by Joëlle Fancher Morton
see “Basso Continuo” by Paul O’Dette and Jack Ashworth in Stewart
Carter’s A Performer’s Guide to 17th Century Music Schirmer, 1997
________________________________
| Italy, 1600-1635 Sacred Polyphony (Monteverdi) Sacred Concerto (Viadana, Gabrieli) Solo Song/Monody (Caccini) Villanelle, Canzonette (Kapsberger) Sonatas, Canzonas (Fontana, Castello) Concerted, Madrigal (Monteverdi) Opera (Peri, Monteverdi) | organ organ (+ theorbo) theorbo, harps. guitar, theorbo, harps. organ, theorbo, harps. theorbo, harps., lute, organ harps., organ, theorbo | no bowed bass has own part double bass added occasionally no no no no, except with other string parts no, except with other string parts |
| Italy, 1635-1665 Liturgical Music (Rovetta, Cazzati) Oratorio (Carissimi) Opera & Cantata in Venice (Cavalli, Cesti) Opera & Cantata in Rome (Landi, Rossi) Sonatas (Uccellini) | organ, theorbo organ, theorbo, harps., lirone theorbo, harps. theorbo, lirone, guitar, harps. organ, harps., theorbo | usually, at pitch to reinforce organ occasionally, in arioso mvmts, for effect occasionally, in arioso mvmts, for effect occasionally, in arioso mvmts, for effect no |
| Italy, 1665-1700 Mass (A. Scarlatti, Legrenzi) Oratorio, Opera, Cantata Sonata da Chiesa (Corelli) Sonata da Camera (Corelli) Concerto Grosso (Corelli) | organ, theorbo organ, theorbo, harps. organ harps. OR CELLO (chordal) harps., theorbo, organ | yes yes, but only within larger ensembles no possibly, if melodically interesting part has own part, but double bass may be added to ritornelli |
| England, 1600-1635 Service Music (Gibbons) Masque Song (Ferrabosco, Lawes) Solo Song (Lanier, R. Johnson) String Consort (William Lawes) | organ lute, theorbo, cittern, band., harps lute or theorbo organ, theorbo | no yes no has own part (no double bass) |
| England, 1635-1665 Ayre & Dialoque (Lawes) String, Consort (Jenkins) | lute, theo. OR BASS VIOL (chordal) organ | no has own part (no double bass) |
| England, 1665-1700 Service Music (Purcell) Ayre (Purcell, Blow) Theater Music (Locke, Purcell) Chamber Music (Purcell) | organ, theorbo organ, harps., theo OR BASS VIOL harps., guitar, theorbo organ, harps. | yes, at pitch, to reinforce organ yes, bass viol or violone, at pitch has own part no, unless it has a specific part |
| North Germany, 1600-1635 Sacred Polyphony (Schutz) Religious Polychoral (Praetorius, Schutz) Sacred Concerto (Scheidt, Schutz) String Consort (Schein, Brade) | organ or lute one organ or lute PER choir organ, theorbo lute, spinet, or none | no yes (preferrably violone, at pitch) optional has own part (no double bass) |
| North Germany, 1635-1665 Sacred Concerto (Schultz, Hammerschmidt) Sacred Polyphony (Schutz) String Consort (Hammerschmidt) | organ, lute, harps. organ or lute lute, spinet, theorbo | optional – both Schutz & Hammerschmidt permit 8′ AND 16′ bowed bass, if desired no has own part |
| North Germany, 1665-1700 Church Cantata (Buxtehude) String Consort (Rosenmuller) Chamber Music (Buxtehude) | organ, theorbo harps., organ, theorbo harps. | yes, as desired, both 8′ and 16′ has own part no |
| South Germany, 1600-1635 Mass (Priuli, Valentini) Sacred Concerto (Valentini) String Consort (Valentini) Concerted Madrigal (Valentini) | organ organ, theorbo organ, harps., theorbo chitarrone | yes, prob. 8′ violone yes, prob. 8′ violone has own part ? |
| South Germany/Austria, 1635-1665 Mass (Schmelzer, Kerll) Oratorio (Bertali, Sances) Opera (Cesti) | organ, theorbo organ, theorbo harps., theorbo | yes, prob. 8′ violone yes, prob. 8′ violone yes, prob. 8′ violone |
| South Germany/Austria, 1665-1700 Mass (Draghi, Kerll, Biber) Oratorio (Draghi) Theater Music (Draghi, Biber) Chamber Music (Biber, Schmelzer, Muffat) | organ organ, theorbo, harps. harps., theorbo harps. | yes, often fagotto yes yes yes, often many insts! |
| France, 1600-1635 no basso continuo repertoire until 1647, 1652 | ||
| France, 1635-1665 Air de Cour (Huygens, Lambert) Motet (du Mont) | theorbo, lute, harps. organ, theorbo | no no |
| France, 1665-1700 Opera and Ballet (Lully): solo vocal parts and choruses instrumental ensembles Mass, Moted (Lully) Chamber Music (Charpentier, Couperin) | theorbo, harps. no harmonic continuo organ, theorbo theorbo, harps. | yes “bass violin” (cello) has own part yes yes, usually bass viol |