62
37? NeU ao. ni~> \ V A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ET A DEUX VIOLES, BY MARIN MARAIS; A LECTURE RECITAL TOGETHER WITH THREE RECITALS OF SELECTED WORKS OF J. S. BACH, KARL DITTERS VON DITTERSDORF, W. A. MOZART AND OTHERS DISSERTATION Presented to the Graduate Council of the North Texas State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS By Daniel Swaim, B. M. , M. M. E, Denton, Texas December, 1982

NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

  • Upload
    hangoc

  • View
    215

  • Download
    2

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

37? NeU ao. ni~>

\ V

A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE

ET A DEUX VIOLES, BY MARIN MARAIS; A LECTURE RECITAL

TOGETHER WITH THREE RECITALS OF SELECTED WORKS OF

J. S. BACH, KARL DITTERS VON DITTERSDORF,

W. A. MOZART AND OTHERS

DISSERTATION

Presented to the Graduate Council of the

North Texas State University in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

By

Daniel Swaim, B. M. , M. M. E,

Denton, Texas

December, 1982

Page 2: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

Swaim, S. Daniel, A Suite for Double Bass Transcribed

from Pieces a une et k deux Violes, by Marin Marais; A Lecture

Recital Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works of

J. Bach, Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, W. A. Mozart and

Others, Doctor of Musical Arts, December, 1982, 53 pp., 17

illustrations, bibliography, 29 titles.

The music of Marin Marais, a major figure among the

French Baroque bass viol composer-performers, is seldom

played today. His compositions which are artistically and

historically significant, should be available to instru-

mentalists of this century.

Marais published five volumes of bass viol compositions.

Seven movements were transcribed from the Second Suite of

Marais' first volume.

The first chapter is an introduction to Marais; the

second chapter pertains to the bass viol and its styles of

performance, and the final chapter illustrates the editing

required for the transcription.

The problems encountered were those of adapting the

melodic, harmonic, and contrapuntal styles of the seven-

stringed bass viol to the double bass which is normally

monophonous. Melodic elements were unchanged, chords were

simplified, and contrapuntal lines were retained by giving

the second voice to the continuo bass.

Page 3: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

Tape recordings of all performances submitted as dissertation

requirements are on deposit in the North Texas State Univer-

sity Library.

111

Page 4: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . . , . , V

Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . 1

II. THE INSTRUMENT OF THE FRENCH BAROQUE PERIOD AND ITS STYLE OF PERFORMANCE 7

III. THE DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIPTION AND CONCLUDING REMARKS 15

The Fantaisie The Allemande The Courante The Sarabande The Gigue The Menuets The Gavotte Concluding Remarks

BIBLIOGRAPHY 37

APPENDIX 40

IV

Page 5: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

NORTH TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

presents

Daniel Swaim in a

Graduate Double Bass Recital assisted by

PHIL JONES, Harpsichord and Piano

Monday, December 4, 1972 4:00 P.M. Recital Hall

Viola da Gamba Sonata No. 2 in D Major J. S. Bach Adagio Allegro Andante Allegro

Trauermusik Paul Hindemith Langsam Ruhig bewegt Lebhaft Sehr langsam

Concerto in A Major Domenico Dragonetti Allegro moderato Andante Allegro giusto

Arioso and Etude Halsey Stevens Andante non troppo Allegro pomposo

Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Musical Arts.

V

Page 6: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

NORTH TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

presents

Daniel Swaim in a

Graduate Double Bass Recital assisted by

Sharon Haslund, Piano

Wednesday, June 13, 1973 8:15 P.M. Recital Hall

Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito Adagio Vivace

Concerto No. 2 Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf Allegro moderato Adagio Allegro

For Double Bass Alone William Sydeman

Elegy for Double Bass and Piano Gaetano Bottesini

Chanson Triste Serge Koussevitzky

Valse Miniature Serge Koussevitzky

Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Musical Arts

V I

Page 7: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

North Texas State University School of Music

presents

DANIEL SWAIM in a

Graduate Double Bass Recital with

Berthe Odnoposoff, Pianist

assisted by

Kenneth Jones, Horn Deborah Mashbtirn, Xylophone

Richard Pliler, Viola

Monday, August 1,1977 6:30 p.m. Recital Hall

Bassoon Concerto in B flat major-K.191.......... W.A. Mozart Allegro Andante ma Adagio Rondo

Kol Nidrei, opus 47 Max Bruch

Divertimento in D major Michael Haydn Allegro moderato Menuet and Trio Adagio Menuet and Trio Allegro

Five Bagatelles for Viola and Contrabass Leopold Matthias Walzel

Allegro moderato Moderato Allegro Scherzando Andante ma non troppo Allegro Sereno

Duo for Xylophone and Double Bass William Sydeman

Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Musical Arts.

V l l

Page 8: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

NORTH TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

presents

DANIEL SWAIM in a

Graduate Double Bass Lecture Recital

assisted by

Dale Peters, Harpsichord and

Fred Welker, Double Bass

A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ET A DEUX VIOLES

By Marin Marais

Monday, November 8, 1982 6:30 P.M. Concert Hall

Suite in A Major Marin Marais

Fantaisie Allemande Courante Sarabande Gigue Mcnuct I Menuct II Gavotte

Presented in partialfulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Musical Arts

V l l i

Page 9: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Page

1. Fantaisie (measures 32-34) 9

2. Menuet (measures 5-8) 10

3. Allemande (measures 17-18) 11

4. Sarabande (measures 15-18) 16

5. Fantaisie (measure 1) 18

6. Fantaisie (measure 6) 19

7. Fantaisie (measure 27) 20

8. Allemande (measure 8) 22

9. Allemande (measures 1-2) 24

10. Allemande (measure 24) 24

11. Allemande (measure 3) 26

12. Allemande (measures 17-18) 28

13. Courante (measures 1-2) 29

14. Courante (measures 5-6) 30

15. Courante (measures 13) 31

16. Sarabande (measures 11-15) 33

17. Gavotte (measures 1-2) 36

IX

Page 10: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The viol family of stringed instruments was very popular

during the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in

all cultural centers of Europe. While the emergence of the

violin family in the seventeenth century led to the demise of

the treble and tenor viols, the bass viol remained a favored

instrument until the middle of the eighteenth century. The

extended period of popularity enjoyed by the bass viol was

due to the efforts of a particular group of composer-per-

formers in Paris. From the early seventeenth century until

the early eighteenth century, solo viol performances and com-

position in France were developed by Andre Maugers, Nicholas

1 2 Hotman, Jean Rousseau, Le Sieur Danoville, Sainte-Colombe,

3 4 Le Sieur de Machy, Du Buisson, Antoine Forqueray, and Marin

. 5 Maraxs.

