Ornamentation in Baroque and Post-Baroque Music by Frederick NeumannReview by: Sven HansellFontes Artis Musicae, Vol. 27, No. 3/4 (Juli-Dezember 1980), pp. 233-236Published by: International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres(IAML)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23505917 .

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Comptes-R endus/Besprechungen /R eviews 233

ménage des surprises même avec le plan tradition

nel, tantôt déconcertantes (orgue sur pattes de

poule de St-Sauveur de Horsens, Frobenius 1977, p. 74/6) ou décevantes (Islevk. de Copenhague, Fro. 71, p. 164) ou fort belles au moins en photo (N.D. de Nyborg, Andersen 1978, p. 258).

De la masse des compositions d'orgues d'où

on pourrait tirer une étude sérieuse de la facture

danoise contemporaine au moins dans ses pro

grammes, ressort, après ce «retour» au baroque allemand, une période récente de recherches vers

d'autres types (Cornets, Chamades . . .) chez

B. Christensen, Carsten Lund, Poul Andersen

surtout. Un Bruhn va jusqu'à séparer sur deux

claviers un Plein-Jeu et un Grand-Jeu dit «Bom

bardenwerk» (sans Bombarde vu la taille de

l'instrument), avec un Echo à la Pierre Thierry et des noms français (Karlebo, Nivakirke 1979,

p. 84). En même temps on devine des efforts

pour conserver ou plutôt ramener a leur type

d'origine quelques orgues du XIXe siècle ou même

plus anciens (Trinité de Copenhague 1731).

L'aspect «document brut» de ce livre,

quoique non spécialement fait pour cela, est un

appel à l'étudiant en quête de thèse, mais aussi

à l'amateur qui voudrait aller entendre sur place sans s'égarer.

Pierre Hardouin

Theophil Antonicek: Anton Bruckner und

die Wiener Hofmusikkapelle (Graz: Akademische

Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, 1979). 167 S. 8°

(Anton Bruckner. Dokumente und Studien. Hrsg. von Franz Grasberger. Band 1).

Erst sehr spät ist Anton Bruckner zu "insti

tutionellen" Ehren gekommen: 1978 gründete die Stadt Linz, die Kommission für Musikfor

schung der Österreichischen Akademie der Wis

senschaften und das Linzer Brucknerhaus ein

„Anton-Bruckner-Institut", das in der ober

österreichischen Hauptstadt Linz seinen festen

Sitz hat. Durch die Gründung dieses Institutes

soll die Brucknerforschung in der Heimat des

Komponisten ein neues Zentrum bekommen, neue Akzente für biographische und systemati sche Forschung sollen gesetzt werden. Die Grund

lagenforschung will mit einer Bibliographie, Iko

nographie, Diskographie sowie einer Zeitungsdo kumentation aufwarten. Aber auch spezielle Themen sollen behandelt werden, so die in Vor

bereitung befindlichen Arbeiten von Elisabeth

Maier und Franz Zamazal (Anton Bruckners musi

kalische Entwicklung in den Jahren 1843-1855

und seine Studien hei Leopold von Zenetti), von

Claudia Röthig (Anton Bruckners erste Sympho

nie) und ein Sammelband verschiedener Autoren

(Anton Bruckners Erscheinung im sozialen Ge

fiige seiner Zeit). Der von dem Wiener Privatdo

zenten und Oberkommissär der Kommission für

Musikforschung der Österreichischen Akademie

der Wissenschaften Theophil Antonicek vorge

legte erste Band der Bruckner-Studien liefert Bau

steine zu einem neuen Bruckner-Bild. Antonicek

stellt die amtlichen Fakten in ihren historischen

Kontext, punktuellesjaephemeresbekommt viel fach einen anderen Stellenwert. Ziel Bruckners

war das Amt des Hofkapellmeisters, aus verschie denen Gründen, vor allem weil Bruckner sich als

Komponist von Symphonien ausgab und weil er

wenig geistige und soziale Förderung erfuhr, konnte er diese höchste musikalische Position in

Wien nicht erreichen. Die 76 Quellen, die Antoni

cek abdruckt, stammen vornehmlich aus den Be

ständen des Obersthofmeisteramtes und der Hof

musikkapelle des Wiener Haus-, Hof- und Staats archives ; ergänzt wurden sie durch Stücke anderer

