Schemata

The two-part Prinner with its ➏–➎–➍–➌ melody and ④–③–②–① bass line holds great potential as a sequential progression thanks to its voice leading in parallel thirds. As can be seen in my essays The Traditional Prinner and Variants of the Prinner (Part 1), however, the presence of a third voice very often undermines that potential. […]

In my essay The Traditional Prinner, I explain that this schema includes a ➏–➎–➍–➌ melody above a ④–③–②–① bass. In this essay, the first of four, I will deal with variants of the Prinner. While the ➏–➎–➍–➌ melody remains intact, it is the ④–③–②–① bass line that undergoes variation or moves up to an upper

The Prinner is a widely used schema in the 17th and 18th centuries and exists in many variants. In this essay, I will deal with the Traditional Prinner. The Traditional Prinner is identified by a ④—③—②—① descent in the bass, a ➏—➎—➍—➌ descent in the upper voice (in parallel thirds with the bass) and, if

In this essay, I will deal with a schema that is a variant of the Leaping Romanesca (or Pachelbel Pattern or Pachelbel sequence), characterized by its modified and shortened end. For more information on the (regular) Leaping Romanesca see my essay The Leaping Romanesca (The Pachelbel Pattern): The Basics. The Leaping Romanesca with a modified

In this essay, I will illustrate how one can transform a schematic version of the Stepwise Romanesca into two-part settings with embellishments. My elaborations are inspired by German and Italian 18th-century repertoire and pedagogical sources. Embellishments form an essential part of composition and improvisation. Thanks to, amongst others, escape notes, neighbour notes, passing notes and

In this essay, I will discuss a voice-leading pattern that is known today as the Stepwise Romanesca. This schema occurs not only in many Baroque and galant compositions but also in many pedagogical assignments from the 17th and 18th centuries. In partimento methodology, this schema offers an alternative setting for a descending scalar passage set

This is another follow-up on my essays The Leaping Romanesca (The Pachelbel Pattern): The Basics, The Leaping Romanesca: Two Part Embellishment (Part 1), The Leaping Romanesca: Two-Part Embellishment (Part 2)) and The Leaping Romanesca: Embellishing Three-Part Settings. In this essay, I show how to use stretto in the context of the Leaping Romanesca. Again, my

This is another follow-up on my essays The Leaping Romanesca (The Pachelbel Pattern): The Basics), The Leaping Romanesca: Two-Part Embellishment (Part 1) and The Leaping Romanesca: Two-Part Embellishment (Part 2). In this essay, I show how one can realize musically interesting realizations of this schema set in three parts. Again, my elaborations are grounded in

This is a follow-up on my essay The Leaping Romanesca: Two Part Embellishment (Part 1). (To refresh what a Leaping Romanesca is, please visit my essay The Leaping Romanesca (The Pachelbel Pattern): The Basics.) In this essay, I propose harmonically alternative, two-part settings of the Leaping Romanesca and explore ways to embellish both suspension chains

In this essay, I will illustrate how one can transform a schematic version of the Leaping Romanesca —also called the Pachelbel Bass or Pachelbel sequence— into two-part settings with embellishments. My elaborations are inspired by German and Italian 18th-century repertoire and pedagogical sources. Embellishments form an essential part of composition and improvisation. Thanks to, amongst