The French Style and the Overtures of Bach: Part Two Author(s): John O'Donnell Source: Early Music,

Vol. 7, No. 3 (Jul., 1979), pp. 336-345 Published by: Oxford University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3126435 . Accessed: 31/05/2011 13:47
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The
and

French
the

style

Dottingand Overdotting
In the formulation of his theory of overdotting Dolmetsch observes that 'this conventional lengthening of dots and rests does not seem to have been mentioned in books anterior to Quantz',41 and this apparent lack of earlier documentation is at the heart of Professor Neumann's rejection of the convention's existence. The onus is therefore on the defenders of the Dolmetsch doctrine (and despite my divergencies from it I should probably be regarded as a member of this camp) to furnish proof of the so-called 'French style'. Roger North pens possibly the earliest detailed descriptions of the alleged style in two essays written in 1728: first years of Charles II all musick affected by S.. during the the beau-mond run into the French way; and the rather, because at that time the master of the Court musick in France, whose name was Babtista [Lully], (an Itallian fienchifyed), had influenced the French style by infusing a great portion of the Italian harmony into it ... But the whole tendency of the ayre had more regard to the foot, than the ear, and no one could hear an Entree with its starts, and saults, but must expect a dance to follow, so lively may human actions be pictured by musick.42 In the second essay he describes 'two modes of the Grave', of which he calls the first the start, striking upon a semiquaver rest, thus:

overtures

of

Bach

PART TWO

JOHN O'DONNELL
In terms of performanceproblem.i,an overture of Bach principally differsfrom one by Lully in its greater notational complexity.Most of the rhythmicevidence presented in part 2 of this article is therefore concernedwith the 'Frenchstyle' accordingto French testimony,and Bach enters into the argument when he confrontsus with additional puzzles. Duke Leopoldof Anhalt-COthen (1694-1728). An engravingby Martin 1722 (Stuttgart, Landesbibliothek) Bernigeroth, Wiirttembergische
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... And the hand nicely agrees with the foot, especially in the most stately step they call an entry. I fancy it is originally owing to the genius of the violin, of which one of the beautys is the stabb, or stoccata, and the other is the arcata, which latter hath given way and the other cheifly prevailes. I have subjoyned a basso andante to shew how well that sober style joynes with the desultory action of the upper part, as of one pacifying the rage of an angry person.43 These remarkably vivid descriptions of 'the style' leave no possible doubt about one aspect of the performance-its jerkiness. Stateliness is equated with very detached bowing, 'desultory action' and 'the rage of an angry person', and contrasted with long bow-strokes, sobriety and pacification. Majesty and jerkiness are bedfellows! And in using the terms 'starts' and 'saults' is not North merely translating words associated with this style at least from 1668 when Bacilly mentions the performance of dotted notes 'par sacades' or 'par sautillemens'?44 But Bacilly is not sufficiently explicit to be called upon as a witness to 'the style', and we are left wondering if later French theorists, prolific in their writings on notes inigales, are silent on an aspect of performance that to an Englishman constituted the very hallmark of the French style. In fact not all of them do remain silent, and we shall consider the

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336

testimony of Gigault, l'Affillard, Monteclair and Hotteterre in chronological order. Gigault, in 1685, made an unequivocal statement demanding both overdotting and synchronization: 'When there is a semiquaver above a quaver they must be played together.'45Frederick Neumann has dismissed this evidence, claiming that 'the importance of this rule could not have been great, since not a single such instance occurs in the music of this book.'46Here he errs, for there are many such instances of unambiguous alignment, in both original publication and modern edition, from the opening Kyrie onwards.47Ex. 12 from a Prelude (page 38 of the original
Ex. 12 Gigault, Prelude

and the fourth short...',52 and so on. After a few pages all instructions are abbreviated, so that lessons involving quaver movement are marked Pointez,while a further example with dotted crotchets is marked Pointez fort. Surely we can read these as 'dot' and 'overdot' ? Monteclair makes two contributions to the case. In his 1709 treatise an Entreeis given the notation of ex. 13.53 Bars 1 and 3 are both mathematically incorrect and stylistically exaggerated, but the intention of a marked degree of overdotting is clear. In his 1736 treatise Monteclair explains the use of ties and dots with ex. 14.54Both the intention of the lesson and the alignment prescribe double-dotting in bar 6.
Ex. 13 Mont~clair, Air, ou Entree de Ballet Grave