"*"Jean Rousseau, Traite de la viole (Paris, 1687) , p. 23.

2 Clyde H. Thompson, "Marin Marais, 1656-1728," (Ph.D.

dissertation, University of Michigan, 1957), I, p. 72.

^Ibid., p. 76. ^Ibid., p. 83.

^Bonney McDowell, "Marais and Forqueray: A Historical and Analytical Study of Their Music for Solo Basse de Viole," (Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University, 1974), p.~T6.

Page 11: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

Marin Marais, 1656-1728, studied the bass viol with

Sainte-Colombe. According to Titon du Tillet, Sainte-Colombe

was so impressed with Marais' talent that he said that no one

would surpass him.^

Very little else is known about Marais' early life or

musical training beyond the fact that he was a student in

7 the choir school of the church of Saint-Germain-1'Auxerrois.

At the age of twenty-three years, Marais accepted a position g

as Ordinaire de la chambre du Roy pour la viole. During

his service as a court musician, Marais played in the Acad-

emie Royale de Musique. This ensemble was directed by Jean-. . 9

Baptiste Lully with whom Marais also studied composition. Lully's influence on Marais is evident in the four

' r r

operas, Alcide, Ariane et Bacchus, Alcione, and Semele

written by Marais between 1693 and 1709. All are five act

tragedies in the pattern established by Lully. Recitatives

tailored to French verse, five-part string scoring, extended

instrumental sections, and the inclusion of dances are all

g Evrard Titon du Tillet, Le Parnasse frangois (Paris

1732), p. 625.

^Ibid., p. 625.

8 ^ Francois Lesure, "Marin Marais: sa carriere...sa

famille, Revue Beige de Musicologie 7 (1953) : 132. g . Titon du Tillet, Le Parnasse frangois, p. 625.

Page 12: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

indicative of Lully's style. These operas were popular with

patrons of the time."^

In addition to the operas, Marais' extant works include

Pieces en trio for two treble instruments and basso continuo;

La Gamme, a group of three works for violin and basso con-

tinuo; and the monumental five volumes of Pieces de violes,

published from 1686 to 1725.

The five collections for bass viols (viole da gamba)

established Marais' reputation as the most able and produc-

tive composer for the viol in France. The collections

contained 596 pieces organized within thirty-seven suites.

While they are written for one or two viols plus continuo,

the majority of the works are for viol and continuo."*""'"

As a result of his compositions for viol and of his

performances for the court of King Louis XIV, Marais was

known and respected in France and in the bordering countries.

The demand for his bass viol compositions was acknowledged by

the reprinted editions of the first three volumes by Rogers

12

of Amsterdam. Four years after Marais' death, Titon du

Tillet wrote in his praise:

1QIbid., p. 625-626.

^Bonney McDowell, "Marais and Forqueray," p. 24.

12Ibid., p. 15.

Page 13: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

One can say that Marais has carried the viol to its highest degree of perfection, and that he was the first to reveal all of its compass and beauty by the great number of excellent pieces that he has composed for that instrument, and by the admirable manner in which he performed t h e m . 1 3

Herbert LeBlanc, who championed the viols as they were being

challenged by the emerging violin family, wrote:

Marais, the father, was so expert in his style, had a manner of composition so clear, and a performance skill so purified...reduced to rules that never contradicted themselves... that in special concerts he withstood, like an Ajax of music from this side of the mountains, the assaults that were beginning to be made upon the French by the Romans, the Florentines, and the Neapolitans.14

Further evidence of Marais' international reputation may be

found in Sir John Hawkins1 history of music published in

1 s

London in 1776, and also in Johann Gottfried Walther's

Lexicon published in Leipzig in 1732.

As the bass viol's popularity yielded to that of the

cello, Marais' music was all but forgotten. Although Marais 13 Titon du Tillet, Le Parnasse fran^ois, p. 624, cited

in Thompson, "Marin Marais, 1656-1728," I, p. 119. 14 t Hubert LeBlanc, Defense de la basse de viole contre

les Entreprises du violon et les pretentions du violoncel (Amsterdam, 1740), p. 2, cited in Thompson, "Marin Marais, 1656-1728," I, pp. 119-120.

15 Sir John Hawkins, A General History of the Science and

Practice of Music (London, 1776) V, 46; reprint (London, 1875) II, 779, cited in Thompson, "Marin Marais, 1656-1728," I, p. 120.

X 6 Johann Gottfried Walther, Musicalisches Lexico

(Leipzig, 1732), p. 382, cited in Thompson, "Marin Marais, 1656-1728," I, p. 120.

Page 14: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

was highly regarded as a composer-performer during his life-

time and for a few decades thereafter, his music is not

widely known today.

Marais1 chamber works should not be forgotten for two

reasons. Principally, they are musically rewarding to study

and to perform. Secondly, they are historically significant

as works which represent the culmination of an important era

in French chamber music. It is interesting to note that his

chamber works, while concluding one era of performance,

spawned another. Marais' Pieces en trio of 1692 is recog-

nized as the first collection of trio sonatas to be published

• ™ 1 7

m France.

The historical importance of Marais1 compositions makes

the transcription of a bass viol suite for the double bassist

of this century most appropriate. Although Marais' instru-

ment, the bass viol, is more closely related to the cello

than to the double bass, the sound of the double bass is

similar to the bass viol. The double bassist, with careful

editing, should be able to perform the works of Marais.

The concept of transcribing his works was endorsed by

Marais. In the prefaces to his second and third books of

Pieces de violes, Marais stated that he had written the music

in such a way that it might be played on many instruments

such as the organ, harpsichord, theorbo, lute, violin, and

"^Thompson, "Marin Marais, 1656-1728," p. 102.

Page 15: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

the flute. Marais also suggested that the compositions of

the second book might be edited as necessary. He stated:

I have endeavored to make it easy to extract the melodies from my pieces. On the other hand, when one encounters empty spaces in a few pieces, such as preludes, allemandes, and gigues, where one should have many intervals as it is proper for the viol, it will inevitably be necessary to refer back to the figured basses in order to fill up these with the most graceful and suitable line possible...which will always be very good.

While Marais gave no such license to edit the first book of

Pieces de violes, it is assumed that he made no such sugges-

tions simply because the figured basses were not available

until 1689, three years after the publication of the solo

viol part-book. According to the preface of his second

book, Marais encouraged changes in his music only after

the performer had studied the continuo part-book.19

18Ibid., pp. 133-134.

