This is interesting (or at least I think it is); I was under the
impression that none of the bass lines for Carolan's 200 something
melodies have survived. Turns out that there is a fragment of a
collection of Carolan's melodies at the National Library of Ireland
which includes them (I read this in the New Grove Dictionary of Music
and Musicians). His son, with Trinity College in Dublin, published
this collection in 1748. "The melodies are accompanied by a single
line bass. Salient features are the absence of conventional harmony,
and the moving bass which is often in octaves with the treble, and
frequently anticipates or echoes the melody lines." (From same
dictionary as above.) If anyone who happens to live in
or near Dublin ever checks this out, please let me know; I'd like to
hear about anything you find out.
Tim
I think that it's very interesting, too .. I've always enjoyed playing accompaniment for the O' Carolan tunes, they are SO beautiful, and would LOVE to know how the composer would have liked this done. If anyone has any information on this (or, Tim, if you hear of anything) please post it.
Good thread-start - thanks for initiating this one.
I'd like to pass the question on to the classically trained and educated and I'd like to ask what the custom was among european composers in those days. Didn't some (or most?) of them just give guidelines, perhaps in the shape of numbers, and leave it to the musician to fill in the notes for a bass line? Didn't Bach do that?
I'd also like get my Carolan tune accompaniment right.
Eagerly awaiting enlightenment,
It was custom in the Baroque period (about 1600-1750, I think) to use figured bass, if that's what you mean. These can explain it better than I can: http://www.bachfaq.org/continuo.html http://www.bachfaq.org/figb.html
Yes, Bach did employ figured bass.
Figured bass is the numeric symbols; basso continuo is the actual notes played.
Tim
Carolan Bass Lines
Carolan Bass Lines
This is interesting (or at least I think it is); I was under the
impression that none of the bass lines for Carolan's 200 something
melodies have survived. Turns out that there is a fragment of a
collection of Carolan's melodies at the National Library of Ireland
which includes them (I read this in the New Grove Dictionary of Music
and Musicians). His son, with Trinity College in Dublin, published
this collection in 1748. "The melodies are accompanied by a single
line bass. Salient features are the absence of conventional harmony,
and the moving bass which is often in octaves with the treble, and
frequently anticipates or echoes the melody lines." (From same
dictionary as above.) If anyone who happens to live in
or near Dublin ever checks this out, please let me know; I'd like to
hear about anything you find out.
Tim
# Posted on May 29th 2003 by loscann7
Re: Carolan Bass Lines
I think that it's very interesting, too .. I've always enjoyed playing accompaniment for the O' Carolan tunes, they are SO beautiful, and would LOVE to know how the composer would have liked this done. If anyone has any information on this (or, Tim, if you hear of anything) please post it.
Good thread-start - thanks for initiating this one.
# Posted on June 1st 2003 by IJ Shelton
Re: Carolan Bass Lines
I'd like to pass the question on to the classically trained and educated and I'd like to ask what the custom was among european composers in those days. Didn't some (or most?) of them just give guidelines, perhaps in the shape of numbers, and leave it to the musician to fill in the notes for a bass line? Didn't Bach do that?
I'd also like get my Carolan tune accompaniment right.
Eagerly awaiting enlightenment,
# Posted on June 1st 2003 by kuec
Re: Carolan Bass Lines
It was custom in the Baroque period (about 1600-1750, I think) to use figured bass, if that's what you mean. These can explain it better than I can:
http://www.bachfaq.org/continuo.html
http://www.bachfaq.org/figb.html
Yes, Bach did employ figured bass.
Figured bass is the numeric symbols; basso continuo is the actual notes played.
Tim
# Posted on June 1st 2003 by loscann7