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edition) illustrates Gigault's intentions. L'Affillardhas also been misinterpreted. He was brought into the argument by Michael Collins, his evidence following immediately after a passage from Loulie.48In reply FN3 demonstrates that Loulie's instruction does not stand up to closer examination as evidence of overdotting, and on the same grounds rejects l'Affillard's testimony.49 However a significant difference exists between the discussions of these two theorists: Loulie is explaining rudiments of notation, while l'Affillard is presenting rudimentary instructions in Thus Loulie explains that a dot after a quaver performance. means that 'this quaver must be held a little longer'50-there is certainly no mention of lengthening the dot; but l'Affillard introduces a lesson in singing dotted crotchets with the instruction: 'In order to give the dots their value, the dotted note must be held and the following quaver passed quickly.'5 In the context of his introductions to other lessons it is clear that l'Affillard is describing a departure from the literal notation: 'In order to give two quavers following a crotchet their necessary values, the first must be dotted and the second passed quickly ... Where there are four notes to a beat the first must be long, the second short, the third long,
Ex. 14 Maniere de concevoir et d'etudier la Teniue,et le point (Mont6clair)

The importance of these two sources, hitherto overlooked or tacitly rejected in the battle of the double dot, can hardly be overstated, the first because it takes for granted the existence of a jerky style of performance, the author feeling no necessity to comment on the unorthodox notation, and the second because the overdotting of dotted crotchets is included as part of the most rudimentary training in music theory. This second illustration from Monteclair is a perfect example of what Hotteterre described the following year: 'One sometimes puts dots after notes, which augments them by half their value ... In movements where the quavers are unequal the dot after the crotchet is equivalent to a dotted quaver, so that the quaver following the dotted crotchet is always short."'.This is a description of exact double-dotting; yet in his interpretation of this source Professor Neumann is prepared to admit only a mild overdotting to synchronize with the inequality, which he considers to be 'nearly always subtle, often almost imperceptible, and very rarely [attaining] the 3:1 ratio of an actual dotted note.'56 The whole problem of inequality was the subject of another of Professor and his insistence on mildness Neumann's articles in 1965,57

337

was reiterated in FN3, where, after a variety of documentation, he concludes: 'And so it goes on and on with the monotonous refrain not contradicted by a single theorist,

unevenness: '. .. one must stay on the first of the two [notes], continuing two by two, the same as if the first had a dot after it augmenting it by half its value, so that having stolen half that inigalite was a gentle lilt ("a little longer...") and the value of the second note by this supposed dot, the second must be passed at a quarter of the value of the first...'68 nothing more, proving conclusively that the idea of vigorous Pointer,according to Gigault, Jullien, I'Affillard,Monteclair inequality, equivalent to and occasionally exceeding a dotted and David, is synonymous with dotted notation, and connote, is based on misunderstanding.'"' Since the meaning of 'overdotting' depends to a great sequently qualifies for Loulie's category of vigorous extent on the meaning of 'dotting', it is necessary to delve inequality. The restriction of inequality to mild ratios must be disinto certain aspects of the subject. Loulie, in an oft-quoted missed as a misconception, arising partly from the citation of even uneven between on and notes, distinguishes passage from the late 18th century-when musical tastes and sources Lourer les Nottes motion, ditacher performed equally), (disjunct notational conventions had changed significantly from the than first of a little the each motion, longer pair (conjunct era of Lully and the succeeding generation-and partly from the second), and Piqueror Pointer (the first note much longer than the second, but requiring a dot in the notation)."9 a subjective interpretation of some of the theorists. For example, Hotteterre's description of pointeras 'one long and According to FN3, 'clearly only the lourerwith its mild one short' is absolutely non-committal regarding the degree unevenness represents notes inegales, since the concept of of inequality. To point out that this 'certainly falls short of of But notes.'60 to written refers pairs in.galit' evenly solely suggesting a 3:1 ratio'69may help sustain a personal point of this is impossible, since the literal meaning of loureris 'to but I might just as easily counter-claim that it falls view, limits writer inequality to slur',61 and no contemporary slurred notes. It was unnecessary for Loulie'to define lourer, short of limiting pointer to a mild ratio. Loulie, in his rudiments of notation, explains the literal effect of the dot as for he would simply have been saying 'to slur' means 'to the holding of the note after which it is placed 'a little slur'. Similarly he did not define ditacher.Rather, on the one longer', which also falls short of suggesting a 3:1 ratio; but for detached hand he states which notes are suitable two pages earlier he has taught the standard rule that for is only that and rhythmic equality appropriate performance after the note augments its value by half', so that 'the 'the dot slurred for suitable notes are other which on the and them, dotted quaver is worth three semiquavers'.70 It is therefore performance and that a slight lengthening of the first note under the slur is appropriate. We are left with Loulie's pointer unsatisfactory to claim that when Mont'clair says the first note should be held 'a little longer' than the second, and or piquer category as the only one describing unequal illustrates this practice with dotted notation, this offers 'the is word another in slurs. without Piquer, fact, performance clearest possible proof that the dotted representation of describing articulation, indicative of very detached performstand for a very mild ratio of unevenness.'71 can inegalite (translated by North as ance, similar to the Italian stoccata best the 'I strike summary of the whole subject of inequality Perhaps 'stabb') or Walther's punctus percutiens (percutio, the degree to which the quavers from Saint-Lambert: comes dance French the to 'piquant' through').62 Its application is determined by 'the sign at the beginning uneven are made Loulie 'to with to its led pointer, dot'. Certainly equation style of the piece ... the name and character of the piece, and requires notated dots for pointer,and Gigault, who probably above all, the good taste of the performer'; 'there are pieces wrote more dots than any other Frenchman, is one of the few it suits well to make them very uneven'.72 where time at the same composers to meet this requirement. But Vigorous one's inequality has the full support of the French animate 'one can that his readers advises Gigault theorists, and, as Michael Collins has pointed out, this is why playing more or less by adding dots where one wishes',63 most of them it did not seem necessary to explain overto which represents the practice of most of his contemporaries. 'It no doubt seemed quite obvious that if four even dotting: a note himself with advising Jullien, for example, contents were played alternately long and short, then the quavers the performer that he has notated the dots in only one piece, quaver following a dotted crotchet had to be played shorter to serve as an example for dotting the others in the same way, the parts synchronized: more or less lightly according to the indicated mouvement.64 than its normal value to keep 5 instruction with the is headed lessons One of I'Affillard's ,73This certainly explains Muffat's apparent failure Pointez, the first bar of it being notated with dots but the Having succeeding sequential passages written in even quavers.65 to acknowledge the existence of the manidrefranCaise. 2 taken very French the under that out signature of a to the student pointed instructs conjunct sing passage Mont6clair slowly the notes are almost of the same value as under the quavers 'as if it were notated' with dots.66 David, having Italian C presto, he continues: 'The only difference is that notated an exercise with dots, omits them in a similar exerunder the latter several successive quavers p p >etc. cannot cise on the following page and appends the remark: be dotted alternately p. P etc. for elegance in performance, 'Quavers that are not dotted, to be played the same as if they be must but the rigorously expressed one equal to the other."'4 in dots of omission the writers these all For were.''67 Muffat takes one further precaution to get his desired literal notation is simply a matter of expedience, a musical shortdotting. Although contented to notate equal quavers hand. David leaves no possible doubt concerning the ratio of 338

