JAVS Summer 2011

The Scordatura Solution With these results, we come to this scordatura substitution (ex. 6): Example 6. Scordatura tuning for viola da gamba substitution in the Brandenburg Concerto No. 6

Each stave is dedicated to two strings, adopting Maurice’s method for Bach’s fifth suite. 49 While these notes denote the actual pitches of the four strings, the parts are written to accommodate reading at sight in what is essentially a form of tablature, turning the viola into a transposing instrument (ex. 7). Example 7. J. S. Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, BWV 1051, movt. I, mm. 19–23, scordatura viola substitution for Viola da gamba II.

The new scordatura preserves all but one pitch—a low A sixteenth-note in the first viola da gamba in m. 96 of the first movement. Even taking this into account, all the downward running lines are kept intact, solving the issues that appear with regular viola substitution. More significantly, the additional resonance and change in timbre turn the viola from an alto tenor instrument into the tenor role for which the viola da gamba was envisaged. The unusual coincidence of the key of B-flat major with a tonic and dominant that reflect the resonances of the viola makes one wonder whether Bach made that selection with some instinct toward its resonant effect for the solo violas. This is especially so considering the majority of his solo works for violin and cello exploit keys of open strings and particularly fortunate in that it allows us to find a replacement for the viola da gamba.

V OLUME 27 S UMMER 2011 O NLINE I SSUE 38