Dennis Bathory-Kitsz wrote:
A few folks have said this, but it bothers me. Sophistication? Does
that mean this sophisticated singer is going to be insulted by
courtesy accidentals? Is the presence of courtesies actually a sales
limiter? Will these sophisticated buyers put the score back on the
shelf with a snort?
Personally, while I know enough that in late sixteenth / early
seventeenth century music that I would sing the music as edited without
the courtesy accidentals, I do not consider myself a "sophisticated"
singer., so can't answer the questions. I do consider myself something
of an informed singer, and an editor of very modest accomplishment. From
my perspective the issue of sophistication is not so much to be answered
by considering the level of sophistication (maybe, I concede, a poor
choice of word) of some randomly selected user, but rather by
considering the level of achievement reached by the subset of users to
whom the editor and publisher are targeting the publication. In my mind,
as long as the score identifies what the intended user of the score is,
it is of little consequence if a particular score is too clear for a
more accomplished group than the intended users, or not clear enough for
a less accomplished group.
Will future performers have to re-research what was meant by the courtesy-free
score,
just to be sure to be sure?
Depends upon what one means by "re-research". Presumably, persons
claiming to have achieved a high level of achievement as performers
will, in their course of studies, have acquired information which would
allow them to interpret the courtesy free score correctly at sight,
whether or not courtesy accidentals are included. Less accomplished
performers will need them.
I would note that in 1610, at least one of the considered courtesy
accidentals–the e-natural–is completely unnecessary, as the singer would
have been singing from a part or choir book, and would not have seen the
e-flat in the other parts, and if I am informed correctly, the other
accidental would be considered by a singer from the turn of the
seventeenth century as unnecessary as accidentals applied only to the
note to which they were applied.
ns
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