JAVS Summer 2011

Example 5. J. S. Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, BWV 1051, movt. I, mm. 107–10.

A Scordatura Substitution: Three Pre-Experimental Observations Accepting the relative suitability of viola substitutions over cello substitutions still leaves us with two issues. First is the continued tonal interference of a supporting instrument already present largely as a solo instrument. Secondly, there are areas in which the viola da gamba parts move below the range of the viola. A solution for this is the application of violas employing scordatura, not only to maintain the descending lines, but also to achieve a timbre better approximating the sound—and associated function—of the violas da gamba. The preservation of pitches would be fairly simple on its own: a retuning of the C string down to whatever pitch is required, with a possible adjustment of the G string if the resultant interval became too wide requiring additional inconvenient shifting. The adjustment of timbre is a far more complicated process. Three focal areas have been of particular note in leading to a new substitution with timbre in mind. First is Bach’s fifth suite for solo cello, where the scordatura of the top string is noted to have a particular tonal effect. 38 Even more so is the extended scordatura proposed by Donald Maurice for the suite (c-g-c’-g’), originally intended to advance clarity of voicing. 39 This has provided additional tonal effects in the sympathetic vibrations of having two C strings and two G strings, similar both to Carnatic music and that of North American and Scottish fiddlers. 40 Second is the tunings of violas da gamba, all of which employ standard tunings involving intervals of fourths. Considering that only the upper range of the instrument is used in Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, it is interesting to note that if the alto viola da gamba was used, the tuning of this particular instrument may have included the use of B-flat and F open strings. 41

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