Title: Sonatas for violin and basso continuo written by British composers in the first half of the eighteenth century
Abstract:The sonata for violin and basso continuo was one of the most popular instrumental genres
in early eighteenth-century Europe, as is clearly evident from the numerous works by
Italian, German and Fren...The sonata for violin and basso continuo was one of the most popular instrumental genres
in early eighteenth-century Europe, as is clearly evident from the numerous works by
Italian, German and French composers of the period, whose contributions are widely
known and documented. Violin sonatas by British-born composers of the period, on the
other hand, have largely been neglected by scholars and performers and no systematic
examination of this repertoire has thus far been conducted. The present thesis attempts
to contextualise this rich and fascinating repertoire and view it holistically. It aims to
contribute substantially to knowledge about the British violin sonata during the period
and enhance our understanding of its function, content, dissemination and performance.
Fifteen collections of sonatas for violin and continuo written by British-born
composers in the first half of the eighteenth century have been selected for detailed
analysis. These works have been examined from two different perspectives: as social
phenomena and as aesthetic objects. Following relevant introductory materials
contextualising the research, the first part of this thesis presents biographical accounts of
the selected composers, their careers and musical environment, and the circumstances
surrounding the publication and distribution of their sonatas. In Part II the sonatas under
scrutiny are analysed in terms of their external designs and internal forms, tonal scope,
and harmonic and melodic vocabulary, as well as their technical demands. Technical
discussion focuses on issues such as range requirements, position-work and shifting,
fingering, bowing, articulation, embellishment, dynamics, and chordal playing.Read More
Publication Year: 2014
Publication Date: 2014-01-01
Language: en
Type: dissertation
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