19Ibid., p. 134.

Page 16: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

CHAPTER II

THE INSTRUMENT OF THE FRENCH BAROQUE PERIOD

AND ITS STYLES OF PERFORMANCE

The instrument used by the French bass violists during

the latter half of the seventeenth century was presumably a

seven-stringed viola da gamba tuned A' D G c e a d'. Accord-

ing to Rousseau, the seventh string, A', was the innovation

of Sainte—Colombe. Bass viols in other countries had six

strings and did not include the lowest string of the French

instrument. It may be of significance to note that Marais

owned both six-stringed viols of English origin and sevens

2

strxnged French viols. Bonney McDowell has suggested that

the seven-stringed viol tended to be physically cumbersome

and "acoustically tubby".3

McDowell also speculates that Marais preferred playing

as a soloist on the English viols. She supports her point

of view by noting that only one-fifth of Marais' pieces

Jean Rousseau, Traite de la viole (Paris, 1687), p. 24.

2_ Francois Lesure, "Marin Marais: sa carriere..,sa

famille," Revue Beige de Musicoloqie 7 (1953), 134-136.

3 Bonney McDowell, "Marais and Forqueray: A Historical

^na-l;Ytical Study of Their Music for Solo Basse de Viole," (Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University, 1974), p.-8(K

Page 17: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

require the lower seventh string.4 Only two of the seven

pieces selected for this double bass transcription require

the lowest string. While it is entirely possible that the

high percentage of works for the six—stringed viol indicates

Marais1 preference for it, there also remains the possibility

that Marais wanted to write pieces which would be bought

readily by players of both species of the instrument.

The French viol players apparently had a characteristic

bowed sound which may be compared to the plucking sounds of

the lute and guitar. As early as 1636, Marin Mersenne stated

that the viols had a percussive, resonant sound.5

As late as 174 0, Hubert LeBlanc compared the sound of

Marais bow stroke with the sound of a harpischord jack

as it plucked a string. LeBlanc contrasted this sound of

Marais and the French violists with the more legato sound

of the Italian cello.^

The three-part bow stroke, (as described by John Hsu)^

has an attack similar to a plucking effect, a prolongation

4 Ibid., pp. 80, 81.

Marin Mersenne, Harmonie universelle (Paris, 1636) , p. 107, cited in John Hsu, A Handbook of French Baroque v in l Technique (New York, 1981) , - p T T : ~

Hubert LeBlanc, Defense de la basse de viole contre les entreprises du violon et les pretentions du violoncel, pp. 23-24, cited by John Hsu, A Handbook, p. 2. ~~~

7 John Hsu, A Handbook, p. 2.

Page 18: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

of sound, and a release from the string, which appears to be

similar to the modern martele bow stroke. As with modern

bowing techniques, variations of the bowing attack, prolon-

gation, and release provided the French Baroque bass viol

artist-performer many colors or gradations of sound.

The style of the bass viol compositions naturally

emerged from the physical characteristics of the instrument.

With either six or seven strings, motives in one hand posi-

tion could assume an expanded range without shifting. When

shifts were necessary, open strings blended well with notes

stopped by frets. The majority of pieces by Marais are in

the key of D major which is the most strategic for the utili-

zation of open strings. Open strings also allowed the

composer-performers to combine bass and melodic elements

within the same part. [See Example No. 1.]

Ewampie No. I mmsunes 32.-34 Fajrvfoisie.

Sola

^Jiol

Cbrrhhu*

7'* * [jj fc

t

E

£

Page 19: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

10

his treatise, Jean Rousseau discussed five styles of

playing the bass viol during the middle of the seventeenth

century. According to Rousseau, the viol functioned as a

melodic instrument, as a harmonic instrument, as an accom-

panying instrument which supported a singer, as a member of

an ensemble, or as an improvisational instrument.8

For the purpose of transcribing Marais' bass viol music

for the double bass, an understanding of the melodic and har-

monic styles of bass viol composition is mandatory. Rousseau

referred to these two types of writing for the solo bass viol

as "l€5 jeu de melodie" and "le jeu d' harmonie. " The me-

lodic style of writing imitated the human voice, with the

addition of bimple chords at cadences. [See Example No. 2.]

Sole V»"o/ Y pf 8aaso m

(Q

m f 5 —

£ jCS.

Jean Rousseau, Traite de la viole, p. 55.

9Ibid., pp. 55-71.

Page 20: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

11

The harmonic style was derived from lute compositions which

combined chords and implications of polyphonic writing with

the melody. [See Example No. 3.]

ExiUmpifi Wo. 3

While Rousseau acknowledged both approaches to solo

bass viol performance, he considered the melodic style supe-

rior to the harmonic style. His objections to the latter

mode of performance were based on concerns that the realiz-

ation of many chords would interrupt the flow of the melody.

Conversely, Le Sieur de Machy, a contemporary of Rousseau,

believed that playing pieces without chords on the bass viol

would be similar to playing a keyboard instrument with only

one hand. In actual practice, the difference between

melodic and harmonic style writing is often indistinguishable.

10Frangois Lesure, "Une Querelle sur le jeu de la viole en 1688: J . Rousseau contre De Machy," Revue de musicolocrie 46 (1960):182. -

Page 21: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

12

Due to the harmonic limitations of a bowed stringed instru-

ment, chordal writing was not consistent. The technical

considerations dictate omission of chord-tones which other-

wise might seem to be required structurally. On the other

hand, melodically conceived pieces were occasionally em-

bellished with chords in places other than at cadences.

According to Clyde Thompson, Marais wrote the majority

of his viol compositions in the melodic style.11 Marais

normally composed his Sarabandes, Gavottes, Menuets, and

some character pieces in the melodic idiom. His Preludes,

A1lemandes, Courantes, Chaconnes, and more extended pieces

generally were written in the harmonic style. In the first

book of Marais Pieces de violes, there are more elaborately

embellished compositions than there are simple melodies;

however in subsequent books this proportion was reversed.

The suites of Marais were conceived as Royal chamber

entertainment and not as ballroom fare. Since the function

of the compositions was for listening enjoyment rather than

for dancing, freely composed works such as Preludes, Fantai-

sies, Caprices, and character pieces were added to the

prevailing dance movements. The dance movements themselves

were also changed somewhat from their original form. The

i:LThompson, "Marin Marais, 1656-1728," (Ph.D. disser-tation, University of Michigan, 1957), I, p. 153.