throughout the opening sections of his overtures, satisfied that the preface has explained all that is necessary, he makes exceptions on two occasions: in the violinopart of the first a few groups of successive overture of each book of Florilegia Even in the 1690s there were are 'dotted alternately'. quavers those who would not read the preface! Professor Neumann is in agreement that overdotting of dotted crotchets can occur to synchronize with inequality of quavers, but since the quavers of overtures were performed (and, especially outside France, frequently notated) fort inegalesit is a matter of logic that the overdotting of dotted crotchets must reach .jerkyproportions. And all this accords with the teaching of those 'missing links'-Gigault, l'Affillard, Mont&clair,Hotteterre and (across the Channel) Roger North. The evidence in support of the stylesaccade is abundant, but the Dolmetsch doctrine must be modified since the degree of overdotting is exaggerated. Alternate dotting (3:1) of quavers (whether or not the dots were notated) and overdotting (7:1) of dotted crotchets is what the French teach, and further intensification of these rhythms is not realistic at the overture tempi presented in the first part of this study. Thus it is no surprise to encounter Professor Fuller's revelation that the opening movement of Handel's Organ Concerto op. 4 no. 2 'is not overdotted' on an 18th-century barrel organ,75 for Handel has already notated all the overdotting that is necessary(ex. 15).
Ex. 15 Handel, Concerto op.4 no. 2 A tempo ordinario, e staccato

example, there has never been any theory about synchronizing quavers and semiquavers after dots in an allemande of the type quoted from leBague, since under the signature C only semiquaversare subject to inequality.76 Another important component of the case against 'the style' rests on the existence of the double dot in the later part of the 17th century. If the double dot was available, argues Professor Neumann, and it was used alongside the single dot, then the two rhythms were obviously meant to be distinct from one another. Most of his examples are from Raison since 'he uses the double dot so systematically, notating the dotted rhythm so precisely in each case, that his intention cannot be misinterpreted.'77 In a forthcoming book I shall develop my hypothesis that Raison uses the double dot not only to indicate rhythmic'intensificationwhich as we have seen the performers were in the habit of doing in any case-but as an intensification of punctuation in certain instances, such as in standard cadential formulae involving trills with a point d'arrit (ex. 16), at the caesura between antecedent and consequent of a phrase (ex. 17), or
Ex. 16 Raison, Messe du deuziesme ton: 'Et in terra pax' bars 3 - 4

