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    Notes on Arpeggione

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    Notes on Arpeggione

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    24 tayangan7 halaman

    Arrangement

    Diunggah oleh

    Mike
    Notes on Arpeggione

    Hak Cipta:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Unduh sebagai PDF atau baca online dari Scribd
    Tandai sebagai konten tidak pantas
    dari 7
    112 ARPEGGIONE in Haydn's pianoforte sonatas) which are partly arpeggio, one hand having to spread the chord While the other plays the notes all together ; the correct rendering of such chords is as follows (Ex. 19) : Another instance, where it is of great im portance to observe the difference between the arpeggio and the plain chord, is in Brahms’s intermezzo in KE, op. 116, No. 4. A distinction is, or onght to be, made between the long arpeggio mark joining both staves, and a separate arpeggio mark for each stave : ARPEGGIONE, or Gurrar Vrotox a stringed instrument, played with a bow, which was invented by G. Staufer, of Vienna, in 1828, but appears never to have come much into use, and whose very name would probably now be unknown, if it were not for ‘an interesting sonata (in A) for pianoforte and arpegaione by Franz Schubert, written in 1824, Published in series 8 of the completo edition by Breitkopf and Hartel. ‘The arpeggione appears to have been of the size of the viol da gamba, or a small violo’ cello; the shape of the body something like that of the guitar. ‘The finger-board had frets, and the six strings were tuned thus— An instruction-book for the arpeggione by Vine. Schuster, the player for whom Schubert wrote his sonata, has been published by A. Diabelli and Co., of Vienna. ¥. D, ARPICORDO. ‘Seo Harrstcnonn. ARRANGEMENT, or ADAPTATION, is the musical counterpart of literary translation. ‘Voices or instruments are as languages by which ARRANGEMENT the thoughts or emotions of composers are made known to the world ; and the object of arrange- ment is to make that which was written in one musical language intelligible in another. ‘The functions of the arranger and translator are similar ; for instruments, like languages, are characterised by peculiar idioms aud special aptitudes and deficiencies which call for critical ability and knowledge of corresponding modes of expression in dealing with them, But more than all, the most indispensable quality to both. is a capacity to understand the work they have to deal with. For it is not enongh to put note for note or word for word or even to find corresponding idioms. ‘The meanings and values of words and notes are variable with their relative positions, and the choice of them demands appreciation of the work generally, as well as of the details of the materials of which it is composed. Tt demands, in fact, a certain correspondence of fecling with the original author in the mind of the arranger or translator. Authors have often been fortunate in having other great authors for their translators, but few have written their own works in more languages than one, Music has had the advantage of not only having arrangements by the greatest mas- ters, but arrangements by them of their own, works, Such cases ought to be the highest order of their kind, and if there are any things worth noting in the comparison between arrangements and originals they ought to be found there. ‘The earliest things which answered the purpose of arrangements were the publications of parts of early operas, such as the recitatives and airs with merely figured bass and occasional indications of a figure or a melody for the accompaniment. Tn this manner were published operas of Lulli and Handel, and many now forgotten composers for the stage of their time and before ; but these are not of a nature to arouse much interest. The first arrangements which have any great artistic value are Bach's ; and as they are many of them of his own works, there is, as has been before observed, especial reason for putting con- fidence in such conclusions as can be arrived at from the consideration of his mode of pro- ecdure. At the time when his attention was first strongly attracted to Italian instramental music by the principles of form which their com- posers had originated, and worked with great skill, he arranged sixteen violin concertos of Vivaldi’s for the clavier solo, and three of the same and a first movement for the organ, Bach's concerto for four harpsichords in A. minor is an adaptation of @ work of Vivaldi’s for four violins in B minor, given in the ap- pondix to B.