Comments
Here are comments from various people in response to the ideas I have enunciated on this site.
Do your thoughts too.
Colin Booth, 11th Jan 2004
Jenny, 11th Nov 2004
Morgan, 31st Dec 2004
Daniel John Susan, 25th June 2007
Yina, 3rd July 2007
From Colin Booth
11 January 2004
Dear John, An excellent and ambitious contribution to the Internet! Just two small probs: I can't get your sound extracts to play. Maybe I don't have the right version of real player. And just one quibble: Early on you say that playing Bach pieces which are obviously in French style in a non-French manner is "a logical absurdity". It's not. Although I agree with you entirely as to the appropriate playing style in these cases, you go too far. One might easily argue that there is sufficient evidence from ( for example ) movements from the French Overture of Bach, and transcriptions of Couperin in the Anna Magdalena Book, that German approaches to French music were probably at times extremely basic on a rhythmic and ornamental level, and often may have involved "straight" performance of material which French players would have automatically swung. Otherwise, great. I hope we shall soon be able to provide evidence that your assertion that inequality beyond French music has been banned from present-day performance by period musicians, is no longer valid! All Best, Colin.
[Colin is well-known as a harpsichord maker and also performs widely in the UK and abroad. His recordings are becoming much sought after. Visit his websites at www.soundboard-records.co.uk and www.colinbooth.co.uk/] JB
Dear Colin, On an intellectual level I would question whether you can include the use of inégales in a discussion of the German approach to French music 'on a rhythmic and ornamental level'. I feel that inégales works at a more fundamental level than that: I certainly don't link it with ornamentation. But as you know, I don't think of inégales as something you decide whether or not to apply to a piece of music. I regard it as part of the music itself and I believe that it would be part of a composer's conception when he wrote the piece. Wouldn't you agree? Best wishes, John
Hello Mr Byrt, I have visited your website on inégalité in Bach and Handel. I very much agree with you. My question is : Do you think brass players should do what keyboard players and singers do when it comes to inégalité? Do you consider baroque writings and treaties refer inégalité to a general practice regardless of instrument or voice, which performers should apply according to good taste and melodic beauty?
Many thanks for your reply. Sincerely, Jenny (address withheld)
Dear Jenny, Very glad to receive your question about inégalité. Firstly I would say that baroque writings and treaties about inégalité rarely specify instrument or voice. I warn you, however, that my particular theories are a bit unorthodox: they explore the application of inequality beyond French music to Italian, German and English music, and some scholars don't agree with me!
Speaking personally, I see no reason why inégales shouldn't extend to brass instruments, indeed I would expect them to. Have you managed to access the musical examples on my website? If so, listen again to Performance 11 'Hark, the ech'ing air' from Purcell's Fairy Queen. The opening ritornello of this air should actually be played on the trumpet, but we didn't have one handy so we did it on the violin! Here the trumpet and voice share the same melody. The same sort of thing happens at the beginning of Handel's Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, though this time the trumpet follows the voice (I don't have a recording of this piece).
I value your response as my work is going through a long period of validation and I welcome every bit of support. Do write and tell me more about yourself and your work. All good wishes, John Byrt
Dear Mr Byrt, Many thanks for your reply earlier. I play the organ and the harpsichord, I studied in France and so the issue of inégalité is something that I am very convinced myself. Bach copied a lot of things from the French and the Italian, I would not be surprised at all if Bach should be played like Couperin or d'Anglebert! And also, many scholars I met at Masterclasses (when I was a student several years ago) were talking about baroque inégalité in general and that one should apply inégalité (not strictly in the French sense but making the Taktus come out better and the strong and weak beat relationship should be brought out by inégalité) even in works by Buxtehude. Best regards, Jenny
Dr. Byrt, I am currently a PhD student at the University of Western Ontario. Although Baroque music is a little out of my comfort zone right now, vocal music is not, as I am a singer and an aspiring scholar! I just wanted to let you know that I found your article compelling and convincing, especially with regards to the examples from Handel's vocal music. I cannot speak with great conviction regarding the Bach examples you provide, but, as a singer, it does appear that Handel could not have meant anything but notes inégales in these examples. Your argument is clearly laid out and logical. I must say that your Bach examples have an aesthetically pleasing sound to them when notes inégales are applied, but I know that, in the greater musicological world, aesthetics don't matter (tongue firmly planted in cheek here!). Thank-you for your article, and for posting it on the internet for us all to enjoy. Sincerely, Morgan Jones
Dear Morgan, Thanks indeed for your email which gave me much pleasure. So you're a singer but not a baroque specialist and yet an aspiring scholar... intriguing. I wonder what your thesis title is? Best wishes for 2005. John Byrt
Dr. Byrt, Thanks for the prompt reply! I don't have a thesis topic yet, but I am leaning towards something to do with the use of children's music or folk music in opera. … I am continuing to sing, however, since I find it so sad that many of my musicology colleagues have virtually given up their instruments...besides, I love to sing, and have been getting some work as a soloist, so why not? Thanks again for the reply. Happy New Year! Morgan Jones
From Donald John Susan
Monday 25th June 2007
Mr. Byrt, I found your site after a simple search through Dogpile for notes inégales and Michael Collins. I was interested in how he was represented online and I was curious what information was present.
Nice site; good work. I agree with what you say and write to pass on my experience in "everyday" playing.