Ex. 17 Raison, Messe du premier ton: 'Quoniam tu solus' bars 13 - 16

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Nevertheless, problems remain. Alignment is one of them, although in most cases we are on very shaky ground in relying on this evidence. When conventions of performance make considerable departuresfrom conventions of notation, in which area does notational alignment belong? The scribe of the Handel Miscellaneous manuscript, of which two pages are reproduced in FN4, is invariably true to the notation. Is this proof of the manner of performance? What of bar 10, where the quaver of the figure m, .71 in the middle voice is not aligned with the first semiquaver of the accompanying rhythm :..- in the bass part, although the performance of r, n as , 17 is a well-founded convention whose validity has not been challenged? On the other hand several of FN I's illustrations in favour of a 'rhythmic counterpoint' have absolutely no bearing on the overdotting problem. For
Ex. 18 Raison, Messe du premier ton: 'Christe' bars 8 - 14

immediately before a metric conflict, as in ex. 18 where the accents of the hemiola are further emphasized by the placing of the trills. According to my observations the distinction between dotted crotchets and double-dotted crotchets in the same piece is not one of rhythmic ratio, but of the amount of silence between the long and short notes. Since the dot in the jerky style was treated as a rest,78it automatically carried an articulation significance in addition to its rhythmic meaning, so that the use of the double dot can logically be seen as indicative of a point of greater articulation, or punctuation. Similar observations apply where 7:1 overdotting, notated by tying crotchet to dotted quaver, occurs alongside dotted crotchets, as in the anonymous overture from the Mdllersche Handschrift quoted as ex. 31 in FN 1. Here the notation of 7:1 ratios occurs at the ends of phrases, in exactly the

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positions where l'Affillardwould have put a reversed comma and Frangois Couperin a comma-musical punctuation marks. A similar problem exists in the opening of the prologue of Lully's Armide (my ex. 19a). Had the composer commenced by notating 7:1 ratios and lapsed into single dotting after a few bars this would be explainable as musical shorthand; but the reverse is the case. Working backwards from the cadence: the trill would have been played with a point d'arreton the dot; the abrupt release of the second of each pair of tied notes would have the same punctuative effect as the pointd'arrit,and the resulting performance thus perfectly enhances the phrase structure (ex. 19b). There is a deeper logic behind this notation. In a metre of two minim beats the rhythm J. ? was performed overdotted (7:1), for which I have presented ample evidence; but in a metre of four crotchet beats this same rhythm would not be overdotted, and any desired rhythmic intensification would have to be notated as such, thus J. or J.7 or by the use of rests. . Conversely the notation of these latter rhythms in a metre of two slow beats will suggest performance in a metre of four fast beats, a notated nuance of mouvement that has remained in modern The arrows below ex. unrecognized scholarship. 19bclarify the metric structure. One further example from Raison concludes the case for 6e overdotting. In FN 1 the opening bars of the Premier Kyrie, ton are quoted as ex. 16. According to Professor Neumann this piece 'is in the form of an overture, and the absence of double dots here demonstrates that double dotting was not characteristicof this style'.'9 Professor Fuller points out that this is not in the form of an overture.s0Nor is it in overture style: overtures for organ are invariably played on the fiery
grands jeux composed of trompettes,jeu de tierce, comet and cromome(e.g. in Grigny, du Mage, Clerambault),whereas this

Ex. 20 Raison, Offerte du 5me ton

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Upbeat figures
The next problem has never been solved satisfactorily: the accommodation of upbeat figures. The same performers who contract the upbeat semiquavers in Bach's third orchestral overture fail to do so in parallel passages of the first and fourth owing to problems of alignment with other semiquaver movement. Professor Neumann would have all of these played as written, but Michael Collins puts a case for the gradual evolution towards accuracy of rhythmic notation, the manner of performance remaining essentially unchanged.82My following evidence supports the latter point of view, but first it is necessary to clarify a puzzling passage from Gigault.
In his Livre de musiquepour l'orgue he warns the reader that

jeu (a corruptionof plain exampleis a preludefor the plein

priate here. Raison's most important contribution to the case for overdotting, however, was overlooked by Professor Neumann although it occurs in the same book from which he drew his other examples and is the only real overture in
the collection, the Offerte du 5me. ton/ Le Vive le Roy des Parisiens/ a son Entree a l'Hostel de Ville. It commences as

jeu, the principal chorus). Nevertheless, since preludes were

'well dotted' in performance,"' overdottingis also appro-

shown in ex. 20. With this evidence the case against the overdotting of overtures crumbles.
Ex. 19 Lully, Armide: Prologue a

