Dear Antonio, The idea of using dedillo for the fast notes in Milan's Fantasy 11 (and elsewhere) is attractive. I'm afraid I haven't come to terms with this technique myself, perhaps because I play thumb-inside, but I can see the potential for speed, and for contrast in timbre.
I am less happy with the idea of rolling the chord as you suggest in bar 4 of Fantasy 11. It makes sense with regard to what comes before bar 4, but it is less satisfactory with what follows. Here's the passage again: |\ | |\ |\ |\ | | |\ |\ | | | | |\ | _______________a______________________ ____b_|_a____|_a_|____d_b_a_______|___ _d____|____d_|___|__________d_b_a_|___ _c____|______|_c_|________________|_c_ _a____|______|___|________________|___ ______|______|___|_a______________|___ (I think you meant "D,F,E,D,E instead of D,F,E,D,A", instead of "D,F,E,F,E instead of D,F,E,F,A".) :-) I agree that the opening melody is this |\ | | | | | ___________________ ____b_|_a____|_a_|_ _d____|____d_|___|_ ______|______|___|_ ______|______|___|_ ______|______|___|_ It can't be |\ | | | | | _______________a___ ____b_|_a____|___|_ _d____|____d_|___|_ ______|______|___|_ ______|______|___|_ ______|______|___|_ because that would create parallel fifths and octaves _______a__ _______a__ _d________ _c_____c__ _a________ __________ However, the note a1 in bar 3 is the start of a new voice with a new phrase. I think it would be best to hear a2 first (to round off the first phrase), and a1 next (to begin the next phrase). In other words, I would opt for _________a___________________a_____ _____a___________________________a_ ____________rather than____________ _c_______________________c_________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Rolling the chords the first way not only helps to disguise the suggestion of parallel movement, it also finishes off one phrase and starts a new one without any overlap. The fact that so many pieces of music end with a full 5- or 6-note chord, encourages me to think that maybe it is generally a good idea to roll chords at the end of a piece, at the end of a section, or even at the end of a phrase. Rolling at such places cannot obscure rhythm or voice-leading, because there's no more of either to be had. Although it is usually fair to use parallel fifths and octaves to justify a particular interpretation of the music (or to spot errors), Milan's music is exceptional. Sometimes his part-writing is very clear, e.g. round about bar 100: |\ |\ |\ |\ |\ | |\ | |\ | | | | | | ____f___d_b_a_____a__d___b_a_________ ______|_a_____d_|_b____|_____d_b_|_a_ _d____|_________|____b_|_d_______|_b_ _d____|_c_______|____c_|_a_______|___ ______|_________|_d____|_________|___ ______|_________|______|_________|_d_ Here there are three distinct voices, all grammatically correct. At other times Milan simply fills out a chord for a fuller sound, which has nothing to do with part-writing. It reminds me of players of the cittern and lyra viol, who suggest polyphony, but are obliged to fill out certain chords, because their plectrum or bow forces them to play notes on adjacent strings. Lute (and viola da mano) players (if they played with a plectrum) did likewise at the end of the 15th century. It seems, as far as Milan was concerned, that filling-out chords was more important than keeping an eye open for consecutives. Typical is this passage about 20 bars from the end: |\ |\ |\ | | | _________________________a__________ _b__a_______|_d________|_a_____|____ _______d__b_|_a__b__d__|____c__|_d__ _c__________|_a________|_c_____|____ _a__________|__________|_______|_a__ ____________|__________|_______|____ At first sight it looks as if Milan has written consecutive octaves and fifths between the 2nd and 3rd bar: ________a_____ __d___|_a_____ __d___|_______ __a___|_c_____ ______|_______ ______|_______ In fact his part-writing is perfectly alright, with three clear voices, and d3 of the inner voice suspended into the next bar. He means this ______________ __d___|_a_____ __d___|_d__c__ __a___|_c_____ ______|_______ ______|_______ but he chooses not to re-iterate d3, and, significantly, fills out the second chord with an extra a1 for luck. Now, if it is acceptable to roll filled-out chords at the end of a piece, is it also acceptable to roll that second chord where there is an extra a1? It would then be played |\ |\ |\ | | | roll ___________________________a__________ _b__a_______|_d________|__a______|____ _______d__b_|_a__b__d__|______c__|_d__ _c__________|_a________|_c_______|____ _a__________|__________|_________|_a__ ____________|__________|_________|____ One of the arguments against rolling chords is that it can obscure the part-writing. In this case, however, that's exactly what we want: rolling the chord will help obscure the implied parallel octaves. All the best, Stewart. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Antonio Corona" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Stewart McCoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 6:26 AM Subject: Re: Rubato and rolling chords - Milan > Dear Stewart, > > I�m glad you agree with me about the interpretation of > Milan's slow chords and fast scales; perhaps I should > also point out that Milan does not specify this kind > of treatment for all of his fantasias -just in case > someone might be tempted to make a broad > generalization- but it is also appropriate for his > tientos and some of his songs (romances). Fantasia 11, > which you mention, is one of my favourites and your > description of how to play the first bars is precisely > how I envisage it, with another slight twist. > Besides the change of beat, there is something else > that my contribute to give character to this passage: > when Milan speaks of fast scales he advises using the > "dedillo" technique which, as most on the list will > know, consists of using only the index finger of the > right hand to pluck, moving upwards and downwards. The > insistence placed on the index by Milan has prompted > me to consider other possible implications of this > technique, and -by coincidence with a recent thread- I > believe Milan might have also used it to advantage in > rolling chords. In this particular example I suspect > that Milan may have played first the bass on the > fourth course with the thumb, followed by the first > course and finishing with the second, these two > adjacent courses played with the index. This "rolling" > downwards enhances the rhapsodic feeling of the > beginning of the piece but, more importantly, provides > a better voice leading by stressing the open second > course. If we assume a vihuela in A, which would fit > correct notes of the mode, the sequence would > therefore be: D,F,E,F,E instead of D,F,E,F,A which is > the way it would normally sound with the chord either > rolled upwards or played plaque. Elsewhere in Milan's > music you�ll find numerous cases where the music > benefits from this approach, and it may well pay to > make a more detailed study of Milan�s possible use of > the index finger. > With best wishes, > Antonio To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