Sammlungen. Philologische Akribie und eine

immense Literaturkenntnis zeichnen Antoniceks Arbeit aus. Das im Druck eineinhalb Seiten um fassende Aufnahmegesuch vom 14. Oktober 1867 kommentiert der Herausgeber mit elf Seiten. Der

Leser bekommt somit nicht nur ein Aktenstück

serviert, sondern er sieht, wie das Schriftstück in

Bruckners Vita eingebettet wird, wie bedeutend es für die Entwicklung des Komponisten wird. Nützliche Statistiken bieten die Anhänge I und II. Anhang I erfaßt die Bruckner-Aufführungen in

der Hofmusikkapelle bis zum Ende des Hofärars,

Anhang II vergleicht die Aufführungszahlen von

Kompositionen von Mitgliedern der Hofmusik

kapelle in der Hofkapelle während Bruckners

Tätigkeit in der Hofmusikkapelle (1867-1896). Zwölf anschauliche Abbildungen und ein Per

sonenregister ergänzen die Studien. Antonicek ist

mit seinem Buch auf dem besten Wege, der Deutsch der Bruckner-Forschung zu werden.

Rudolph Angermüller

Frederick Neumann: Ornamentation in

Baroque and Post-Baroque Music (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1978). xiv, 630 p. Clothbound. $50.00.

Presenting a tresn iook at tne documentation

of the Baroque and Post-Baroque eras, Neumann

convincingly argues that the central core of

doctrine about musical performance taught by

20th-century books on ornamentation involves a

20th-century myth. By means of an impressive collection of passages taken from music of differ

ent countries and periods, he makes the point over and again that many French ornaments

(especially those in keyboard works of the later

17th and early 18th centuries), not so few Ger

man and occasional Italian ones, too, should

begin before rather than on the beat. The techni

cal necessity and musical beauty of executing

some so-called "small notes" early and starting

certain clusters of notes indicated by symbols as

upbeat or pre-beat ornaments is established with

such thoroughness, that attempts today to per

petuate the all-too-familiar on-beat and accented

performance of every melodic decoration may

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234 Comptes-Rendus /Besprechungen ! Reviews

finally be recognized for what they are: 20th- Prelude in B Minor for organ (B.W.V. 544) century misunderstandings that fail to recognize should be played with short appoggiaturas, in the available variety of performance possibilities fact, of such "extreme shortness that in absence in different repertories and, worse yet, that over- of a distinct beat in another voice [their brevity] look the pre-beat start as a rhythmic device makes on-or pre-beat placement indistinguishable promoting the flow and the grace of much music. on the organ" (p. 145); even the most casual The hundreds of musical passages - an enormous listener cannot fail to notice the different shape compilation of rhythmic configurations, includ- that quick appoggiaturas will give the prelude's ing oft-disputed moments in well-known master- opening measures.

pieces - serve Neumann not only to combat the Despite the reluctance to applaud Neumann's accumulated errors of some 20th-century "au- book that some players may therefore show, thorities", but to let us see a significant portion scholars will wish to hail his breaking down of of the vast wealth of material which Neumann barriers erected by fallacious 20th-century inter sifted through in preparing this remarkable tome. pretations and his correctly analyzing many musi Handsomely produced on large pages with wide Cal passages; but something, nonetheless, must be margins (for the reader's own comments?), foot- said about those observations, usually linked to notes easily located at the bottoms of pages and, subjective opinion, which will not help performers at the end, an excellent glossary of terms and solve for themselves certain rhythmic problems symbols, a bibliography and an index, this even if they seem to recur in various similar volume demonstrates how fine an American works. In fact, the French repertory of the late study can be when a university press spares no 17th and early 18th centuries, of central impor pains in layout and execution. tance to a full understanding of German and later