'one need not be frightened by notes with several beams, since they need only be regarded as if they were semiquavers'.83 Rothschild, Powell, Neumann and Collins have all attempted explanations of this advice,84 but it would appear that none of these commentators has made a thorough examination of Gigault's notation. For example, reference has been made to his use of 'from one to as many as six extra beams',85but in fact Gigault's departures from standard notation are limited to the addition of one extra beam for demisemiquaversand, in one movement only, four extra beams for hemidemisemiquavers.86 The solution to this enigma is that with Gigault the number of beams is in inverse proportion to the value of the note in relation to the croche (quaver). Thus a semiquaver is half a crocheand has two beams, a demisemiquaver a quarter of a croche having four with beams, and a hemidemisemiquaver an eighth of a croche beams-a more satisfactory eight system mathematically than that which we have inherited, and capable of extension so that, for example, a dotted crotchet followed by an upbeat group of three notes having three beams would be arithmetically correct, as would a dotted crotchet followed by a

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Ex. 21 Couperin, 'La Visionaire'

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group of five notes with five beams, and so on. Gigault did not carry it this far, but Couperin may have toyed with the idea of adopting such a system, as in the opening of his 'La Visionaire' from the twenty-fifth Ordre (ex. 21). Unfortunately Couperin is not always as systematic(or did his publisher get things wrong?) and one is forced to accept that his notation is frequently capricious. Gigault's advice that the reader should not be frightened by his multiple beams derives not so much from his apparent attempt at notational reform for note values below the semiquaver, but rather from the fact that he uses such values at all. His book was published in 1685, yet in 1696 Loulie failed to describe anything smaller than a semiquaver, and in 1702 Saint-Lambert described the semiquaver as 'the last of the values ... it cannot be divided according to the rules', but admitted that there were some masters who used demisemiCertainly occasional groups of demisemiquavers, quavers."8 notated in the standard manner, had occurred in French music before Gigault, but perhaps never so profusely, and the French reluctance to notate values below the semiquaver adds credence to a theory of notational evolution. In support of this one can cite the attempts of Fux and Vivaldi to notate the upbeat figures of the overture style (exx. 22 and 23). Since
Ex. 22 Fux, Ouverture

Ex. 23 Vivaldi, Concerto PV 309 Allegro non molto

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Fux's example was published in 1701, just 14 years after the death of Lully, it would be difficult to ascertain whom or what he was attempting to imitate if not the contracted figures of the French manner. In the Vivaldi example the fermateover the semiquaver rests can only be indications of rubato,the upbeat figures being 'robbed' of much of their value. And notice Vivaldi's staccatodashes, another indica-

tion of the jerkiness of the style. Muffat also inadvertently confirms upbeat contraction in illustrating a variety of embellishments appropriate to upward leaps (ex. 24). 'One can go to the good note by the portde voix alone [1], or with the pincement[2]. Sometimes in order to stimulate the is used alone [3] or wrapped harmony the straight coulement in the tremblement roulant,which is even more beautiful [4]. The tiradeis the liveliest of all the figures and should be used with moderation [5].'88'Liveliest' may be an indication of speed or simply of vigour; but if an upbeat figure of three semiquavers is to be livelier than the previous embellishments in demisemiquavers it is very likely that extreme rapidity is involved, and in any case Muffat's arithmetically inexact notation makes upbeat contraction obligatory. A key piece of evidence in Michael Collins' case for notational evolution is a comparison of two versions of the overture in the second part of Bach's Clavieriibung. The earlier version, in C minor, exists in a manuscript by Anna Magdalena Bach (Berlin, Deutsche Staatsbibliothek,Mus. ms. Bach, P226), which Walter Emery considered to have been written prior to July 1733. The second version, in B minor, is the Leipzig publication of 1735. In the former most upbeat figures are notated as semiquavers; in the latter these are altered to demisemiquavers. Collins sees in this comparison a confirmation of the practice of contraction, the second version being a notational improvement over the first.89 Neumann, on the contrary, believes that each version is to be performed as written, Bach having had second thoughts about the rhythm some time after notating the firstversion.90 The passage that troubles Professor Neumann most commences with bars 11-12 (see my ex. 25a), where 'we would have to assume that whereas Bach spelled out the sharpened rhythms for the left hand he relied on the convention [of rhythmic contraction] to achieve the same effect for the right hand. The next measure presents a special problem with sixteenth-note upbeat figures in both hands which seem to call for synchronization. Yet to match the solution of the Bminor version, the player would have to guess that the convention applied to the right hand but not to the left.'91 The error here is the failure to distinguish between rhythms that are metrically dependent and those that are not. In the