-G. vol. xlifi. “Of the originals of these it appears from Spitta (Engl. trans. i. 412), that there are six to be found for com- parison ; but, as Spitta observes, from the freedom’ with’ which Bach treated his original in these it is legitimate to infer his treatment ARRANGEMENT of the others. Vivaldi’s existing concertos are excellent in form, but his ideas are frequently crude and unsatisfactory, and their treatment is often thin and weak. Bach’s object being rather to have good illustrations of beauty of form than substance, he did not hesitate to alter the details of figures, thythins, and melodies, and even suecossions of keys, to amplify cadences, and add inner parts, till the whole is transformed into a Bach-commentary on the form-prineiples of the Italians rather than an arrangement in the ordinary meaning of the term. It is not however an instance to justify arrangers in like freedom, as it is obviously ex- ceptional, and is moreover in marked opposi- tion to Bach's arrangements of his own works, Some of theso are of a nature to induce the ex- pectation that the changeswould beconsiderable; as for instance the arrangement of the prelude to the Solo Violin Sonata in E, as the introduction in D to the Cantata ‘ Wir danken dir, Gott’? for obbligato organ with accompaniment of strings, oboes, and trumpets. The original movement consists almost throughoutof continually moving semiquavers embracing many thorough violin passages, and certainly does not seem to afford much material to support its changed condition. But a comparison shows that there is no change of material importance in the whole, unless an accompaniment of masterly simplicity can be called a change. There are immaterial altera- tions of notes here and there for the conveni- ence of the player, and the figure ARRANGEMENT In the same manner two half-bars are inserted in the middle of bar 28, where the pedal comes in a second time with a quotation of the subject not in the original, In bar 16 there is a similar point notin the original, which, however, makes no change in the harmony. ‘The further alterations amount to the filling up and wider distribution of the original harmonies, the addition of passing notes and graco notes, and the remodelling of violin pass- ages; of the nature of all which changes the following bar is an admirable instance— in the organ arrangement—and so on, for effect, and that is all. Another instance of a like nature is the arrangement of the fugue from the solo violi sonata in G minor (No. 1) for Organ in D minor (B.-G, vol. xv. p. 148), ” Here the changes are more important though still remarkably slight considering the difference between the violin and the two manuals and pedals of an organ, The most important changes are the follow- ‘The last half of bar 5 and the first of bar 6 are amplified into a bar and two halves to enable the pedals to como in with the subject in the orthodox manner. ren Rs 18.6, vol, ¥ No. VoL. T ‘Two other arrangements of Bach's, namely that of the first violin concerto in A minor, and of the second in E major (B.-G. xxi, pp. 8 and 21) as concertos for the clavier in G inimor and D major respectively (B.-G. xvii. pp. 199 and 81), are not only interesting in themselves, but become doubly so when compared with Bect- hoven’s arrangement of his violin concerto in D as a pianoforte concerto. The first essential in these cases was to add a sufficiently important part for the left hand, and the methods adopted afford interesting illustrations of the characteristics of the two great masters themselves, as well as of the instruments they wrote for. A. portion of this requirement Bach supplies from the string ac- companiment, frequently without alteration 5 Duta great deal appears to be new till it is analysed ; as, for instance, the independent part given to the Jeft hand’ in the first move. ment of the concerto in @ minor from the twenty-fifth bar almost to the end, which is as superbly fresh and pointed as it is smooth and natural throughout. On examination this 4 Breitkopt edition of Bothoven, No. 72 L 14 ARRANGEMENT passage—which deserves quotation if it were not too long—proves to be a long variation on the orignal bass of the accompaniment, and perfectly faithful to its source. Bach's principle in this and in other cases of like nature is contrapuntal ; Beethoven's is the exact contrary almost throughout. He supplies his left hand mainly with unisons and unisons disguised by various devices (which is in con- formity with his practice in his two great con- tos in G and E flat, in which the use of unisons and disguised unisons for the two hands is very extensive); and where a new accompani- ment is inserted it is of the very simplest kind ———— after the cadenza in the first movement; or else it is in simple chords, forming unobtrusive answers to figures and rhythms in the orchestral accompaniment. Both masters alter the original violin figures here and there for convenience or effect. Thus Bach, in the last movement of the G minor clavier concerto, puts SSE for the violin figure possible, such as in the E major violin concerto. ‘The nature of Beethoven's alterations may be judged of from the following quotation from the ast movement, after the cadenza :— Violin Another typical alteration is after the eoda in ARRANGEMENT the first movement, where, in the thirteenth bar from the end, im order to give the left hand something to do, Beethoven anticipates the figure of smoothly flowing semiquavers with which the part of the violin closes, making the two hands alternate till they join im playing the last passage im octaves. In both masters’ works there are instances of holding notes bein changed into shakes in the arrangements, as in the 7th and 8th bars of the slow movement of the D concerto of Bach, and the 2nd and 5th bars after the first tutti in the last movement of Beethoven's concerto, In both there aro instances of simple devices to avoid rapid repeti tion of notes, which is an easy process on tho violin, but an effort on the pianoforte, and con- sequently produces a different effect. ‘They both amplify arpeggio passages within moderate Younds, both are alike careful to find a pre- cedent for tho form of a change when one ‘Decomes necessary, and in both the care taken, to be faithfal to the originals is conspicuous, The same care is observable in another arrangement of Beethoven's, viz. the Pianoforte Trio! made from his second symphony. ‘The comparison between these is very interest- ing owing to the unflagging variety of the distribution of the orchestral parts to the three instruments. The pinnoforte naturally takes the substance of the work, but not in such a manner as to throw the others into subordin tion, ‘The strings are used mostly to mark special orchestral points and contrasts, and to take such things as the pianoforte is ‘unfitted for. Their distribution is so free that the violin will sometimes take notes that are in the parts of three or more instruments ina single bar. In other respects the strings are used to reinforce the accompaniment, so that in point of fact the violin in the trio ‘plays more of the second violin part than of the first, and the violoncello of any other instrament from basso to oboe than the part given to it in the symphony. The changes made aro few and only such as aro necessitated by technical differences, and. are of the same simple kind with those in the concerto, and originating in similar cireum- stances,” Everything in the distribution of the instruments subserves some purpose, and the re-sorting of the details always indicates some definite principle not at variance with the style of the original. An illustration of the highest order in more modern works is found in the exquisitely artistic arrangement of the Midsummer Night's Dream music for four hands on one pianoforte by Mendelssohn himself, The step from Beethoven to Mendelssohn embraces a considerable development of the Knowledge of the technical and tonal qualities of the pianoforte, as well as of its mechanical 1 Bentkopts edition of Dacthoven, No» #0 ARRANGEMENT improvement as an instrument, This becomes apparent in the different characteristics of Men- dolssohn’s work, which in matter of detail is much more free than Beethoven's, though quite as faithful in general effect. At the very beginning of the overture is an instance in point, where that which appears in the score as Violins divided ARRANGEMENT 115 orchestral parts which it would be impossible to put into the arrangement in their entirety. One of the happiest passages in the whole work is the arrangement of the passage on the tonio pedal at the ond of this movement, Flute ag a a = is in the pianoforte arrangement given (in notes of half the original value) as — (C pedat, pissicatt basst, and Cornt and Trombe on first eat 'gf each Bar.) Prine gee LEAT E. the object evidently being to avoid the repsti- tion and the rapid thirds which would mar the lightness and crispness and delicacy of the passage, In ono instance a similar effect is produced by a diametrically contrary process, where Bottom’s bray, which in tho original is given to strings and clarinets (a), is given in the pianoforte arrangement as at (2) : @, 2 2 ; of t SS It is to be remarked that the arrangement of the overture is written in notes of half the ‘value of those of the orchestral score, with twice the amount in each bar; except the four characteristic wind-chords tonic, dominant, sub-dominant, and tonie—which are semibreves, as in the original, whenever they oceur 5 in all the rest semiquavers stand for quavers, quavers for crotchets, crotchets for minims, etc., as may be seen by referring to the above examples, The change may possibly have been made in the hope that the players would be more likely to hit the character of the work when playing from the quicker-looking notos ; or it may have Deen a vague idea of conforming to a kind of etiquetto noticeable in music, church music affecting the longer-looking notes, such as semibreves and minims, while orchestral music has the faster-looking notes, such as quavers (overtures to

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