Page 22: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

13

Allemande, for example, developed in the more rhythmically

free style of the Prelude."*"2

Marais included as few as seven and as many as thirty-

two movements in his suites. Usually the pieces of each type

of dance or non-dance movement were grouped together. For

example, the first four movements of his Suite No. I in his

first book are all preludes. Since there is no documentary

evidence as to how these suites were actually performed, one

must make assumptions regarding the number and order of the

movements to be played. All of the movements of a given

suite by Marais were in a common tonality which was a uni-

fying factor during this period. Marais also included the

core of dance movements (Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and

Gigue) normally found in earlier French Baroque suites. Con-

trasts were achieved apparently by arranging the movements

in an order of contrasting tempos and meters.

Marias' Second Suite in D Major includes a Prelude, a

Fantaisie, a second Pr4lude, two Allemandes, a Double (a

variation of the previous movement), two Courantes and a

Double, two Sarabandes, two Gigues, a Paysanne, a Rondeau,

a Gavotte, three Menuets, and a very long Chaconne. Since

the movements of the same type have varying degrees of com-

plexity, it appears that Marais wrote the works not only for

his own use but for other players of varying skill. A player

12 McDowell, "Marais and Forqueray," p. 53.

Page 23: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

14

could, therefore select his own suite from Maraisf collection

by choosing a group of the standard dance movements which

would preceded by an introductory piece and which would

be concluded with one or more optional movements such as a

Rondeaut Menuet/ Gavotte, or Chaconne. In like manner, a

Fantaisie, an Allemande, a Courante, a Sarabande, a Gigue,

two Menuets, and a Gavotte were carefully selected for the

double bass transcription from Marais' Second Suite for the

Bass Viol.

Page 24: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

CHAPTER III

THE DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIPTION

After the movements were chosen for the transcription,

the choice of accompanying instruments became the next major

decision. According to Marais1 preface, the chordal instru-

ments that could be used were either the harpsichord or the

theorbo. The timbre of the piano would neither be authentic

nor would it blend well with the double bass. Since the

theorbo, a member of the lute family, is now a rare instru-

ment, the chordal realization has been designated for the

harpischord.

It is assumed that Marais and his contemporaries rein-

forced the harpischord or the theorbo with another bass viol.

Marais' figured bass part to his first book contains no men-

tion of a sustaining bass instrument. In the Preface to his

second book however, he stated that the figured basses are

sufficiently singable, and that he has emphasized the figured

basses rather than add pieces for two solo viols. In the

first book from which this transcription is taken, Marais

does occasionally use the words "pour la viole" in his score

"Marin Marais, Basse-continues des Pieces a une et a ^f,ux. v l o l e? (Paris, 1689), p. 2, cited in Clyde H. Thompson, Marin Marais, 1656-1728," (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan, 1957), I, p. 101.

15

Page 25: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

16

for lines which are not the bass or melodic lines. [See

Example No. 4.] it must be concluded that the use of an

accompanying viol was assumed by Marais.

Ejtornpld No. 4- rrvnsun-s Scu~S*-£&J~xiG.

J - I !» r U m i

i<x V 4 € a

While Marais apparently did little else to stipulate the

accompanying instruments/ other bass viol composer—performers

were more specific. Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Forqueray, the son

of one of Marais contemporariesp wrote in the preface to a

collection of his viol pieces: the work is written "to

entertain three people at once, and to form an ensemble of

two viols and a harpischord."

In keeping with this practice, a double bass has been

chosen for the sustaining instrument of the transcription's

basso continuo. Other modern instruments such as the cello

bassoon could not be used with a solo double bass since

range limitations would create unwanted harmonic inversions.

Bonney McDowell, "Marais and Forqueray: A Historical and Analytical Study of Their Music for Solo Basse de Viole," (Ph.D. dissertation, Colombia University, 1974) , p.~9"CK '

Page 26: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

17

Even with the problem of harmonic inversions solved,

scoring for two double basses could produce overly thick

sonorities if intervals were not carefully spaced. Aside

from being generally unclear, such sonorities would in no

way resemble the thinner, more delicate sounds of the bass

viols. To achieve a more authentic character, the pieces

have been transposed to the highest practical key within the

range of the solo double bass. Just as Marais apparently

favored the key of D major because of harmonically strategic

open strings, solo double bassists favor the key of G major

which similarly provides tonic, supertonic, and dominant

open strings and their very useful natural harmonics. The

solo bass part of this transcription has been notated in the

key of G major; however, the common practice of using a scor-

datura tuning of one whole step above the normally tuned

orchestral bass has been adopted. The commercially available

strings for this tuning provides a lighter sonority and

greater clarity if not a totally authentic sound.

The Fantaisie

Marais composed three types of pieces--the caprice,

the fantaisie, and the prelude to be used as introductions

to his suites. All three are pseudo—improvisatory pieces

which serve as a warm-up for the performers. The fantaisie

which is similar to a division style writing, consists of

Page 27: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

18

broken-chord patterns and scale passages in continous

eighth-note movement.

Of all the movements in Marais1 Second Suite, the

Fantaisie is the most adaptable to the double bass. To

obtain a more open sonority, the melody of the transcription

has been spaced an octave higher from the original continuo

line. [See Example No. 5.]

-Sp'o V'o/

Co***'*-®

EjoimpUB A/O.5" 'vtajsui« -1 /Tli- . t ft*J*

m m Qriqinal

£ P "Trnn$eripti©r>

i Bo+h pekr+S sowi gm- )

Generally, this spacing was achieved when the parts were

transposed from Marais' key of D major to the double bass

key of concert A major. The solo part has been raised a

perfect fifth and the continuo bass has been lowered a

fourth. Occasional modifications at the octave were nec-

essary in both parts due to range and spacing problems. For

example, the solo bass part has been raised an octave in

measures 27-31, and also in measures 33-38.

Page 28: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

19

License has been taken with two notes in the double

bass version. In measure 6, Marais scored his open, seventh

and lowest string. To avoid rewriting the phrase an octave

higher, the low note has been changed to another chord tone.

[See Example No. 6.]

Example Uc.lo rr\eas,u*-<e.j^

Solo \Jic)

6ass» Qrth'nua

Rimtuste

0 W 7 " | -J 4 9 ~ -

# ? _ , M

Original — _j.

TrOJ^sarhpHv n

n : » . -

The remaining liberty was taken in the interest of musical

symmetry. The pattern established in measure 13 is repeated

in measures 15, 19, 21, and 23. In measure 27, Marais devi-

ated from the pattern in only the first half of the measure

by adding a chord tone a minor third higher to the pattern.