Ex. 24

341

Ex. 25 Bach, Ouverture from Clavieriibung II a barsll-13

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French metre of two slow minim beats the crotchets, being the first sub-division of the beat, may be said to constitute the pulse, and are not eligible for rhythmic alteration. The quavers make up what Muffat called the 'first order of diminutions' and are eligible for inequality but not contraction, since this would in effect make the crotchets unequal. But the contraction of three semiquavers does not disturb the rhythmic integrity of any structural values, and synchronizes perfectly with the inequalization of the quavers. On the other hand groups of four or more semiquavers cannot be contracted since the first of each four must chime with the crotchet pulse. The diagram clarifies these rhythmic levels. Thus when eight semiquavers fill a minim beat-in ex. 25a,

Notation

Performance

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bar 13; left hand-there can be no talk of contraction; but the upbeat semiquavers in the right hand are easily contracted, since they occur within the smallest note value not eligible for contraction. The notation of demisemiquavers in

342

thatled jerkystyle.It mayhavebeenjust a misunderstanding Bachto tidyup his notationfor thepublication. In anyevent it has been demonstrated that Bach'searliernotation,far frompresenting 'near-insoluble posesno problem puzzles',95 to a performer accustomed to thepractice of upbeatcontraction; and since the inabilityto resolvethese puzzlesconstitutesthe majorpart of the testimonyagainstcontraction thecasemaybe considered closed. Thereis just one more aspectof performance that needsto be clarified-those semiquaversdescribed as metrically Thesediminutions werenot generally notatedin dependent. early overtures,but may have been common in performancenevertheless. Muffat notatesthemin only the firstof the overturesin his Florilegium and, as with the dotted primum discussed serveas above, thesepassages rhythms apparently a model for the remainingovertures.In the Florilegium secundum he illustrates the tirade (ex.26), which'runsto the note, hitting several successivenotes with rapidity and extremespeed of the bow'.96 The dots used in the sign for this embellishmentsuggest even, detached performance. Jumping over almost half a centuryto Bach's'Goldberg' overture(ex. 27), we find that the only passagesof semiquaversin conjunctmotion havedots abovethe notes,both an indication of articulation and a caution against inequality. The four preceding semiquaverswould be similarly performedbut do not require dots, being of disjunctmotion. On the samegroundsthe firstdot marked in the left handis unnecessary and maypossiblybe a slip-it is missing from the imitationin the right hand. Working

the left hand of bars 11 and 12 is therefore unnecessary, but probably written as such to avoid possible confusion with the longer group of semiquavers in bar 13, whose melodic shape is the same as these upbeat figures. Professor Neumann's next example (my ex. 25b), in which 'we find upbeat patterns for both hands written in the identical sharpened rhythm of the B-minor version',92only confirms what I have already stated. Had any of these groups been notated as semiquavers they would have become metrically dependent, therein eroding their contractibility. (Only in the final section of this movement does Bach-or Anna Magdalena-, typical of the notational shortlapse into .7 j" for J:hand commonly employed after a prevailing rhythmic pattern has been established.) It is true that, had there not been a tradition of upbeat contraction, Bach's notation of the earlier version of this movement provides few hints of the desired rhythmic interpretation; and the ornamentation contained inJ. G. Preller's copy of this version, cited in FN2,93 indicates that in the 1730s there were musicians unacquainted with the style. This is not surprising considering that by 1752 Quantz94 lamented that the genrewas out of vogue in Germany. Preller's added ornaments, falling regularly on the third of four semiquavers, turn the movement into an allemande of four moderate beats to the bar and suggest a flowing rather than

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published bi-monthly 33rd year of issue-1979 Editors Sigrid Abel-Struth, Ludwig Finscher Wolfgang G6nnenwein Diether de la Motte Wolfgang Rehm and Leonhard Scheuch In 1978 Music was reconceived under the direction of Clemens Kuhn. The six books of 1979 have the following themes in the main section: "Gitarre" (Guitar)-Book 1/79; ;"Analyse und Interpretation" (Analysis and Interpretation)Book 2/79; "Berufswunsch:Musiker" (Career Choice-Musician)-Book 3/79; "Singen" 4/79, (Singing)-Book "Operette und Musical" (Operetta and Musical)-Book 5/79, "Musiktherapie" (Music Therapy)-Book 6/79. As a new feature each number contains "Das Interview" (The Interview)-with personalities of musical life-and the section "Musikalische Praxis" (Musical Performance Practice). Reports of performances, commentaries on important events, musical education information, book-, music- and record-reviews, as well as appreciations on che occasions of anniversaries, news summaries and music advertisements all present an overall picture of the contemporary musical scene. Annual Subscription price ?11.55 (postage extra); single copy ?3.30 (subject to increase without notification). Sample copy sent on request. The magazine contains German text only

