikesonlyonce,mustwithdrawalittleawayfromthekey,andthe
fingerthatstrikesthehighernoteoftheturnortrillsmustwithdrawawayfromthekeysmuchmore,
butonlyattheendoftheturnortrills.Further,itmusthangalittledownwardandthereafterbringit
backandraiseandplaceitoverthekeysasitwasbefore.
Thethirdthingisthatthefingerthatstrikesthehighernoteoftheturnortrillsmustalways
strikemoreontheedgeofthekeythanthefingerthatisnexttoit,withwhichtheturnortrillsend,and
stillfurther,afterthebeginningoftheturnandrepeatedtrills,itmustkeepwithdrawinggradually
away,untildrawingitcompletelyawayfromthekeyontheendoftheturnandtrills,whichisthe
reasonthatthefingerwithwhichtheturnandtrillsendsremainsattheedgeofthekeyattheendof
theturnandtrills,althoughatthebeginningitbeginsmoreforwardonthekey,whichisnecessaryso
thattheturnandtrillsfinishverycleanandprecise.
Thefourththingistoturnthehandthatplaystheturnandtrillsalittletowardtheupperpart,
exceptontrillsonquarter-notesthataremadeindescending.
Theseaforesaidfourimportantthingsarerequiredalsoformakingallthetrillswithperfection,
bothonhalf-notesaswellasonquarter-notes,exceptthatonrepeatedtrillsonhalf-notes,andonthe
[50r]fouronquarter-notes,onedoesnotwithdrawfromthekeysmorethanonefinger.
41
Thefourtrillsonquarter-notes,boththosethatascendaswellasthosethatdescend,
sometimesaremadeonquarter-noteswhichfallonthetactusorthehalf-tactusandothertimeson
those[quarter-notes]thatdonotfallonatactusorhalf-tactus,andthislatteristhebetterstyleand
moreelegantbecauseitgivesmoregracetowhatoneplays.
Whentrillswouldbemadeonquarter-notesthatfallonthetactusorthehalf-tactusandwould
beplayedwiththerighthand,ifintheascent,itmustascendwithtwofingers,thethirdandfourth,and
indescendingwiththeothertwo,thethirdandsecond,beginningbothascendinganddescendingwith
thethirdfinger,exceptwhenthefirstquarter-note,bothascendinganddescending,doesnotfallonthe
tactusnoronthehalf-tactus,whichiswhentherecomesbeforeitaquarter-rest,66becauseinsucha
casethefirstquarter-note,ifitweretoascend,mustbestruckwiththesecondfingerandtodescend
withthefourthfinger,andbecausethismaybeunderstoodwithgreaterclarity,oneplacesadotatthe
note-headofeachquarter-noteon
whichonewouldhavetomakea
trill.
Whenquarter-noteswould
beplayedwiththelefthandand
thetrillsalsowouldbemadeonquarter-notesthatfallonthetactusorhalf-tactus,ifinascentthey
mustascendwiththetwofingerssecondandfirstanddescendwiththeothertwo,thirdandfourth,
beginninginascentwiththesecondfingerandindescentwiththethird,exceptwhenthefirstquarter-
note,bothascendingand
descending,wouldnotfallonthe
tactusorthehalf-tactus,whichis
whenaquarter-restcomesbefore
66PreviouslyS.M.hasusedthemoreambiguousphraseenvago.
42
it,becausethenthefirstquarter-note,ifitweretoascend,mustbestruckwiththethirdfingerandto
descendwiththesecondfinger.[50v]
Whentrillswouldbemadeonquarter-notesthatdonotfallonthetactusorhalf-tactusand
wouldbeplayedwiththerighthand,andfurther,whenthefirstquarter-noteswouldfallonthetactus
orthehalf-tactus,ifitweretoascend,thisfirstquarter-notemustbestruckwiththesecondfingerand
alltheremainingothersmustascendwiththetwofingers,thirdandfourth,andiftodescend,thefirst
quarter-notemustbestruckwiththefourthfingerandalltheremainingothersmustdescendwiththe
twofingersthirdandsecond,butwhenthefirstquarter-note,bothascendinganddescending,would
notfallonthetactusorhalf-tactus,whichiswhenaquarter-restcomesbefore,ifitweretoascend,all
mustascendwiththetwofingersthirdandfourthandindescendingwiththeothertwofingers,third
andsecond,beginningbothascendinganddescendingwiththethirdfinger.