In the transcription, the melodic note has been retained as

the top voice and the Marais' chordal sound has also been

retained by adding the root of the chord a major third below

the pattern. [See Example No. 7.]

Due to the division style of continuous eighth notes

there are only five embellishments in the Fantaisie. There

are two mordents indicated by an x before the note, and three

Page 29: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

20

£x6urr*pl& hio. *7 m&xsare. 2S1

.'•'. [ [ f t f I f f : ^>lo Viol 3 S e W Origindj "TrtUnSOri prion

Qcxs&> Co rrHhuo

T#" 32= i r f 32

trills with an appoggiatura, indicated by a comma after the

note to be embellished. In the transcription these are

notated to avoid confusion. [See measure 7, 10, and 32 in

the Appendix.]

The bowing articulation for the Fantaisie should be

detached as the current practice of the martele bowing.

Each note should resemble the plucking sound described in

Chapter II.

The Allemande

The Allemandes of Marais' Pieces de Violes are of two

types. The first type is of the ttaditional stately dance.

The second is lighter in character and faster than the former

design. In the third, fourth and fifth collections, Marais

used markings of "Legerement" and "Gay" in contrast with the

more complex Allemandes of his first and second publications

for viols. The absence of character markings and the heav-

iness of the ornamented lines suggest that the Allemande of

the transcription should be played in the traditional manner.

Page 30: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

21

In contrast to the Fantaisie, the Allemande required the

most editing of all the chosen movements. Since the Alle-

mandes were usually written in "le jeu d'harmonie," chords

often written in conjunction with trills and mordents de-

manded editing. For example, in measure 8 (which is shown

in Example No. 8), the fourth beat includes a double stop

of a perfect fifth with the upper note embellished by a trill

of a minor second. A double stop of a fifth is idiomatic to

the double bass, but the expansion of the interval (to a

minor sixth) if trilled is not possible in the lower middle

register of the double bass. Much doubling at the unison or

octave occurs in Marais' writing for the two viols as found

in measure 8, fourth beat. Since the lower note of the

double stop of the solo bass has been duplicated in the con-

tinuo, the solo part has been edited to retain the trill

rather than the lower chord tone. [See Example No. 8.]

Marais indicated trills by placing a comma after the note

to be embellished.

Since ornamentation is an integral element of Marais'

style, the decision was made to notate all embellishments

which were retained in the transcription. Those included

are the Tremblement, a trill; the Batement, an inferior

mordent; and the Port de voix, a grace note.

3 N \ Marin Marais, Pieces a une et a deux Violes, 1686,

Preface, cited in Thompson, "Marin Marais," I, p. 3 66.

Page 31: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

22

Vi'o/

Base" CcrrHfWOt

&arrf>lC No. 6 i^«osure S

£L *> '* •* c r f ' i m m £ m j r j g , )

>• V

CnlgiinaJ

7 *- r

olo V/o/

The interpretation of the trill requires the most study

9-H the ornaments. Questions must be solved regarding

the beginning pitch and the rhythm of the trill. For

decades, many teachers and performers have insisted that

Baroque trills start with the upper auxiliary note. Recent

research, especially that of Frederick Neumann, has shown

that this is not always the case/

The trills found in the Allemande of this transcription

are of three general types—the short trill, the dotted note

4 Frederick Neumann, Ornamentation in Baroque and Post—

Baroque Music (New Jersey, 1978), p. 25T7 ~

Page 32: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

23

'twill/ and the longer cadential trill. Marais1 shorter

trills were usually started on the main note according to 5

Gordon J. Kinney, Jean Rousseau also referred to such a c

trill as the cadence simple.

In dotted note trills, the moment of the dot is the

stopping point of the trill which may be followed by an

7

anticipation or a turn. Example 9 illustrates a dotted

note trill with the upper auxiliary anticipated during the

preceding beat. Short trills as described above are also shown in the second measure of the same example.

The longer cadential trills require the most careful

analysis. Whether the trill begins on the auxiliary or

the main note must be determined after studying the figured

bass part as in Example No. 10. According to Frederick

Neumann, the figure 4 in Marais1 works stood for the figures 5 . 6

4 an<:* n°t In this example, the main note of the cadential

trill, which is a fifth above the bass, should sound a disso-

nance with the fourth indicated above the bass. The effect

Gordon J. Kinney, editor, Recent Researches in the M u s i c 9l the Baroque Era, Vol. XXI, (Madison, 1976J7 p7~xvi.

^Jean Rousseau, Traite de la Viole (Paris, 1687), p. 83 cited in Frederick Neumann, "Misconceptions about the French'

1 7 t h a n d 1 8 t h Centuries," The Musical Quarterly L, 2 (April, 1964), 190-191. —

xvi.

7 Gordon J. Kinney, editor, Recent Researches, XXI, p.

Page 33: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

24

£jur*f>le Ho.4 ^«Osu^5 1-z Ailerr&jndc

Solti V/a/

Qosac? C&rrKryuc

: i s * J C " r } f 1 — f — J Ml

• 4 5 * c — 1

Or ig incx i rir

f m

- J * — * -

• f — f n

^ J

* — i -

4

—f

; , l t : a J — M - h = J = ^ = j

B j > V r t a — , i

3 = P ?

f' L = TnmSCi^pHorj

<y**r

u - i

J-

-f L r ^ f

f

•j 4

= £ £ / * G r-

k ?•

Scle \Jioi

Ccrrir+c

Sola Vi© j

Basso Ccr>4\r\LC

Ejcampie ^0* 10 ^<easo*-e S.4- AWar^ctr^^

k& r*c j p Orifyr*cJL

f

7w*c r r f j p

sb f

So/d V/eJ

Sets*? CtfrWv

ffi T h a n s o a p +WTW

£ £ i 5 *

£

Page 34: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

25

would be diminished greatly if the trill were started on

the upper auxiliary, a sixth above the bass.

Marais symbol for the Batement or mordent is a slanted

cross (x) placed to the left of the embellished note. While

Marais gave no explanation for the symbol, he used it simi—

larly to Jean Rousseau's Le Martellement. Rousseau stated:

Le Martellement is made when the finger touching a note

first beats two or three little strokes which are close to-

gether and more hurried than the trill, and then remains on

the fingerboard." This description indicates a double or

triple mordent as the normal design; however, notes reguring

the mordent in Marais1 works are usually not of long dur-

ation, thereby rendering the longer ornaments inappropriate.

Example 9 illustrates the mordent as notated in the tran-

scription.

The port de voix, one of the few ornaments described by

Marais, was said to be a single small note which does not

enter into the measure and which is called a lost note.