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backwards from this point we find that this same configuration occurs in the overture from the second part of the Clavieriibung discussed above, in the very bar that was considered 'near-insoluble'. To summarize the theory of notational evolution I offer three versions of the opening bars of Bach's first orchestral overture: as it would have been notated by Lully (ex. 28a, allowing that he would have written in five parts); Bach's notation (ex. 28b-in the absence of the original score I have left the alignment true to the notation); and a performing version based on the evidence presented in this study (ex. 28c). Surely the time has come for the combatants in the battle of the double dot to cease fire. In challenging the Dolmetsch doctrine Professor Neumann instigated the expurgation of its exaggerations, but in totally rejecting it he overlooked or dismissed a considerable body of evidence upholding its existence. In FN4 he requires not only that the existence of 'the style' be proved, but also that 'a definite ratio of overdotting [be] established to prevent "vigour" from turning into total confusion.'97 I believe that both of these requirements have been met. Restored to their proper tempo and rhythm the overtures of Lully, Bach and their contemporaries will resound with the majesty, vivacity and fire attributed to the genre by writers,9" mirroring the brilliance and contemporary that radiated from the court of the Sun King. splendour
Citations may be traced in thefootnotes to part 1 ofJohn O'Donnell's article, detailed onP. 35 7. April 1979. Please see importantcorrections 41 Arnold Dolmetsch, The Interpretation of the Music of the XVIIth and XVIIIth Centuries Revealed by ContemporaryEvidence (London, n.d.

equivalent di la Croche pointee; de sorte que la Croche qui suit une Noire pointee, est totijours breve.' Jacques Hotteterre le Romain,
Methodepour la musette (Paris, 1737), p. 35. "5 Frederick Neumann, 'The French Inigales, Quantz, and Bach', Journal of the AmericanMusicologicalSociety, 18 (1965), pp. 313-58. 60 FN3, p. 166. 58 FN3, p. 167. 59 op cit, pp. 34-5. 6' Demoz de la Salle, Methode de musique (Paris, 1728), pp. 181-2,
56 FN1, p. 86; English translation, EM 5/3 (July 1977), p. 323.

gives the most complete explanation: 'LOURER, C'est &xprimerles Notes qui sont liees de deux en deux par cette figure en les coulant, roulant de telle sorte que les Sons soient continus, liez & caressant, &8 conjoins, comme ceux des Airs du jeu des Instrumens appelez

Musette, Cornemuse, Vielle, & en marquant sensiblement la premiere Note de deux en deux...' 62 Johann Gottfried Walther, Musicalisches Lexicon (Leipzig, 1732), p. 504.
63

64 GillesJullien, 65 op cit, p. 36.

67

'On poura aussi pour animer son jeu plus ou moins en adjoustant des points ou l'on voudra.' op cit, Preface.
Premier Livre d'Orgue (Paris, 1690), Preface. 66 Principes. . ., p. 30.

'Croches sans ?tre point&esqu'il faut passer de meme que si elles I'etoient.' op cit, p. 46. il faut demeurer, & rester sur la premiere des deux, 68 '. .. avoit apres continuant de deux en deux, de meme que si la premi&re elle un point qui l'augmentit de la moiti& de sa valeur; de sorte qu'ayant derob&la moiti& de la valeur de la seconde Note par ce point suppose, il faudra que la seconde se passe au quart de la valeur mathematics leaves something to be desired! 69 FN3, p. 166. 70 'Le Point la Notte en augmente la valleur de la moiti&... La aprws Croche point&evaut trois doubles Croches.' op cit, p. 14. 71 FN3, pp. 166-7. 72 'C'est le signe qui est au commencement de la Piece; c'est le nom et le caractere de la Piece; & plus que tout cela, le bon goait de celui qui joiie.' 'I1y a des Pieces ouiil sied bien de les faire fort inbgales.. .' op cit, pp. 61 and 26. 73 op cit, p. 118. en ce que sous la derniere, plusieurs la difference 'Toute consiste, 74 croches continudes de suite [ &c. ne se peuvent pas pointer alternativement [ I &c. par elegance dans l'execution ... mais se doivent exprimer rigoureusement l'une egale a l'autre...' op cit, Preface. 75 David Fuller, 'Dotting, the "French style" and Frederick Neumann's Counter-Reformation', EM 5/4 (October 1977), p. 543. Professor Fuller's subsequent discovery that 'the true ratio seems to be 4:1', EM 7/2 (April 1979), p. 279, does not alter my stance here. In the absence of any necessity to synchronize with semiquaver movement, this barely perceptible overdotting is, as he says, 'just enough to enhance the crispness'. 76 FN 1, ex. 27. For the same reason exx. 17, 18, 24 and 32 have no 77 FN 1, p. 79; EM 5/3, P. 317. bearing on the argument. and was 78 This is implicit in the very detached performance (piquer), made explicit by Quantz, op cit, 17, 7, ?58: 'The dotted note is played with emphasis, and the bow is detached during the dot.' so op cit, p. 525. 79 FN l, p. 79; EM 5/3, p. 317. 81 William Pruitt, 'Un trait6 d'interpretation du XVIIe siecle', (1974), p. 104. This article reproduces the complete text of L'Orgue
an anonymous organ treatise: Manire de toucher l'orgue dans toute la a propret6et la delicastessequi est en usage aujourdhy Paris. 82 op cit, pp. 112-3. 83 'I1 ne faut pas que les croches barrees plusieurs fois les effrayent, d'autant qu'ils les faut regarder comme si elles n estoient que doubles croches.' op cit, Preface. 84 Fritz Rothschild, Stress and Movement in the Works of J. S. Bach (London, 1966), p. 14; Newman Wilson Powell, 'Rhythmic Freedom in the Performance of French Music from 1650 to 1735', Ph.D. dissertation (Stanford University, 1959), p. 86; FN1, pp. 82-3 (EM 5/3, p. 320); and Collins, op cit, p. 118. 8s5FN3, p. 180. 86 An excerpt from this movement is quoted in FN3, p. 181 (ex. 10). de la premiere . . .' ibid, pp. 22-3. The meaning is clear even if the