I received my Masters in organ performance with an emphasis on harpsichord and early music from the College of Music, University of North Texas, Denton, in 1992. I studied organ, harpsichord and continuo with Lenora McCroskey (also organ with Madame Duruflé), as well as musicology with Michael Collins. Of course we spent some time in both lessons and classroom discussing the issue of notes inégales and the shades of gray surrounding performance practice. I came out of it all with what has felt, and continues to feel, like a fine approach. That is, the French pieces that demand it, get it. German (and other) pieces that might suggest the use of some unevenness, allow it, albeit sometimes in a subtle way. I enjoy some slight unevenness in moving 8ths in J.S. Bach because it is so relaxing and it feels proper. It is not (usually) a dotted feel, but not rigid either. I suppose that it is a little more than simply strong-weak, but not quite dotted. It is fun to tread the line between too much, just right, and too rigid, within the same performance!
As a full-time church musician, I play many funerals, and one of my stock pieces is the gentle organ prelude in A Major (S. 536) which I think profits from this approach. Since I repeat this prelude so much I enjoy using (or not, depending my mood, the day etc...) a gentle unevenness as a tool for expression. I feel like I have an easy hand on the control of "how much." Rather than "on-off" I was taught to apply it in graduated bits and this has remained in my practice in almost everything I play, including non Baroque offerings. I guess I have been convinced that this rhythmic effect is simply a musical tool, not just a musicological or historical one.
I agree with your conclusions that we should rightfully consider notes inégales as a potential tool of expression in music from outside France, but I also believe that it may be taking an increasingly large role in subtle and healthy ways around us even if the "reactionary" folks seem to have taken back the field. Ongoing teaching seems to be on the side of somewhat wider but not indiscriminate use of notes inégales. All for the better as far as I'm concerned!
Happy music making!
Daniel John Susan
Director of Music Ministries
Holy Cross Church, Marine City, Michigan
www.holycrossonline.net
Dear Daniel, How nice to receive a positive, well-judged, well-informed message on notes inégales. It’s good to hear of someone who explores their use outside French music like I do: yes they suit the Bach A major prelude as you say, especially the anacrusic entries like the pedal part at bars 20-27. I find funerals good places for experiments in interpretation too. I hope you’re right to say that ‘ongoing teaching seems to be on the side of somewhat wider but not indiscriminate use of notes inégales’. Sometimes I wonder!
I’m interested to hear that you were taught by Michael Collins. I corresponded with him back in the 70s and I’ve found his articles very helpful.
Happy music-making to you too! John Byrt
From Yina
Tuesday 3rd July 2007
Hi, I have read your website on notes inégales. I wonder if it applies to the Sinfonia in Bach's Partita No.2 as well. As you can see the Sinfonia ALREADY has dotted rhythm, but we normally play them as double dotted rhythm. Is this due to notes inégales too ? Yina
Dear Yina, Good to hear from you and glad you've visited my website. You've put your finger on an interesting point. I believe that when notes inégales are used dots have a different function than usual (Hefling and Fuller agree with this). I would say that Bach regards all the sixteenths in this section as basically unequal and that the dots are really a kind of expression. They tell the player to make the inequality more exaggerated and to do big gaps where the dots come.
The interesting part is that most performers already shorten the first note of the first RH group and similar groups, though the notation doesn't indicate this. This means that they are using inégales for those first notes, though they may not realize it.
'Double-dotting' is a misleading term here, because the ratio of inequality may vary a good deal, though it is likely to be higher than usual.
Please don't treat what I say as orthodox doctrine! Most specialists in this period don't accept it. On the other hand I have been working in this field for many years and my published articles are listed in the New Grove bibliography. A new article on the subject is due to appear in next month's Early Music.
Let me hear more from you. Where do you live and what is your interest in the subject? Greetings John Byrt
From: Yina
Monday 9th July 2007
Hi Mr Byrt, Thank you for your email. I'm living in Singapore. I would be taking the Licentiate in Piano Performance exam next month, under ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music), & there is a section of the exam on Viva Voce, where discussions of music would be made. As I'm playing double-dotted rhythm for my exam piece - Bach Partita No.2, Sinfonia, I think I would be questioned on why I played Double Dot instead of what the score has written, & I don't know how to answer ! How should I answer it to justify that it SHOULD be played with Double Dot ?
I'm also interested in why do we detach some notes, say quavers, in a Baroque piece? Is it just to make the several 'voices' more obvious? Or we are just trying to use the modern piano to imitate the sound of a harpsichord or clavichord?
Thank you once again. Yina
Hi Yina, Thank you for your quick reply! Very interested to hear you are taking your licentiate and I wish you all success. Here are some suggestions for the Viva Voce based on your email:
Question: Why do you play double-dotted rhythms in bars 1-7 of the Bach partita no 2?
Answer: Because it is in the style of a French overture and the double-dotting suggests the pomposity of the French court.
Question: Why do we detach certain notes in Baroque music?
Answer: This was the only way to give ‘attack’ to a note on harpsichord or organ. (Why?!) You do it too when playing Bach on the piano because it is part of baroque style. I don’t think this has anything to do with making the several 'voices' more obvious.
Good luck with your exam. I hope these questions come up in the Viva and that the examiner likes your answers. Greetings John Byrt
Hi Mr Byrt, Your email is very helpful, thanks. I hope you would be my examiner & ask these questions during the viva voce, hahaha... Yina