Whenthequarter-noteswouldbeplayedwiththelefthandandthetrillsalsowouldbemade
onquarter-notesthatdonotfallonthetactusorhalf-tactus,andfurtherthefirstquarter-notebegins
onthetactusorhalf-tactus,iftoascendthisfirstquarter-notemustbestruckwiththethirdfingerand
alltheothersremaining mustascendwiththe
twofingerssecondand first;butifto
descend,thefirst quarter-notemustbe
struckwiththesecond fingerandallthe[51r]
43
othersremainingmustdescendwiththetwofingers,thirdandfourth.But,whenthefirstquarter-note,
bothascendinganddescending,doesnotfallonatactusorhalftactus,whichiswhenaquarter-rest
comesbeforeit,itwouldascendwithtwofingers,secondandfirst,anddescendwiththeothertwo
fingers,thirdandfourth,beginninginascentwiththesecondandindescentwiththethirdfinger.
Sometimesithappensthatthetwotrillsonhalf-notesthatarefordescendingaremadeinthe
ascent,whichisdonewiththisrestriction,namelythattherebeasign
thatmaintainsthehalf-stepintheupperpart.67Onthisoccasionit
followsnecessarilythatitmustbeonanotethatcanstandas“mi,”
whichwillbeunderstoodclearlyinthismusicalfigurefollowing:re-me-fa-re-mi.Thefiguremustbe
playedwiththisorderoffingers:fourth,third,second,fourth,third.68
Sometimesithappensthatonlyindescendingtrillsaremadeontwo
successivequarter-notes,whichisdoneforgraceandelegance.This
happenswhenthetwoquarter-notesdescendstepwiseafterawhole-note
thatishigher.
Whenquarter-noteswouldascendandthenreverseand
descend,alwaysonthehighernotemustthetrillbemadethatis
madefordescent,evenifitappearsthatbygoinginascentone
wouldhavetomakethetrillthatismadeforascending.[51v]
Likewisewhenquarter-noteswoulddescendandthen
reverseandascendalsoinquarter-notes,alwaysonthelowestnote
67ForonealsoconsultingthefacsimiletextitmaybehelpfultonotethatexamplesUUthroughYYarebadlyplaced.S.M.’sexamplesalwaysfollowthetexttheyreferto,butthesehavebeenplacedinsuchawayastoappear,erroneously,toprecedetheirtext.Ihavetriedtoimprovethepositioning.68ItisnotclearwhetherS.M.meanstorestrictthistosituationscreatedbyakeysignatureoralsotoincludeaccidentals,butpresumablythelatter.Thenoteinquestion“mi”isthelowermemberofthehalf-step.Thefingeringsequenceindicatesthatthismustbeinthelefthand.
44
isthetrillmadethatismadeforascending,evenifitappearsthatbygoingindescentonewouldhaveto
makethetrillthatismadefordescending.
Likewiseforgivingmoregracetothemusic,trillsmustalwaysbemadeonallthequarter-notes
thatwouldfollowimmediatelyafterdottedhalf-notes,
whichmustonlybedoneinthedescentofthemelody.
Inorderforthemusictopossessmoregraceandso
morepleasuretotheears,itisnecessarythattheturnsandtrillsonhalf-notesshouldbemadeattimes
withbothhands,thatis,aturnwithonehandandanotherturnwiththeother,inthesamewayatrill
withonehandandanothertrillwiththeother,answeringeachotherattimesinthisway.Thisis
understoodwhenbothhandswouldplaywhole-notesorhalf-notesonwhichturnsortrillscanbemade,
bothplayingincanonorwithoutit,whichadornsmusicwithgreatstyleandgivesitgrace,mainlywhen
whole-notesorhalf-notesgoincanon.
Whenthemodewouldavoidanykeys[onthekeyboard],whiteorblack,theturnsandtrillsthat
thenwouldbeplayedmustalsoavoidthem,whichisunderstoodonthelowernoteandthehighernote
oftheturnsandtrills.
Itmustbeobservedthatamongalltheaforesaideightconditionsthattherearethreemain
ones.Thefirstandmostimportant—withoutwhichitisimpossibletoplaywithperfection—istodraw
thehandstogetherverycompactly,thatis,thefingersverycloseonetoalltheothersasmuchaswould
bepossible,forwhichitisnecessarytodrawtogetherthetwofingersofbothhands,namelyfirstand
fifthintheformandmannerthatistreatedinitsownplace,becauseonthese,aswasnotedbefore,
dependsallthegatheringofthehands
Thesecondthingisnottostrikethekeysfromabove,forwhichitisnecessarytobringthe
fingersnearthekeysandfurther,afterhavingstruckthem[52r]toraisethefingersaverylittle.The
thirdthingistostrikethekeys,bothwhiteandblack,withthepadsofthefingers,forwhichitis
45
necessarytolowerthewristsandfurther,tostrikethekeysonthetip,namelytheouter[end],because
inthiswaythepitchessoundmuchbetterandwithbetterspiritthanstrikingthemtotheinside.