[19511),p. 62.

42 Roger North, 'Memoires

of Musick ... 1728', published in Roger NorthonMusic,ed.John Wilson (London, 1959), p. 350. 43 North, 'The Musicall Grammarian... 1728', loc cit, p. 185. 44 Benigne de Bacilly, L'art de bienchanter (Paris, 1679), p. 232. This is. the second edition of the work originally published as Remarques
curieusessur I'art de bien chanter (Paris, 1668). 45 'Lors qu'il y aura une double croche au dessus d'une croche il les faut toucher ensemble.' Nicolas Gigault, Livre de musique pour l'orgue (Paris, 1685), Preface. 46 Frederick Neumann, 'Facts and Fiction about Overdotting', The Musical Quarterly, 63 (1977), p. 170 ('FN3'). 47 See pp. 1, 38, 71-2, 90, 102 and 140 of the original edition, which

equate with pp. 6, 49, 96-7, 122, 141 and 196 of the Guilmant edition. 48 Michael Collins, 'A Reconsideration of French Over-dotting', 50 (1969), p. 117. MusicandLetters, 49 FN3, p. 180.
op

cit, p. 16. 5' 'Pour faire les Points dans leur valeur, il faut suspendre la Noire point6e, 8cpasser vite la Croche qui la suit.' op cit, p. 30. 52 'Pour faire comme il faut deux Croches qui suivent une Noire, on doit pointer la premiere, 8c passer vite la seconde ... Quand on fait 4. Notes dans un Tems, la premiere doit tre longue, la 2. courte, la 3. longue, 8cla quatrieme courte .. .' ibid, pp. 32 and 33.
11 Michel Pignolet de Montbclair, Nouvelle methode pour aprendre la . . ., p. 23. musique (Paris, 1709), p. 34. 14 Monteclair, Principes

50 '. .. il faut tenir. .. cette Croche un peu plus long temps...',

55 'On met quelquefois des points apres les Notes, ce qui les augmente de moiti6 de leur valeur ... Dans les mouvements oui les Croches sont inegales, le point qui est apres la Noire, fait un

344

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'Dans les regles, la double Croche n'est jamais pointe, ai cause qu'etant la derniere des valeurs, elle ne peut naturellement etre partag6e.' op cit, p. 61. 88 'En sautant en haut On va i la bonne note par un port de voix seul, ou avec le pincement. Quelques fois pour exciter l'harmonie on se sert du coulement droit seul ou envelopp6 du tremblement roulant, ce qui est encore plus beau. La tirade est la plus vive de toutes les figures, dont il se faut servir quelques fois, mais sobrement.' Georg Muffat, Florilegium secundum (Passau, 1698), 89 Observations, 5, ?5. op cit, p. 113. 90 Frederick Neumann, 'The Question of Rhythm in the Two Versions of Bach's French Overture, BWV 831', Studies in Renais87

sance and Baroque Music in Honor of Arthur Mendel (Kassel, 1974), pp. 183-94 ('FN2'). 92 ibid, 91 FN2, p. 191. pp. 191-2. 93 ibid, p. 190. 94 op cit, 18, ?42. 95 FN2, p. 192. 96 'La Tirade, ou Course court i la note, ou elle butte par plusieurs touches de suitte avec rapidit, 8& extreme vitesse de l'archet.' Observations, 5. 97 FN4, p. 45. 98 For example, Johann Adolph Scheibe, CritischerMusikus (Leipzig, 1745), p. 669: 'Eine edle Lebhaftigkeit, ein ersthastes, mannliches und prichtiges Wesen, und iiberhaupt ein bestindiges Feuer maissen ihn durchgehends erheben.'

345