Frederick Neumann defines the port de voix as a one-note

grace note which ascends, usually by step, to its parent 9

note. Marais uses the term, the port de voix, to designate

both ascending and descending motion. In the Allemande,

Marais included only one such ornament (See Example No. 8).

8-r . '

~ Rousseau, Traite de la Viole, p. 87, cited in Frederick Neumann, Ornamentation^ p~. 422.

9 Frederick Neumann, Ornamentation, p. 49.

Page 35: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

26

which descends between two notes a third apart. Neumann

states that the majority of French composers and theorists

of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries referred to this

ornament as a coule.10

Example No. 11 illustrates the French performance

practice of playing notes inegales as described by Clyde

Thompson.11 The performance of pairs of notes of equal

duration in unequal lengths, usually long-short, was a

routine performance practice of the French during Marais'

AUcmCLir\d-& Example No. 11 3 l So/e Via/

CorWvnwj

r i im Qrvtyr&l

j* JTj

J* p

(# 4 ^

(» b

10 Ibid., p. 50.

11

298-300 Clyde Thompson, "Marin Marais 1656-1728," 1, pp.

Page 36: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

27

life. This practice applied to division of the beat, but

not to subdivisions. The ratio of the long to short sounds

depended on the tempo and style of the music. In Example /

H , the notes ineqales have been notated as dotted eighth

and sixteenth notes. Since this practice applied only to

notes in conjunct motion, the pattern has not been continued

after the melodic leap of a fifth.

Within the harmonic style of French bass viol composi-

tion, one finds not only chordal harmonizations to support

the melody, but also pseudo-contrapuntal passages. In

measures 17-21 in the Allemande, Marais included a contra-

puntal line between the melody and the bass. While this

counterpoint may be played comfortably on the bass viol, it

is impossible on the double bass which has fewer notes in

one hand position than do smaller string instruments.

Although these notes can be provided by the harpsichord, the

effect would not be as Marais had intended. In this tran-

scription, the continuo bass has been given the contrapuntal

line in order to give more equality to the two important *

notes. [See Example No. 12.]

The Courante

Marais wrote two types of the courante in his suites.

The Courante of the double bass transcription is a slow,

dignified dance. Its time signature is although all

cadences and some measures within phrases contain hemiola

Page 37: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

28

Example to* J 2. rr cLsunfs J"7~/0 licrn#-ndc

Vioi

OriginaJ

K- I *N S I K 1 J if C

lmn6oWpribri

1

• i 1 =

1/ J - - V

f t t i f f - f -J -r { • j L-S—1-

1

-i-L-

f = • U LJ U

a >

—/—y ^ J J--1

5olo V/b<

N/l*ol

•Ha>-pa-Chord

t f i

figures as found in 4 patterns. The other type of courante

is a faster dance similar to the Italian corrente.

The style of the slow courante is much the same as the

allemande. Both are highly embellished melodically, both

have many chords/ and both have elements of contrapuntal

writing in the solo voice. Generally, the highly ornamental

and chordal passages of this Courante have been transcribed

in a similar manner to those of the Allemande.

Page 38: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

29

In the second measure as shown in Example No. 13, Marais

wrote a combination of a trill, a double stop of a major

third, and an anticipation. Since a decision to retain

either the trill and anticipation figure or the double stops

was necessary for the transcription, the melodic embellish-

ments have been sacrificed to preserve the chordal effect.

The group of double stops of a third, a second, and a fifth

provides a very pleasing texture for the solo double bass.

£X0Lmple Nc-l3 ry.casc-rrs '.~Z C£)\jorc-x~mt

0 . 4 ^—+ 0 j . fU 1 b m i a J

TVonScHcHncr)

3

m w

Page 39: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

30

In the fifth measure, Marais intensified the hemiola

pattern by placing double stops embellished with trills on

the accents. In the sixth measure, the note on the first

beat has a similar rhythmic pattern which contains an

accented trill without the chordal effect. As shown in

Example No. 14, the chords have been retained without the

trills, and a chord tone has been added to the downbeat of

measure 6 for the sake of continuity.

Example No. J4- rneaZAjnfs G'Ce i

Sole Via / ||(P*jr 3 | f f i p J ;

flingjhnai X '

F T .J J N

1 1,1 u r

• . # 1 6 P

' f ~ t 1 ** * \ f j—=

4. *

ivtvnacjnpfrBr*

CcrrhrwO

While the trills and mordents of the Allemande and the

Courante are very similar, the port de voix is written some-

what differently. In the former movement, the port de voix

Page 40: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

31

is solely a one-note grace; in the latter work, it is com-

bined with a mordent. The melodic embellishment formed by

this union was frequently used by the French gamba composer-

performers. Rousseau implied that the port de voix should

always terminate with the mordent.12 A typical pattern of

this compound ornament is shown in Example No. 15.

"ExCUmpld MoJS" rv>aoaji-<? 13 (OOjrtJ-Tv+C

O V/o/

0<3S5? Canh\9\uc

i 0 * X T' p 1 hi

£

£

& b Scio \/\ol

Basso 0>rrhnU)

1**3 }\ r f f l J ft f f f r r-rl f m t * t

~TTttr&erfptipn

M f »M / » 2 . If f ffrrW- 1 -d 5k b

The Sarabande

According to Robert Donington, three styles of the

sarabande existed in Europe during the seventeenth century,

The tempo of the English saraband is very rapid, that of

the Italian sarabanda is moderate, and that of the French

12 T , Jean Rousseau, Traite de la viole, p. 87.

Page 41: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

32

13

sarabande is slow- The sarabandes of Marais airs charac-

terized by tender and highly ornamented melodies which are

excellent examples of le jeu de melodie.14

Marais1 ornamentation consists of single mordents,

moderately long and short trills, the port de voix used in conjunction with the mordent as found in the Courante, and

t

the coule found in the Allemande. Although nothing new

is illustrated, Example No. 16 shows the density of embel-

lishments which Marais deemed essential to the Sarabande.

A rather unusual feature of the Sarabande has previously

been mentioned. Example No. 4 illustrates two bass parts in

measures 16 and 17. The continuo bass viol has a line which

moves in sixths with the solo viol while the harpsichord has

a sustained tone. To avoid confusion, Marais marked the

moving line "pour la viole".

The Sarabande closes with a formal device which is

called the petite reprise. The binary dance form with a

pstite reprise closes with a repetition of the last few bars

of the second section. Bonney McDowell has stated that

seventeen percent of the pieces in Marais1 first book have

this closing device."^

13 Robert Donnington, A Performer's Guide to Baroaue

Music (Great Britain, 1973) , pp. 247-248^ —

14 Clyde Thompson, "Marin Marais, 1656-1728," 1.

pp. 313-314.

