Dear Roman,

The first two bars certainly do seem to involve parallel octaves (a1
+ c4 followed by d2 + a4), but only because the previous bar was not
included in the extract. Seen in context, the apparent parallels
disappear.

As has been said before, the implied polyphony in Luis Milan's music
is open to more than one interpretation. I've used Antonio's dodge
of highlighting a part in capital letters to show voice-leading. In
this case the capital letters represent what I think is one melodic
line weaving its way through the texture. I don't think it's
possible to allocate every note to a strict SATB format.

 |   |\    |   |\    |\        |\
 |   |     |   |     |\        |
 |   |     |   |     |         |
_a___a_______________f_________d_a___
_b_|_a___|_d_|_D___|___B_A___|_A_B_|_
_d_|_b___|_f_|_d___|_______D_|_____|_
___|___c_|_f_|_e_a_|_________|_____|_
___|_____|___|_____|_________|_____|_
___|_____|___|_____|_________|_____|_

 |\        |\    |\                  |\    |
 |\        |     |\                  |     |
 |         |     |                   |     |
_________________a___________________a_______
___A_B___|_____|_________|_d_____b_|_a___|___
_______D_|_B___|___A_B___|_A_B_D___|___C_|_D_
_________|___C_|_______C_|_a_______|_c___|___
_a_______|_c_d_|_________|_________|_____|_a_
_________|_____|_________|_________|_____|___

If my interpretation is correct, the harmony (where there seemed to
be parallel octaves) would be

__a_______
______d___
______a___
__c___a___
__d_______
__________

which is perfectly OK.

By the way, this particular passage in Fantasia 11 is almost a
re-run of Luis Milan's first Fantasia, which begins like this:

 |   |\    |   |\           |
 |   |     |   |            |
 |   |     |   |            |
_a___a_________f_____d__a___c____
_b_|_a___|_d_|_d___|_a__c_|_d__|_
_d_|_b___|_f_|_____|____d_|____|_
___|___c_|_f_|_e_a_|_c____|_a__|_
___|_____|___|_____|______|____|_
___|_____|___|_____|______|____|_

I used to wonder whether Antony Holborne was referring to this
passage in his Galliard "Muy Linda", especially since "Muy Linda"
are two Spanish words (meaning very pretty), and they sound a bit
like "Milan". Both pieces are in the same key, and start in exactly
the same way. However, perhaps I should have brought Fantasia 11
into the equation too. Here is the opening of Holborne's Galliard:

 |\ |\                            |\ |\
 |  |\                            |  |\
 |  |                             |  |
_a__a____________________a________b__a____
_b__a_____d__a_|____b__d_a____d_|_b__a____
_d__b________b_|_d_______b______|_d__b____
_______c__d____|_______d____c___|_______c_
_______________|________________|_________
_______________|________________|_________

Milan's three-note motif occurs at least three times. (I've marked
each entry with * , and highlighted the motif in capital letters):

 |\ |\                            |\ |\
 |  |\                            |  |\
 |  |                             |  |
_a_*A____________________a________b__a____
_b__a_____D__A_|____b__d_a____d_|_b__a____
*D__B________b_|_d_______b______|*D__B____
_______C__d____|_______d____c___|_______C_
_______________|________________|_________
_______________|________________|_________

Holborne's continuation of the melody (a1, d2, a2, b2, d2, a2) is
certainly reminiscent of the simlar passage in Milan's Fantasia 11.

The trouble with this sort of speculation, is that it is very
difficult to prove one way or the other. Holborne might have had
Milan in mind, or it could just be a case of great minds think
alike. You pays your money and takes your choice.

Best wishes,

Stewart.



















----- Original Message -----
From: "Roman Turovsky" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Antonio Corona" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 1:34 PM
Subject: *** SPAM *** Re: Rubato and rolling chords - Milan


> Something is fishy here. Measures 1 and 2 seem to make a parallel
octave.
> RT
> ______________
> Roman M. Turovsky
> http://polyhymnion.org/swv
>
>
> > From: Antonio Corona <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >> Given the preceding nearly identical passage:
> >> _a________________________a____________
> >> ____________|_d_______b_|_a_ _____|____
> >> ____a__b____|_a__b__d___|______c__|_d__
> >> __________c_|_a_________|_c_______|____
> >> ____________|___________|_________|_a__
> >> ____________|___________|_________|____
> >>
>
>
>
> To get on or off this list see list information at
> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>



Reply via email to