Reading performance implications from J. S. Bach's eighth-note beams

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

Abstract

Bach and his fellow musicians often beamed the eighth-notes beyond the beat-unit indicated by the time-signature. Two kinds of beaming, long (extended) and short (default), often appear together on the same page as if they were deliberately chosen to indicate the way the melodic lines were perceived, phrased or articulated. A careful observation on this notational feature can provide useful clues for understanding how Bach may have felt about the issue of phrasing and articulation while writing out his music, or even how he responded subconsciously to the general mood and character of the pieces themselves. Further fascinating details of the process in which Bach responded to his music were also revealed, ranging from motivic to structural levels.
This paper attempts to provide a rational explanation for Bach’s choice of beaming that guided him to explore such ideas, including the notational practice of his time, his spontaneous responses to the challenges he faced while writing out the music on paper, and a broader historical perspective the development of musical notation compared with other forms of notation such as printed books with movable types.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusUnpublished - 2016
EventHistorical Performance: Theory, Practice, and Interdisciplinarity - The Historical Performance Institute of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Indianapolis, United States
Duration: 20 May 201622 May 2016
https://blogs.music.indiana.edu/earlymusic/2016/01/13/historical-performance-institute-call-for-papers-for-may-conference/

Conference

ConferenceHistorical Performance: Theory, Practice, and Interdisciplinarity
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityIndianapolis
Period20/05/201622/05/2016
Internet address

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