Of course, the serious student will appreciate French works, too, is not as thorougly investi most Neumann's excellent scholarship in dealing gated as one would expect, given Neumann's with the above-mentioned rhythmic problems; careful examination of so many scores and trea but he will also be grateful for Neumann's at- tises. For better or worse, this book ultimately tempts to relate different schools of music and raises the question as to why French music of the

specific individuals to one another. Thus, C.P.E. late 17th and early 18th century does not seem Bach emerges as a fascinating individual who, to involve ornaments that are logically regulated quite atypically, tried "in defiance of widespread in such a way that their use may be explained in

practices . . . and of musical nature itself" (p. 199) terms of a consistent system. In other words, is to introduce certain practices in ornamentation Neumann's frequent reliance on subjective that were adopted by only a few subsequent opinion as well as his need to consider harmony theorists at the end of the 18th century. Other and other variables with each individual ornament

comparisons Neumann makes reveal his careful an indication of his inability to say why and/or reading of that age's most celebrated treatises. when a particular class of French ornaments For instance, Leopold Mozart's debt to Tartini should be played pre-beat, on-beat, linked to and Quantz' partial reliance on French sources gether, or otherwise handled? is identified briefly yet with illuminating com- It is this reviewer's considered opinion that ments. Neumann failed to recognize categories of rhythm

Just as admirable is Neumann's inclusion of that could serve both as a practical aid to players his own opinions. Disclosing his practical back- and as an analytical tool to theoreticians by ground as a musician - for years Neumann was limiting himself to an examination of ornaments active as violinist, conductor and violin peda- in isolation: ornaments divorced from that aspect gogue - his subjective statements supplement of rhythmic organization which regulates the documentation of many kinds. He points out, character of those notes embellished by the small for example, that Bach's E-flat Prelude from the notes and bearing the symbols for note-clusters. Well Tempered Clavier, Book II, thanks to its Near total is his neglect of the practice of notes

lively character and its driving energy, should not inégales - there is no chapter on the notion of be decorated with long appoggiaturas or long pairing notes, not even an entry in the index; and

"sighs" (p. 152). The best performance of the when he finally writes "mordents do not seem to small notes in this gigue-like prelude should be mix readily with notes inégales" (p. 422), he on-the-beat and very quick, he argues while reveals that he only recognizes one type of notes

considering other rhythmic values for the small inégales, viz., the pairing of notes strong-weak, notes in question. Probably many keyboard and not the more usual form of late 17th-century players will resist the task of relearning works inequality: pairing notes weak-strong. These two

'(already committed to memory?) and admitting types are presented with musical examples in that their recordings are anachronisms. But treatises that Neumann cites, like Jacques Hotte

audiences, too, will have difficulties adjusting terre le Romain's celebrated Principes de la flûte to unfamiliar rhythms: some of Neumann's traversière ...(Paris 1707 and numerous reprint suggestions indicate radical changes to well- ings). Abstracted here from several examples known pieces. For example, one reads that Bach's that Hotteterre and others give, the two types

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France

tu ru tu ru tu ru tu

18th century

j rj ry j tu tu ru tu ru tu

Comptes-Rendus/Besprechungen /Reviews 235

are shown below (along with the tu ru articula- the beat (and therefore compatible with the tion syllables which Hotteterre taught): pattern of notes inégales of "Type 2").

„ , _ , It may seem unjust to criticize Neumann for

LyPl„ m°St COmm°n m 17th-ccntury ignoring the mordents, trills, one-note graces and

other ornaments duplicating or at least closely resembling those of the Baroque and Post-Ba

roque periods as they exist in some folk music

repertories - for instance, in that of the tradi tional polkas and other lâtar played by Swedish folk fiddlers of the present day. After all, it is not the fashion among scholars, let alone the expecta

Type 2: also used in 17th-century France but tion of Perf°rmers, to seek connections between

most common there after the first quarter of the East West or be]wLeen

folk music of the Pre" sent and art music of the past. And yet, a cursory examination of the Swedish repertory's ornamen tation discloses how it may be regulated by the above-cited two basic varieties of notes inégales and how these two and others may be freely altered by rubato playing (as well as something reminiscent of the quick arpeggiation of chords,

Questions regarding the metrical position of so idiomatic of the harpsichord), making the

ornaments like the mordent are not 'left in entire problem of pre-beat versus on-beat per

doubt", as Neumann would sometimes have us formance a theoretical rather than practical one.

