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 treatmentARRANGEMENT
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
L14 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» #0ARRANGEMENT
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