THE SIXTEEN-FOOTVIOLONEIN CONCERTED MUSIC OF THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES: ISSUES OF TERMINOLOGY AND FUNCTION

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recent performance projects have called into question the use of the sixteen-footviolonein a wide range of instrumental and concerted vocal works, particularly those by J. S. Bach. In performances of music by Bach and his contemporaries, artists have on occasion opted to exclude sixteen-foot participation in the bass line, often citing terminological issues as a reason. While acknowledging that the use of the termviolonein scores and parts from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries is problematic, this article casts doubt on the conclusions reached by these performers and on the scholarly writings underpinning them. A careful examination of instrumental designations employed in autograph parts and scores provides important clues as to the proper employment of a sixteen-foot contrabass instrument in many works. Further illumination on this matter is provided by terminology in contemporary treatises. Analysis of this material shows that the function of the bass line to which the termviolone(or any of its regional variants) was assigned was a crucial determining factor in interpreting that part as either an eight- or sixteen-foot bass line. In other words, modern determinations should be made according to whether the designation indicates a non-transposing instrument serving primarily as the bass member of an instrumental choir or a transposing instrument whose main purpose is reinforcing the continuo line at the lower octave.

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