believe (p. 424), except for the fact that his musi- Certainly, no one could reasonably require Neu

cal examples are often too brief to let us deter- mann to have included all aspects of music

mine the metrical level on which notes inégales impinging, however remotely, on problems of

should be functioning. The question whether an Baroque ornamentation. Still, a unilateral ap ornament fits best when started before the beat, proach to his subject made him overlook some

on the beat, or perhaps slightly delayed (and thus of the strongest and most interesting arguments

possibly linked to subsequent notes) is almost that he could have summoned to support his

always clearly answered after the type of notes main thesis about the musical properties of the

inégales involved has been identified. And the pre-beat start of many French and non-French

fact that Italian ornaments, as Neumann repeat- ornaments.

edly observes, rarely begin before the beat has Even more remote from ornamentation, it

everything to do with the circumstance that would seem, is the subject of keyboard tunings,

anything resembling notes inégales that the Nevertheless, a review of tuning schemes would

Italians would have known must have resembled not have been inappropriate in view of the fact

the French notes inégales shown above as "Type that the vast bulk of this study deals with key

2", with the strong accentuation of beats and board music. Such a review would have allowed

energetic momentum it usually gives to faster Neumann to point out that the far more subtle

movements, and the long, on-beat appoggiatura, temperaments of late 17th-century France, like

or "sigh" it allows in slower movements.1 Neu- Jean Denis' tuning given in his Traité de l'accord

mann gives us an enormous quantity of text and de l'espinette (Paris 1650) - with its two large musical examples that are wonderful to have fifths (E-flat to B-flat, and B-flat to F), its very and study, but he could have reduced the vol- low E-flat, A-flat and D-flat (resulting in dark

ume's size by a great deal had he recognized the c minor and f minor tonalities), and so on —

two basic categories that permit the defining of caused different chords to exhibit very distinct

each and every ornament either as one leading to characters: a circumstance which, in turn, would

a strong beat (thus fitting into the pattern of have let Neumann consider the likelihood that

notes inégales presented above as "Type 1") or ornaments played on harpsichords thus tuned

as one starting, with accentuation implied, on could well have been executed pre-beat in order

not to mask the subtle tuning of harmonies,

always most clear on principal beats. With near 1 Varied evidence for the pairing of notes equal temperament, like that advocated in the

strong-weak by Italian performers has come to 1720's and 30's by Jean-Philippe Rameau in Paris

light in recent years, but none is clearer than and Francesco Antonio Vallotti in Padua and Giovenale Sacchi's treatise Delia divisione del shortly thereafter by others in Germany, a differ

tempo nella musica . . . (Milan 1770), p. 7. The ent style of ornamentation became highly proba question whether pairs of notes strong-weak were ye Alberti bass, Murky bass and other on sometimes mtended when the trench labeled bgat orjented text obscurillg aU tempera some pieces notes egales is a problem that should A , . , , ' „ ° r .

be taken up in conjunction with on-beat orna- ments'm^ be sald to have functioned like the

mentation. far *ess subtle near-equal temperaments justifying

Type 1: most common in late 17th-century France Type 1: most common in late 17th-century France

tu ru tu ru tu ru tu

Type 2: also used in 17th-century France but

most common there after the first quarter of the 18th century j

Type 2: also used in 17th-century France but

most common there after the first quarter of the 18th century

j rj rj J tu tu ru tu ru tu

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236 Comptes-Rendus /Besprechungen /Reviews

the on-beat style of ornaments that came to dominate by the middle of the 18th century.

One could cite additional examples of musical elements that may be linked with the emergence or disappearance of various classes of ornaments; but the few mentioned must suffice here to

illustrate the value of examining a constellation of factors controlling a performance practice in order to minimize the risk of overlooking histori

cal causes as well as categories that make further

analysis and more artistically varied (yet valid!)

performances possible. If Neumann does refer to

general principles such as pervading styles, it is in

passing; thus, the style galant (pp. 128, 160 and

178) is not clearly differentiated from what he

calls the "pre-classic style" (p. 36 et passim). One may regret his irritating use of foreign words

like schneller instead of "inverted mordent" or

other suitable English term, especially when non German music is described, in addition to Vor

schlag and Nachschlag for one-note graces that

precede and follow parent notes. Also incongru ous is Neumann's frequent use of the German

symbol for the trill (the chevron drawn as a zig zag line with sharp points) in passages of French

music, instead of the wavy or swallow-shaped line usual in France through the centuries in volved. The lack of any catalogue numbering for

Vivaldi's concertos (although K numbers are

given D. Scarlatti's sonatas, B.W.V. numbers for Bach's works, and so on) is also distracting. And one could quibble about the use of non-standard

designations for well-known libraries in lieu of RISM sigla.

