Heinichen’s General-Bass in der Composition: Context

This essay is the first in a series exploring Johann David Heinichen’s General-Bass in der Composition. Heinichen’s General-Bass in der Composition (1728) is a monumental thoroughbass treatise in German-Italian style, covering not only technical topics such as dissonance treatment, the realization of quick bass notes and full-voice accompaniment, but also many aesthetic considerations. In this

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Telemann’s SSGBÜ: What to Double in a Sixth Chord?

In this essay, I discuss Telemann’s views on which note can be doubled in a sixth chord. Since Telemann advocates a generally four-part realization, he gives several guidelines as to which note can be doubled. While each note can be selected for this purpose, doubling the sixth and third is preferable, with doubling the bass

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What Does Diapason Mean?

The Greek term diapason has several meanings in English. One of them is used in music as a synonym for the interval of the octave, dia meaning “over”, pason “all”. See also diatessaron, hemidiapente and diapente. (Very) Select Bibliography Baragwanath, Nicholas. Note-Naming, Galant Schemata, and the “Thread” of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins, Op. 3

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What Does Diatessaron Mean?

The Greek term diatessaron is used in music as a synonym for the interval of the perfect fourth, dia meaning “over”, tessaron “four”. See also hemidiapente, diapente and diapason. (Very) Select Bibliography Baragwanath, Nicholas. Note-Naming, Galant Schemata, and the “Thread” of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins, Op. 3 No. 10 (RV 580), in: Music Theory

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What Does Diapente Mean?

The Greek term diapente is used in music as a synonym for the interval of the perfect fifth, dia meaning “over”, pente “five”. Johann Mattheson, for instance, gives the following description: “The fifth is called diapente, i.e. “over five”, because it comprises five diatonic tones, of which the two outermost, as endpoints, are principally perceived.”

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Telemann’s SSGBÜ: On Direct Fifths and Octaves

In this essay, I discuss Telemann’s views on direct fifths and octaves. Telemann takes a stricter stance on direct fifths and octaves than his 18th-century colleagues —recommending to avoid them also between the bass and an inner part— yet remains flexible, occasionally even producing outer-part progressions that are downright objectionable. The musical examples are taken

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