This blog was first published by Oxford University Press:
https://blog.oup.com/2017/06/classical-music-ornament/
To many musicians, the word “ornament” brings a sense of
foreboding dread. The mere thought of deciphering and interpreting the funny
little signs and symbols into a line becomes paralyzing. But step back and look
at the word: ornament. What does it
really mean? Isn’t it simply a
decoration? An addition to make something more…beautiful, lovely, exciting,
adventuresome? C. P. E. Bach tells us that ornaments are equally important to
correct fingering and proper performance (execution). Yet, ornamentation does
not have to be complicated, and in all actuality, simpler is often better; a
single, exquisitely placed gem sparkles the brightest.
Originally, ornaments served to merely extend the line on
instruments that had a rapid tonal decay, such as the harpsichord and
fortepiano. But they also provide spontaneity, creativity, variety, and
expressivity. In the Classical Era style, the performer’s goal is to move the
listener, to have something to say,
and in that, ornaments play an important part. Deciding on which ornament to
use and how often to use ornamentation calls for good taste which can be
cultivated through listening to many performances of esteemed fortepianists
such as Malcolm Bilson and Tom Beghin.
Ornamentation notation was not standardized in the
eighteenth century. Some ornaments were absorbed into the texture of the music
while many were indicated as symbols or small notes in varying rhythms such as
an eighth, sixteenth, or thirty-second note(s), with or without a slash. The
differences in size of notes or numbers of flags have no bearing on the length
of the notes but are determined by the proportioned relationship to the
principal note and the affekt (mood
or emotion) of the piece.
On or before the beat?
On or above the main note? Oftentimes one hears that Classical Era
ornaments are all to begin on the
beat and above the main note. Historical perspective is not conclusive in this
matter. Period literature points to harmony and voice leading as the main
determining factor and suggests we go to
the dissonance to highlight the affekt.
Period practices recommend that ornaments are to be played
in the context of the immediate key of the section, sometimes notated by the
composer. Generally speaking,
ornaments are to begin on the beat with the upper auxiliary. C. P. E. Bach
suggests that each excerpt be played initially without ornamentation to clarify
melodic direction and appropriate voice leading, making appropriate choices
more obvious. If one cannot execute an ornament, it is better to reduce the
number of rotations or leave it out completely than to stumble along and
destroy the integrity of the excerpt.
Executing ornaments can go from foreboding dread to joyful
anticipation. The three simplest and most commonly used ornaments are the appoggiatura, the turn, and the trill. The appoggiatura is one of the “must haves”
in the Classical Era. In his Klavierschule,
Türk devotes an
entire chapter to this ornament. He explains that it comes from appoggiato, which means “actually:
leaning, supported, and in music; sustained.”[1]
It serves as the basis for the turn
and the trill, both of which grow out
of or are an extension of the appoggiatura.
It enhances the melody and harmony and provides an accented dissonance. The appoggiatura is never approached in a
legato fashion. There is always space in time directly before the appoggiatura, called an articulated
silence. It is louder than, and must be slurred to the following note, whether
notated as such or not. They are oftentimes notated as little notes to
differentiate between a regular sixteenth-note run and should be leaned into,
usually with an agogic accent. The
length of the appoggiatura is
determined by affekt, tempo, and
where it appears in the line.
Mozart, Piano Sonata, KV 311/I, mm. 1-4 (Henle)
The turn is
nothing more than a short trill with only one rotation. It is a utilitarian
ornament: it may occur on any beat, on ascending and descending notes, in skips
or stepwise progressions, on repeated notes, on unprepared notes, and on or
after an appoggiatura. The interval
between the outer notes usually encompasses a minor third. Execution and timing
depend largely on affekt, rhythmic
arrangement on context. If there is enough time, the turn should be on the beat
and allow a pause on the main note.
C. P. E. Bach believes the trill is the most important ornament. Execution of the trill varies according to its function
within context. The speed of the oscillations adjusts to the tempo and
expression of the passage. It typically lasts for the full value of the main
note. To execute a long trill, the performer may start somewhat slowly and
accelerate. The predominant view is that the starting note of the trill is the upper auxiliary. The suffix
is frequently written out in the form of a turn
ending. If a termination is not indicated, the performer is expected to add one
where it would fit to effect a smooth transition from the trill to the melodic line.
It’s time to open those scores, discover the ornaments, and
see how your playing may be transformed by application of these basic tenets. Visit
resource books and add more tools to your ornamental toolbox. The possibilities
are endless!
[1]
Daniel Gottlob Türk,
Klavierschule (1789, Leipzig and
Halle), as translated by Raymond H. Haggh (University of Nebraska Press, 1982),
111.