The book is not unblemished by errors either of commission or of omission. Nevertheless, a sincere debt of gratitude must be extended its author who explores so much, presents it so well and stimulates the reader to join him in challeng ing all authorities, even Neumann' s own correc

tions, suggestions and modes of presentation. Surely, the progress made during the next few decades in coming more fully to grips with 17th and 18th-century ornamentation will be directly attributable to Neumann's book: without ques tion it is the most stimulating work on ornamen tation ever written, a landmark in scholarship entirely worthy of the care that the university press at Princeton lavished upon it.

Sven Hansell

Martin Staehelin: Die Messen Heinrich

Isaacs (Bern et Stuttgart: Verlag Paul Haupt, 1977), 3 vol. (Publikationen der Schweizerischen

Musik forschenden Gesellschaft, Serie II Vol.

28'-'"). Auteur de nombreuses contributions à l'his

toire de la musique de l'Humanisme et de la

Renaissance, Martin Staehelin propose dans cet

ouvrage à la fois une étude critique des sources des messes de Heinrich Isaac et une analyse

stylistique de cet aspect de son œuvre. Cet im

portant travail qui complète par ailleurs l'édition en cours des Messes (Mainz 1970 et 1973) se

compose de trois volumes dont le premier est

principalement consacré à l'étude des sources:

manuscrits et imprimés musicaux, tablatures

instrumentales, traités de musique et inventaires

de bibliothèques. Leur examen selon des critères

chronologiques et géographiques autorise d'im

portantes observations sur la tradition de l'œuvre

et permet parfois de proposer - en relation avec

des documents biographiques - des termes de

datation relativement précis. L'étude biographique s'efforce de cerner avec précision les zones d'om

bres de la vie d'Isaac. Il semble désormais bien

établi que Heinrich Isaac ne s'est rendu en Italie

qu'à partir de 1484/85; vers 1495 il cherche un

emploi ailleurs qu'à Florence où il séjourne ce

pendant à plusieurs reprises durant son service

auprès de Maximilien. Le second volume com

porte une large documentation biographique commentée ainsi qu'une anthologie exemplaire de témoignages littéraires qui permettent d'ap

précier la fortune de certaines de ses œuvres au XVIè siècle. - La présentation et l'analyse des messes font principalement l'objet du troisième volume. Chaque œuvre est soumise à une critique des sources et à un examen stylistique. Les messes sont classées selon le type de composition dont

elles relèvent: messes sur mélodie liturgique étrangère, sur mélodie profane, messe-parodie, messes sur les mélodies de l'ordinaire, enfin les treize Credo isolés (München, Bayerische Staats

bibliothek, Mus. Ms. 53). Parmi les messes em

pruntant une mélodie liturgique étrangère au

propre («Argentum et aurum», «Virgo pruden

tissima»), la messe «Salva nos» (avant avril 1492) est vraisemblablement antérieure au motet com

posé sur la même mélodie. Une analyse compara tive de la messe sur mélodie profane «Une musqué de Biscaye» permet à l'auteur de situer le style d'Isaac par rapport à celui de Josquin. Si les

chansons qui ont servi de support aux messes

parodie sont bien connues («Et trop penser», «Quant j'ay au cueur», «Comme femme des

confortée», «Chargé de deul», «Een vrolic

wesenn», «Tmeiskin was jonck») la messe «Mise ricordias Domini» n'est pas construite sur un ténor liturgique, comme on l'a pensé jusqu'à

présent. Le motif de tête est emprunté selon M. Staehelin à une frottola à quatre voix: «In

focho, in focho la mia vita passa». La composi tion qui aurait servi de base serait un motet

(aujourd'hui perdu), lui-même parodie de cette frottola. Pour les messes de l'ordinaire, il a été

impossible à l'auteur de déterminer avec préci sion le diocèse du répertoire auquel les mélodies sont empruntées. Tandis que celui d'Augsburg est faiblement représenté, il semble qu'il y ait essen tiellement des emprunts aux répertoire autrichien (Brixen (Innsbruck| 1493 et Passau 151 1), ce qui donne à penser que ces messes ont été composées

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