Problems of Articulation in Baroque Keyboard Music (At the Piano or the Organ)

Author(s): Beatrice Ganz

Source: Bach , APRIL, 1976, Vol. 7, No. 2 (APRIL, 1976), pp. 3-13
Published by: Riemenschneider Bach Institute

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41640635

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 Problems of Articulation in Baroque Keyboard
Music (At the Piano or the Organ)
[A lecture given by Beatrice Ganz, in a lecture series: "Information
and Experimentation" at the Basel (Switzerland) Music Academy, January
18, 1975.]

IN in 1964,
in Music appeared
Fritz appeared
in its Rothschild's
German translation.
in its controversial
Of particularGerman
interesttranslation. book on Of Forgotten particular Traditions interest
seemed to be the chapters detailing tempo and tempo relations of J. S.
Bach's works; but it was noted that Rothschild's tempo suggestions for fast
movements generally seemed to be very slow, or produced a feeling of
"non-animatedness." Rothschild, however, comments on this fact by posing
the question as to whether or not it is possible to do justice to the per-
formance practices of a past period by using touches then unknown -
referring in particular to the then standard "regular touch" ( gewöhnliche
Spielart) which was a non-legato touch on keyboard instruments (akin to
the détaché of string players) and not the legato touch which has been in
general use only since the time of Czerny for all passages where no articu-
lations are indicated in the score.

In an attempt to recapture some of the original intentions of Baroque

composers, I have experimented with playing Bach's pieces, from Urtext
editions, completely non-legato at first, subsequently adding all kinds of
articulations, and soon realizing that, under such conditions, Rothschild's
"sluggish" tempi suddenly made sense and also sounded quite lively. In
experiments with various audiences, I met with an almost uniform rebuff
- probably because the "Bach legato" caused and coined by nineteenth-
century musicians has become so universally accepted that the average
listener simply considers it correct and does not wish to submit to another
interpretational presentation!

Conversely, I have observed that I am almost always satisfied with

other keyboard performers' renditions of slow movements - probably
because, by now, everyone has adapted himself to the stylistically correct
interpretation of the rules of ornamentation. In playing, one does note
these ornamentation signs in the score, black on white, and, therefore, one
must heed them. If one has begun to study the subject of proper perform-
ance practice, then it is but a small step to begin augmenting such music
with one's own additional ornaments: necessary, stylistically correct, and
vitalizing. But the interpretation of most fast movements has become an
ever-mounting disappointment because, at least for me, completely unartic-
ulated legato renditions, even at virtuosic, breakneck speeds, are, very
simply, "boring."

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 In an attempt to gain insight into early practices concerning articula-
tion, the writer has consulted numerous source books, first, perusing those
of the eighteenth century, but subsequently adding sources reaching back
to the sixteenth century. The number of references to the non-legato touch
is truly astounding! These findings were published, in two installments,
in the Schweizerische Musikzeitung , 1971 (in part, translated for Clavier
magazine), and a further article on slurred and unconnected notes and
passages appeared in the same journal in August, 1974.

Practical experiments were conducted both on the pianoforte and on

a small, one-manual, virginal-type harpsichord. All findings were checked
on both instrument types and it became very clear that the results were
completely satisfying on either instrument. Therefore, I believe that the
results attained are valid; I also believe that I have a strong ally in the
person of Ralph Kirkpatrick, the great Scarlatti expert, who feels that
there need be no discussion on the subject of the possible difference be-
tween staccato and legato on the pianoforte and staccato and legato on the
harpsichord or on the violin. Kirkpatrick simply wishes to consider the
different touch possibilities as expressive variations. These variable touches,
however, almost disappeared in the nineteenth century because of that
period's extolling of the legato touch; and when a renascence of older
instruments occurred in our century, the romantic and pianistic touch ideals
of the romantic era were transferred to them without much further thought.
Organists also developed an "overpreference" for the legato; therefore,
everything that is discussed below should also be heeded when performing
early music on the organ.

