The Accompaniment in "Unaccompanied" Bach: Interpreting the Sonatas and Partitas for Violin

by Stanley Ritchie, Mauricio Fuks (Foreword by)

Overview

Known around the world for his advocacy of early historical performance and as a skilled violin performer and pedagogue, Stanley Ritchie has developed a technical guide to the interpretation and performance of J. S. Bach's enigmatic sonatas and partitas for solo violin. Unlike typical Baroque compositions, Bach's six solos are uniquely free of accompaniment. To add depth and texture to the pieces, Bach incorporated various techniques to bring out a multitude of voices from four strings and one bow, including arpeggios across strings, multiple stopping, opposing tonal ranges, and deft bowing. Published in 1802, over 80 years after its completion in 1720, Bach's manuscript is without expression marks, leaving the performer to freely interpret the dynamics, fingering, bowings, and articulations. Marshaling a lifetime of experience, Stanley Ritchie provides violinists with deep insights into the interpretation and technicalities at the heart of these challenging pieces.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253021984
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	09/26/2016
Series:	Publications of the Early Music Institute
Pages:	136
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Stanley Ritchie is Distinguished Professor of Music at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He is a leading exponent of Baroque and Classical violin playing and recipient of the Early Music America's highest award, the Howard Mayer Brown Award for Lifetime Achievement in Early Music.

Table of Contents

Foreword / Mauricio Fuks
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Principles of Interpretation
Notation
Polyphony
Harmony
Metre
Dynamics
Inequality
Fingering
Note Length
Bow Direction
Articulations
Ornamentation

2. Dance Forms
Allemanda
Bourée/Borea
Ciaccona
Corrente
Gavotte
Gigue/Giga
Loure
Menuet
Sarabanda/Sarabande
Siciliana
Double
Preludio

3. Analytical Methods and Exercises
G-Minor Adagio
G-Minor Fuga
D-Minor Allemanda

4. The Improvisatory Movements
G-Minor Sonata: Adagio
A-Minor Sonata: Grave

5. The Fugues
G-Minor
A-Minor
C-Major

6. The Ostinato Movements
Partita II: Ciaccona
Sonata III: Adagio

7. The Dance-like Movements
Bourée and Borea
Tempo di Borea
B-Minor Corrente
D-Minor Corrente
Gavotte en Rondeau
The Giga
The Gigue
The Loure
The Menuets
The Sarabande and Sarabanda
The B-Minor Sarabande
The D-Minor Sarabanda

8. The Virtuoso Movements
G-minor Sonata: Presto
B-Minor Corrente - Double
The A-Minor Finale
The C-Major Allegro assai
The E-Major Preludio

9. The Philosophical Movements
The Allemanda
B-Minor Partita
D-Minor Partita

10. The Lyrical Movements
The Siciliana
A-Minor Sonata: Andante
The C-Major Sonata: Largo

11. Right-hand Technique
Polyphony
Chordal Technique
Martelé and Spiccato
Sautillé
Bariolage
Ondeggiando

12. Left-hand Technique
The Role of Vibrato
Half-Position
Choice of Fingerings
Intonation
Tuning

Last Words
Bibliography

What People are Saying About This

conductor and founder of Musica Antiqua Köln - Reinhard Goebel

In this book the Nestor of American historically informed players offers a practical guide to the possibilities of translating the past in the present.

violinist, conductor, and Professor of Music - Joseph Silverstein

This 'work' fills what I have felt for many years to be a serious void in the violin literature. Performing and teaching the solo sonatas and partitas of Bach on both 'modern' and 'period' instruments has shown me how vital it is to have an authoritative 'work' that provides answers to the interpretive questions that will lead the contemporary violinist to a more historically informed performance. As I read (and re-read) these pages, I found myself saying 'bravo' and 'finally' frequently in happy agreement. Stanley Ritchie has given Francesco Geminiani, Leopold Mozart, and Pierre Baillot a worthy companion on the bookshelf of dedicated fiddlers. Thank you for this splendid addition to our literature! It has all of the elegance and integrity that has typified Richie's admirable fiddling in both the modern and 'authentic' worlds.

Editorial Reviews

"Superb! Very inspired material eloquently written. Stanley Ritchie explains each movement of Bach's solo violin Sonatas and Partitas with such clarity and understanding in the thought process without being in any way 'dry'. "—Stringendo AUSTA

"For any violinist, this book is a practical delight. It deserves to join the great works by Leopold Mozart, Editha Knocker, Leopold Auer, Pierre Baillot, Joseph Szigeti, and their peers, which are on every serious player's shelf."—Fontes Artis Musicae

"In this book the Nestor of American historically informed players offers a practical guide to the possibilities of translating the past in the present."—Reinhard Goebel, conductor and founder of Musica Antiqua Köln

"This 'work' fills what I have felt for many years to be a serious void in the violin literature. Performing and teaching the solo sonatas and partitas of Bach on both 'modern' and 'period' instruments has shown me how vital it is to have an authoritative 'work' that provides answers to the interpretive questions that will lead the contemporary violinist to a more historically informed performance. As I read (and re-read) these pages, I found myself saying 'bravo' and 'finally' frequently in happy agreement. Stanley Ritchie has given Francesco Geminiani, Leopold Mozart, and Pierre Baillot a worthy companion on the bookshelf of dedicated fiddlers. Thank you for this splendid addition to our literature! It has all of the elegance and integrity that has typified Richie's admirable fiddling in both the modern and 'authentic' worlds."—Joseph Silverstein, violinist, conductor, and Professor of Music

From the Publisher

For any violinist, this book is a practical delight. It deserves to join the great works by Leopold Mozart, Editha Knocker, Leopold Auer, Pierre Baillot, Joseph Szigeti, and their peers, which are on every serious player's shelf.

Fontes Artis Musicae

Superb! Very inspired material eloquently written. Stanley Ritchie explains each movement of Bach's solo violin Sonatas and Partitas with such clarity and understanding in the thought process without being in any way 'dry'.

Stringendo AUSTA