15 Bonney McDowell, "Marais and Forqueray," pp. 158

159. '

Page 42: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

33

^ 1 1 —T~3t~—sX * / *#» J <1, J J £ Soi<j Vi<jJ

»2ass6

f F Cv-irv*J

.i j J i l Con-hm £ 5> 7 (, •#

•Sofft Via J

SdSSo

g£ S f j # M+m**1-T+ pg=g

"TanSOWp'How

lfc§ 7 V J [f &r»+|riu

s>7

Irtxriscnpio" C cen'Hr»c'-«ri

LernhnwS

The Gigue

Marais wrote gigues in meters of g, g, 1^, and J.

Some are written in equal note patterns after English and

Italian models, while others have typically French dotted

notes.

The Gigue of this transcription, heavily dotted and • 6 m 4 meter, resembles another dance, the loure. Johann

Page 43: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

34

Walther defined the loure as a dance usually set in J , to

be taken slowly. He also said that the first note of each

16

half measure was dotted. One should not assume, however,

that the tempo of the dotted note gigues should be as slow

as that of the loure. Jean D'Alembert, in the middle of

the eighteenth century, wrote that the gigue is "no more

than a quick loure in which the rhythm is greatly accel-4. * "17

erated.

Very little editing was required to transcribe the

Gigue. Since the tempo is faster than the previous two

movements, Marais wrote chords only at the cadences and

melodic embellishments were limited to mordents, short

trills, and one compound port de voix-mordent pattern.

The Menuets

Two Menuets are included in the transcription to be

played in an A B A format. Marais often presented the

menuets in pairs. Either he intended a return to the first

menuet after the conclusion of the second, as was the es*~

tablished practice later in the eighteenth century, or he

merely meant to provide an alternate movement. The former

option has been adopted for this transcription.

16 ,tJ .Johf""„?ot^frd:e(? Walther, Musicalisches Lexicon (Lxepzig, 1732) cited in Robert Donnington, The Xnterpre-tation of Early Music (London, 1963), p. 332^ "—"

17 ' Jean^Lerond D'Alembert, Elements de musique (Paris,

1752), p. 170, cited by Clyde Thompson, ^arin Marais 1656-1728," I, p. 315.

Page 44: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

35

Marais wrote menuets and allemandes more frequently

than any other type of dance movement. They are very short,

gracefully contoured melodies, with simple embellishments in

contrast to the more complex allemandes.

The editing process for the transcription, with only a

few exceptions, has been one of simple transposition.

Trills, mordents, and grace notes have been notated as in

the other movements, and notes inegales have been added to

the score of the second menuet.

The Gavotte

Although the Gavotte was heavily ornamented by Marais,

it, like the Menuets, was easily adapted to the double bass.

Chords are limited to cadences, and melodic motion is pri-

marily conjunct.

The notation of the ornaments appears to be more complex

than that of the other movements. This is largely due to the

fact that the mordents and trills have been further embel-

lished by the notation of the dotted notes inegales. Example

No. 17 shows both short trills and mordents combined with the

practice of the notes inegales.

Concluding Remarks

The music of Marin Marais is considered the finest of

the French school of bass viol composer—performers. It is

most unfortunate that his works have been unknown to the

majority of the performers of this century. His music

Page 45: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

36

Vi o\

EsttXrmple Mo. 17 ryy^sun?sl-2.

&

Qnginai

Basse •Ify jr _ ^^gzgg=«r¥r

2* m W j

Vici

8ci S35 C?rrf)nufl

Q c n c 3 ^ ,

<# 7 w

•iiy u - = " | ^ ^

i </ 7

deserves a place in the repertoire of double bass players,

and to that end, this transcription of seven movements for

the double bass is offered.

Page 46: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Bol, Hans, La Basse de viole du temps de Marin Marais et d Antoine Forqueray, Bilthoven, A. B. Creyghton, 1973.

Dolmetsch, Arnold, The Interpretation of the Music of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, London, NovelTo & Col, Ltd., 1915 Reprint, University of Wisconsin Press, 1977.

Dolmetsch, Natalie, The Viola Da Gamba, Its Origin and His-tory , Its Technique and Musical Resources, London Hmrichsen Edition Ltd., 1962.

Donmgton, Robert, The Interpretation of Early Music, London, Faber & Faber, 1963 Revised Edition, London, Faber & Faber, 1974.

/ h Performer's Guide to Baroque Music, New York. C1 ^ ix- -I I _ ^ Charles Scribner's Sons, 1973

Hsu, John, A Handbook of French Baroque Viol Technicrue. New York, Broude Brothers Limited, 1981"

/^Marin MaraisThe Instrumental Works, Vol. 1, Pieces une et a deux violes (1686-89), New York Broude Brothers, 1980.

Kinney, Gordon, J.^ Volume XXI of Recent Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era, Madison, Wisconsin, A-R Editions, Inc., 1976.

LeBlanc, Hubert, Defense de la basse de viole contre les Entreprises du violon et les pretentions du violoncel, Amsterdam, 1740, Reprint, Geneva, Minkoff~1975".

Marais, Marin, Pieces de violes, 5 Vol., Paris, Marais, 1686, 1701, 1711, 1717, 1725.

Neumann, Frederick, Ornamentation in Baroque and Post-Baroque Music, Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press, 1978.

Rousseau, Jean, Traite de la viole, Paris, Christophe Ballard, 1687, Reprint, Amsterdam, Antigua, 1965.

37

Page 47: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

38

Sadie, Julie Anne, The Bass Viol in French Baroque Chamber Music, Ann Arbor, UMI Research Press, 1978, 1980.

Titon du Tillet, Evrard, Le Parnasse Francois, Paris, J. B. Coignard, Reprint, Geneva, Minkoff, 1971.

Articles

Cohen, Albert, "An 18th-century Treatise on the Viol by Etienne Loulie," Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of America, 3 (1966), 17.

Farrell,_Peter, "The Viol in France," Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of America, 2 (1964), 21.

Green, Robert A., "Jean Rousseau and Ornamentation in French Viol Music," Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of America, 14 (1977), 4. — —

Hsu, John, "The Use of the Bow in French Solo Viol Playing in the 17th and 18th Centuries," Early Music, 6 (1978). 52 6. — '

Newton, Richard, "Hommage a Marin Marais," The Consort No. 9 (June, 1952), 12-21. '

, "More about Marais," The Consort, No. 10 (1953), 10-17

Lesure, Frangois, "Marin Marais, Sa carriere—sa famille," Revue Beige de Musicologie, 46 (1960), 181.