Let us, then, not "imitate the harpsichord sound" when playing earlier
music at the piano or the organ, but simply try to re- instill in the keyboard
music of Bach, Handel, Telemann, Scarlatti, and others, those nuances that
were commonly practiced in their own times - i.e., less dynamic details,
but more articulation. In this respect, Kirkpatrick believes that even a
repeat would gain more authenticity from varied articulation than it
would from echo dynamics. A fine example in case is offered by the
Scarlatti Sonata in C Minor (K 22) where the same figuration occurs in
three successive measures and where a variation in articulation would be
more satisfactory than a series of echo effects. (See Example 1.)

Concerning the predominance of the non-legato as the basic touch in

earlier centuries, a few quotes from sources of those periods should suffice
to give credence to the main premise of this discourse. Exact descriptions
of the "non-legato" touch occur in the writings of C.P.E. Bach, Marpurg,
and Türk. Marpurg observes in a footnote that "opposed to both the con-
necting touch {Schleif fen) and the staccato ( Abstossen ) is the regular

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touch ( ordentliches Fortgehen) which - because it is always expected -
is never indicated!" [1755]. CP.E. Bach states in 1753 that one should
hold "those notes that are neither played staccato, nor slurred, nor held for
their full notated length, for one-half of their indicated notation." And
Türk, in 1789 (!) still decrees that "the notes that are to be played in the
regular manner, that is, neither staccato nor slurred, are properly executed
by lifting the finger off the key a bit sooner than the notated length would
indicate." This conforms fully to much earlier dicta, such as the one by
Girolamo Diruta who advised, in 1597, that "no key is depressed unless
the finger is off the previous key." This last observation is based on organ
practices of the time.

Similar arguments or observations may also be found in contemporary

discussions of progressions beyond the basic hand span, that is to say, when
the thumb is passed under or other fingers are passed above each other.
C.P.E. Bach states that "the passing of fingers above each other must be
practiced, so as to become a very handy maneuver without a true crossing
( V er schränken )"; he also notes that "passing over ( Überschlagen ) means
that one finger more-or-less climbs across the other, while that one quasi-
floats above the key which it had previously depressed."

It is common knowledge that the thumb was infrequently used in

those times; and Example 2 shows a few fingerings of scale passages by
Couper in where a V er schränkung is truly impossible and, thus, where a
break would become most evident unless the entire passage is performed
non-legato.

In J. S. Bach's first piece for his son Friedemann, one notes, ascending,
the fingering 3-4-3-4 in the right hand and 1-2-1-2 in the left hand (see
Example 3 ) . According to C.P.E. Bach, one must not really cross over, but
climb across the other finger that is already off and above the key. Con-
cerning the thumb s passing, C.P.E. observes that "in such cases the finger
is already off the key and the hand moved to its new position." This quite
distinctly demonstrates that arguments for J. S. Bach's knowledge of the
full use of the thumb, in our sense, are not very convincing and certainly
cannot be used as a basis for a Bach legato touch.

On the other hand, one must also note that contemporary theorists
attacked just as much the indiscriminate separation of touches or, as C.P.E.
puts it, "playing that is nothing but hacking, knocking, and bumbling."
General performance and interpretation levels must have been abominably
low; and as late as Türk, the bad playing of scales is pilloried by examples
of a badly ( schlecht ) played scale versus its actual notation. (See Exam-
ple 4.)

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 Couperin always advocates a bonne liaison, or connection. But the
French word liaison cannot be equated with the term "legato." Liaison, as
observed in the French language, concerns itself with pronouncing normally
mute letters, such as the final t of plait in the expression plaît-il, or by the
actual insertion of a t in the questioning sentence "a-t-il?" These added
t's do not produce a legato or slurred effect as the incorrect "a-il" would;
they merely clarify the sentence's flow. Likewise, one should adopt the
similarly clear, non-legato keyboard touch as the point of departure for all
studies in Baroque interpretation.

As soon as the basic touch is clarified, one must introduce slurrings.

