The trio sonata is a genre, typically consisting of several movements,[1] with two melody instruments and basso continuo. It originated in the early 17th century and was a favorite chamber ensemble combination in the Baroque era.[2]

Basic structure

The trio sonata typically was typically written for two melody instruments (such as two violins) and (basso) continuo.[3] However, either of both of the melody parts could be played on the flute, recorder, oboe, or even viola da gamba.[4] The bass part, the continuo, typically involves two players.[4] One player plays the bass line on a bass instrument such as a bass viol, violone, violoncello, or bassoon.[4] The second player fills in harmonies above the bass line, using an instrument that can produce chords, such as a small organ, a harpsichord, or a theorbo.[4] These chords are normally indicated to the player by placing numbers above the bass part rather than writing out the chords in full, a style of notation called figured bass.

Because there normally are two people playing the continuo part, there are usually four players in all.[1] This accounts for the title of Henry Purcell's second collection, Ten Sonatas in Four Parts (1697); his first publication Sonnata's of III Parts (1683) likewise included separate parts for cello and keyboard.[5] From about the middle of the 17th century two distinct types of sonatas appeared: sonata da camera (chamber sonata) and sonata da chiesa (church sonata).[1] The sonata da camera had three movements, typically in a fast-slow-fast arrangement, while the sonata da chiesa had a typical four-movement structure of slow-fast-slow-fast.

Composers, compositions and variant formats

The genre originated as instrumental adaptation of the three-part texture common in Italian vocal music in the late 16th century. The earliest published trio sonatas appeared in Venice (Salamone Rossi Il primo libro delle sinfonie e gagliarde, 1607) and in Milan (Giovanni Paolo Cima, Sonata a tre for violin, cornett and continuo in the collection Concerti ecclesiastici, 1610).[1]

Arcangelo Corelli

Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli was one of the most influential composers of the trio sonata. The published trio sonatas by Corelli are:[6]

An additional collection of Trio Sonatas, for two violins, cello, and organ, was published as "Op. post." in Amsterdam, in 1714.[7] Corelli's trios would serve as models for other composers well into the 18th century.[8]

Johann Sebastian Bach

German composer Johann Sebastian Bach is another notable composer of the trio sonata, but he was known for shying away from the traditional structure of the sonata. He typically played the three parts with fewer than three instruments. One part could be played by a violin and the other two parts could be played by a keyboard, or all three parts could be played on the organ.[9]

Trio sonatas by Bach include:

Other composers

Handel's Trio Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 2 No. 3, HWV 388, IV. Allegro
Performed by Les Arts Florissants
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TWV 42 F7 #I
(freepats sound from a Libre art score)
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References

  1. ^ a b c d Bonta and Zohn 2003.
  2. ^ Mangsen 2001.
  3. ^ Van Boer 2012, 466.
  4. ^ a b c d Vetter n.d.
  5. ^ 1697, 1683: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  6. ^ Deas 1953, 6.
  7. ^ Talbot 2001b.
  8. ^ Mattheson 1739, 345: §8.
  9. ^ Britannica 2007.
  10. ^ Breig 1997.
  11. ^ Dürr and Kobayashi 1998, 420–421 and 466.
  12. ^ Bach (et al.?) 1740–1760.
  13. ^ Dürr and Kobayashi 1998, 466.
  14. ^ Hofmann 2006.
  15. ^ Talbot 2001a.
  16. ^ Anon. 1949.
  17. ^ Wolff and Leisinger 2001.
  18. ^ Boyce 1747.
  19. ^ Snyder 2001.
  20. ^ Higginbottom 2001.
  21. ^ Dürr 1954, pp. 56–57.
  22. ^ Dürr 1954.
  23. ^ Dürr 1954, p. 56.
  24. ^ Rubin 2001.
  25. ^ Hicks 2001.
  26. ^ Giannini 2001.
  27. ^ Locatelli 1736.
  28. ^ Nolte, Butt, and Butler 2001.
  29. ^ Holman, Thompson, and Humphreys 2001.
  30. ^ Stölzel c. 1750.
  31. ^ Stölzel c. 1720–1750.
  32. ^ Stölzel c. 1740.
  33. ^ Stölzel c. 1760a.
  34. ^ Stölzel c. 1760b.
  35. ^ Stölzel c. 1770.
  36. ^ Stölzel n.d.
  37. ^ Stölzel c. 1700–1799a.
  38. ^ Stölzel c. 1700–1799b.
  39. ^ IMSLP n.d.
  40. ^ Zohn 2001.
  41. ^ Talbot 2001c.
  42. ^ Zelenka [1721–22].

Sources

Further reading

Categories