_, "Une Querelle sur le jeu de la viole en 1688, J. Rousseau contre De Machy," Revue de Musicoloaie. 4 6 (1960), 182. — ~ — '

Neumann, Frederick, "Misconceptions about the French Trill in the 17th and 18th Centuries," The Musical Quarterlv L, 2 (April, 1964), 188-206.

Pond, Celia, "Ornamental Style and the Virtuoso, Solo Bass T ^ D ?

U S ^ i n F r a n c e ca* 1860-1740," Early Music, 6 (Xy / oj f JJL « ———————

Sadie, Julie Anne Vertrees, "Marin Marais and His Contempor-aries, The Musical Times, 117 (1978), 672.

Thompson, Clyde, H., "Marin Marais1 Pieces de Violes " The Music Quarterlv, 46 (1960), 482. '

Page 48: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

39

\ "Instrumental Style in Marin Marais' Pieces de Violes," Recherches sur la Musique frangaise Classique, 3 (1963) , 73. ~~~

Dissertations

McDowell, Bonney, "Marais and Forqueray: A Historical and Analytical Study of Their Music for Solo Basse de Viole," Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University, 1974; University Microfilm Number 54-01006.

Thompson, Clyde H., "The Music of Marin Marais," Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan, 1957; University Microfilm Number BAK 75-09292.

Page 49: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

40

APPENDIX

Page 50: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

41

I. Fo/vhaisie

£o< o V/si

BajfcSo ContinOe =F

7 fc# 7 t> 7 4>

111 flfcl!r !_#A« ^31 ^ — > i r - T - " ^ F ^ Z T

n-rff , f—-

--f-J [JJF-

[$— f ki-i

j

4 j j v i r

L

ll 1 1 f ir r r 1" ir f J

? 6

Page 51: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

42

b *

Page 52: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

43

JL. A l i emondd-

-) t r f f f f —jJ^r H l f H a c r - I ^ U

W % j ] j )

F r t i r t f f t fe r

f L i Q 1 -d ^-4 Lo (a

Solo Viol

Qab&c Coming

i i

I 7 ' / 0 «tl n ,

5 P U P

- V ^

3 t z = M mm imil ^

5> fa 4 * <* dF <p 7

Page 53: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

4 4

it'/ rff fffiri

ir—

I

F

Page 54: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

45

IZT C o u r n r ~ ) + - &

$ Corrh^iX)

S fa

fi * ^ J i J j j J J J j ) J g J l J

5" 6 6

| H " 3 = T £ g c

• T A\ * ( ! / * fjlj i | k | J | J '—i H1 1 1

i - i f f * • — ^ 1

1 i -h • 1 1

ft# p ^

• y J - | 1 1 1 1 3 S * 0 * * ; f - h — j i n r f f «,J. — — i

6 ^

Page 55: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

46

Page 56: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

47

IE rot-bande

ifriWfrH ffwww f SS5BSE39 1 9-

CjontirstX)

if qtt

j* 1 *' p

Z M ^ i

Page 57: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

48

Page 58: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

49

oo/o Viol

OaSfeO Canrinjo

| R * a f-1> f rr i f f r

~2T

1 * M -m

m » fciTT tfp t ' r ' ,J &j

I 9 : y > . r - —

dj

-^tti

%

--n*

jc

X

tk t^--

4—L-ff i j - j -0-4—|

f r r r r t f [

r ^ j j j

w \ * f ^ r o * » ' f f f f f

6 fe 6

I r l f r t f t f f r

t>

i f f f f f f f - ft ft., -\ *—mjj u f , .

/ # ' '

#

P P

r 1 i-tti )

t - 1 r ' p # -

i 1

""P"ir P j f f ~ f

H f r j 5 7 4 #

7 6 7 6 - M—

3? b fctf

- - ^ Z ^ ± ioh

- d

* * * * * *

J j j ^ j j f J i f j

-J \\_

i| Z? h « » f

nS

i t f f trCfrff

U4J

g r r f f g f r f i

$****0***JJ ***- ^

:^-r

f ' r '-olJ |

p r ~ * *

-»-J w L, M-

n m n- " "~C

) <l —

4- # b b b 3? 6

Page 59: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

50

b 6 lo b

EL' ^ 1 0 j M 1 ^ I U f\J\ flfl If £ g. *•

t f f f f* - p» ft _

<*.

^ f f t-f-jTrTi r~"

Page 60: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

51

3ZL M&nus-t Nc.i

| f f p f r f f f p f r p . r i ? H

Gyrnrw

1 j j S * I g ; = i i i i l ; ! = :

I - NX /- • i 2 .

— < r \

/ / r n j = : = y A

tfji J t i r ' , " * «

' ^ f " 2

j 1

: m f m M p*

^

. J

JtW-

-4=

- ^ 1 -

f =

- £ - # - # -

f . —

™ r "

ff=i# _ y L _ ^

\ Li- -it • "S

= M

b 4X

lo b

, l i - ^ 1 2 .

— _ j i

j> y f — — t — f f = " — 3 -

1-L- \>

I -1

^ — ! i 1

W#

- J - < 4 4 ^ - 1 - , + -

f f r 1

d' •;

1

0- J * f f

r"H r • i

Page 61: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

52

S T M e n u e t ,\Jo. Z

Solo vVoi

dcuszo Continue

i — n y •*• q pa—|

*Qj i I / j

*0 * J g^J" -

f f . f i d

t

f F p

Lf v V #

^ = N =

fc * & x & p p o

Page 62: NeU ao. ni~> - Digital Library/67531/metadc331863/m2/1/high... · A SUITE FOR DOUBLE BASS TRANSCRIBED FROM PIECES A UNE ... Sonata in G Minor Henry Eccles Largo Allegro con spirito

3 Z H £«avcrtte

S«l& VJol

b 7 & (o£ =$£

( T r i t " ^ r - , r

ar r t\ b i t fl m g j J | ^ j & j j | % i t t 2t

f r jf f f t f n * i» 5 m 3 E :

? V 0 ^ i t f i f t r g r f r - f j f - ' f r'r /'IrTfr* --. k v»

M — + rts—2 ?• J

' ^ V J J ^

1 r~l J

i r j

-k_ .= ffllfc-J '•'

, fff i f f , ^

M = 4

n#—h—p i,<r # r P ^

' ^ r -J-J <7 -» P"* I-" •* —

i 1 j J

6 7