The German term schleifen serves as a means of clarification in that lan-
guage, because much confusion was created by the term gebundene Noten
(tied or held notes) that originally meant no more than "to tie over."
Since binden, however (and especially in newer usage), can also mean
"legato connections," and because both slurs and ties are indicated by
arching connections, the misunderstanding can assume colossal proportions.
In the original Baroque sense, like notes connected by a slur were tied or
held notes; different pitches with a slur were to be played slurred, or
legato. "Slurring means not to lift the finger from the previous key until
the next key is touched," admonishes Marpurg. And Rameau declares that
in slurring one should not lift the finger from the preceding note or key
until the next key is actually depressed. Noteworthy about all these expla-
nations is the fact that they concern only two notes, altogether. Thus, a
three or more note slur must have been something quite unusual in those
times! Slur marks for two-note articulations were not indicated most of
the time, though, and these same arched lines served a variety of other pur-
poses as well. Thus, C.P.E. Bach gives an example in which the "slur"
protects the respective note from having an ornament inflicted on it
( Example 5 ) . The long notes in question were to be embellished by slur-
ring, and not by an ornament. In addition (Example 6), the same sign
could at times designate the holding of all notes of a broken chord.

Couperin used a bracket sign for slurs ( see Example 7 ) . This excerpt
from Les Bergeries may, as a whole, convey a legato in our sense; but it is
most noteworthy to observe Couperin's preoccupation with only two suc-
cessive notes at any one time.

And when Couperin applies his bracket to more than two successive
notes, then its meaning changes altogether. Example 8, Les Coucous Béné-
voles, from Les Folies françaises, demonstrates this clearly because it is
simply impossible to pronounce the indicated words in a slurred manner,
"cou- ou- ou- ou" instead of in their proper liaison, cou- cou- cou- cou. Hence,
that particular bracket solely indicates a double cuckoo call.

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 Such varied practices complicate all retrospective clarification; and,
furthermore, slur marks frequently are omitted altogether in passages where
slurring is unquestionably expected. In his tables in the Essay , C.P.E. Bach
omits almost all slur marks when discussing the Schleifer, or slur, although
he states in the basic explanation that "their execution is contained in the
term itself." In later works, C.P.E. Bach was more articulate (as were all
composers); and one notes, simultaneously, more playing of legato in
general.

Nevertheless, the principles of non-legato as the basic touch apply

for Haydn, Mozart, and early Beethoven, as well. Beethoven, however, must
have known the true legato, because he is supposed to have said of Mozart
that he played "in a fine manner but disjointedly, and without ligato [sic.]."
Beethoven's early Kurfürst Sonatas still feature a great number of minuscule
"slurlets" and it is most interesting to try to do them justice.

"Legato," as a term, by the way, is only listed by Türk in 1789, while

Quantz already lists "staccato" in 1752. One type of legato, though, could
be produced by two syncopated parallel parts, such as in the Italian Con-
certo (Example 9). If both voices are played non-legato, the total effect,
especially of the measure's second half, is one of legato between the voices.
A direct illustration of a fingering for such a passage is provided by Türk
( see Example 10 ) , from which it becomes clear that an actual finger legato
of both voices was not attempted. On the other hand, Türk also furnishes
examples (Example 11) that show the probable disregard for indicated
slurs.

As long as composers did indicate the desired articulation, it is reason-

ably easy to execute them properly. But there exist very few such pieces.
For J. S. Bach there are only the two-part Inventions, Nos. 3 and 9 ( in the
manuscript of 1723) and the Allemande from the French Suite in E Minor,
as preserved in an old copy. Whether this copy is an exact one from one
of Bach's lost manuscripts or whether it is one from a pupil who annotated
it for his own use is not certain, but, at least, the copy in question verifies
the fact that the piece was played in that manner. Because of its varied
articulation, the tempo of the piece can be kept quite moderate.

If and when slurs or phrasings are not indicated, how should one pro-
ceed? And where should one apply slurrings? Certainly, and always, one
must slur all appoggiaturas. C.P.E. Bach explains that appoggiaturas should
be struck harder than the succeeding "main harmony note" and should be
tied to it "whether or not an arc is indicated." Türk repeats this advice and
illustrates it as well. (See Example 12.)

The "little notes" which nowadays we always presume to be appog-

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giaturas could have had other significances in earlier times, such as those
of afterbeats in the manner of passing notes (Example 13). The example
shown is, perhaps, more typical for the Rococo period; but it is given here
to demonstrate, not only the occasional rhythmic pitfalls but also the need
for completely different articulation or slurring: here one connects to the
preceding note and substracts from its rhythmic value; for appoggiaturas,
the opposite is the established practice.

Any turn ( Doppelschlag [see Example 14a]) which is actually an

upper and a lower appoggiatura combined (or vice versa) and any
Schleifer (sliding third or coulé [see Example 14b]) must be slurred at
all times. But Marpurg adds to these more obvious occasions, the so-called
Setzmanieren which he describes as "properly notated manners," as opposed
to Spielmanieren, or interpretational details left to the performer. The
written-out ornaments ( Setzmanieren ) have to be recognized as such by
the performer from the printed unadorned score.

Bach's theme from the CS harp Major Fugue (BWV 848) is a case
in point (see Example 15): the four sixteenth-notes form a written-out
turn. Therefore, they must be slurred in a group, but not connected to the
following E-sharp. Likewise, the Polonaise from the French Suite in E
Major begins with a written out Schleifer (see Example 16).

The Prelude in P Minor {WTC, II) serves as a good example for the
need of slurring appoggiaturas, even though no arcs are indicated anywhere
until one reaches measures 42 and 44. There, Bach notâtes two "slurlets,"
in the soprano. These signs probably are to prevent the adding of trills,
which he seemingly does not want to occur before measures 45 and 46
where trills are written in. The same prelude, in measures 20 to 24, per-
mits the observation of a syncopated, legato-effect, two-voice passage in
the left hand. And in measure 27, slurs develop from the fact that the
lower part features eighth-notes and the upper one, syncopated sixteenths.
This entire prelude provides many contrasts, and the performer needs to
add little to produce an interesting rendition; but many other pieces con-
tain many more even, or similar, passages; and, in performing them, the
performer needs to use his careful judgment in the manner of the pre-
viously observed E-Major Allemande .

For unannotated articulations there exist certain rules, as well. C.P.E.

Bach states that if the keyboard score shows nothing to go by, one "should
listen to the singer or string player and then imitate them." In Leopold
Mozart's Violin School, the following series of advice is found: "If there
are three uneven notes in one quarter, then one slurs the two sixteenths [see
Example 17]. Or, in very fast tempos, one slurs as many as four sixteenths.

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Or, in triple meter one slurs conjuna pitches, but changes the bowing direct
for disjunct pitches ([see Example 18]; "hin-her" = up-and-down bows).
This last suggestion of Mozart's seems to apply very well to the groups of
four notes, such as in the Allemande in E (see Example 19).

Slurring across a bar-line, or even across a metric unit within the

measure, is an extremely rare occurrence in the period under observation;
but current day practices violate this regulation almost constantly.

Another fine example of articulation variation is provided by the

example from Leopold Mozart's Versuch (see Example 20). Mozart, the
violinist, states that "conjunct, successive notes of similar length are sub-
ject to many different articulations."

The violin player produces these articulations by a variety of bowings;

the keyboard player can produce them by application of different fingering
patterns. As to fingering, there has been a steadily increasing resumption
of Baroque fingering concepts; and these, in turn, show why the use of
the thumb was frowned upon so much (the thumb endangers the regu-
larity of touch in a non-legato performance much more than in a legato
rendition).

The Versuch example just quoted is further annotated by Mozart as

follows: basic figure, plainly played; one should observe exact evenness
and indicate the first note of each quarter with added strength so as to
imbue the rendition with gusto. Example 20a: the first of two notes in
the same bowing is played a trifle stronger and longer, and the second,
more quietly and slurred to the first. This manner of playing promotes
good taste by its "songlikeness." Example 20b and 20c: do not overlook
the even value of all four notes. Example 20d: this manner is usually
applied in quick passages. Example 20e: keep the tempo even. Example
20f : a variation of 20e: "an arty or mannered way of playing." One should
continue in such a manner that even the final note (quarter) is slurred
to the last sixteenth. Examples 20g and 20h: the first note of each quarter
is to be shown by its strength. Examples 20i and 20k: are no more than
new bowing exercises, with the condition that each quarter be distinguish-
able. These last examples indicate a gradual preference for longer legato
passages, at faster templ. But such long slurs (according, also, to Kirk-
patrick) are rare both in J. S. Bach and Scarlatti, because they tempt and
tend towards a continuous legato that nullifies any detailed declamatory
interpretation as if a language consisted of vowels only, without any con-
sonants! Scarlatti, in this view, presents a special case because many other
factors must be recognized: he delights in big jumps (prescribed) and
hand crossings which directly and strongly influence both tempo and
declamatory considerations.

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 It remains somewhat of a mystery why Bach annotated his keyboard
works so sparsely and his string compositions so richly with articulation
marks. One reason could be the fact there is a considerable amount of
visual harmonic clarity in multi-partite keyboard compositions. Whenever
Bach indicates articulation marks in keyboard works, they occur in the
manner of somewhat unusual exceptions such as those in the D-Minor
Prelude of WTC , II. The three little slurs in this piece (measures 43-45)
all occur across metric units, and that was truly unusual. One should not
deduce from these three lonely marks that J. S. Bach expects articulations
only at this point; the performer is obliged to search for his own convincing
articulation for the rest of the piece. In the flute and gamba sonatas, Bach
notâtes more articulation in the keyboard part, but the solo movement for
keyboard in the sixth sonata is completely bare and must not be honored
by the performer in its bareness, but, rather, imbued with a fitting articu-
lation, always departing from the basic non-legato touch. For string players,
the non-legato is a natural procedure, and notes not articulated are played
individually bowed. For that reason, string players are more apt to ap-
proach the proper performance practices of past centuries when performing
from Urtext editions. Keyboard players also pride themselves in using
Urtexts, but at the same time the majority still adhere to Czerny s dictum:
"If nothing is indicated, play legato." That is regrettable and should change.

Literature Cited

Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel. Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavie
spielen (Berlin, 1753 and 1762).
Couper in, François. L'Art de Toucher le Clavecin (Paris, 1717).
Kirkpatrick, Ralph. Domenico Scarlatti (Princeton, New Jersey, 1953).
Marpurg, Friedrich Wilhelm. Anleitung zum Ciavierspielen (Berlin, 17
Mozart, Leopold. Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule (Augsburg, 175
Quantz, Johann Joachim. Versuch einer Anweisung die Flöte traversière
spielen (Berlin, 1752).
Rameau, Jean-Philippe. Pièces de Clavecin (Paris, 1724).
Rothschild, Fritz. Vergessene Traditionen in der Musik (Zürich, 1964).
Schneider, Max. Beiträge zu einer Anleitung Clavichord und Cembalo z
spielen (Leipzig/Strassburg/Ziirich, 1934).
Türk, Daniel Gottlob. Klavierschule (Leipzig and Halle, 1789).

Musical Examples Cited From The Following Works:

Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier
spielen.
Bach, Johann Sebastian: Applicatio I from the Ciavierbüchlein für Wilhelm
Friedemann Bach.

10

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 Italian Concerto, Third mvt. ( BWV 971).
Fugue in C- sharp Major, from W ohltemperiertes Klavier, Vol. I
( BWV 848).
Polonaise, from Französische Suite in E ( BWV 817).
Allemande, from Französische Suite in E ( BWV 817).
Präludium in D Minor, from W ohltemperiertes Klavier, Vol. II
(BWV 875).
Präludium in F Minor, from W ohltemperiertes Klavier, Vol. II
(BWV 881).
Couperin, François. L'Art de Toucher le Clavecin;
Les Coucous Bénévoles from Les Folies Françaises, 13e Ordre.
Marpurg, Friedrich Wilhelm. Anleitung zum Clavier spielen.
Mozart, Leopold. Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule.
Rameau, Jean-Philippe. Pièces de Clavecin.
Scarlatti, Domenico. Sonata in C Minor (Longo 360 = Kirkpatrick 22).
Türk, Daniel Gottlob. Klavierschule.

Examples

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12

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19

About Our Authors

John Boe is a professor of music at Southern Illinois University in

Carbondale, Illinois.

Beatrice Ganz, recently retired as a professor of piano and solfege

at the Basel Musikakademie, is now undertaking a series of lecture tours in
the United States and Europe. Miss Ganz s brother, Dr. Felix Ganz
(dean of the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University), is the "co-
translator" of her article.

Jacques Posell is assistant principal bass player of the Cleveland

Orchestra. He is well known as a philatelist who specializes in musical
topics.

13

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