JAVS Spring 2025

The other two approaches share the same basic principle as the previous compositional choices but developed into more advanced techniques. I call these approaches a “big” and “small alternation.” The first four measures of Largo from Telemann’s Violin Fantasia no.1 provide a simple and classic example of the “big alternation.” Composing a larger interval between the first and second beats gives an illusion of two separate players playing together.

The fugue from Bach’s Cello Suite no.5 (Example 9) provides another more complicated example. The large distance combined with different musical characters amplifies the implied polyphony.

Example 9.Telemann Violin Fantasia No.1, Largo. Beginning (top) and Bach Cello Suite No.5, Fuga. mm.150-153.

While Telemann’s example shows simple alternation between a bass and a melody, Bach’s Cello Suite no.5 exemplifies a conversation, or question and answer, type of texture: in mm. 150-153, the “small alternation” occurs in a much narrower range. Additionally, Presto from Bach’s Violin Sonata no.1 highlights swift

alternation from one character to the other. Although Davis concludes that the human interpretation was not necessarily making a significant difference to the listeners, I believe performers still should strive to make this magic come alive as much as possible.

Example 10. Bach Violin Partita No.1, Presto. mm.36-38.

My transcription of BWV 997 follows two central principles discussed above in reference to BWV 995 and BWV 1000 (the transcriptions made by Bach or by lutenists in his circle). Firstly, a bass line is added, often with other contrapuntal voices under running sixteenth notes. Secondly, when adding a bass voice, it is often positioned an octave lower or doubled. In my transcription of BWV 997, I endeavored to preserve Bach’s original intentions as much as possible while making it idiomatic for the viola.

BWV 997: Transcription Procedure I decided to transcribe BWV 997 because I wanted to make a parallel version of the Unaccompanied Violin Sonata no.1 (BWV 1001) and Cello Suite no.5 (BWV 1011) for viola: a suite consisting of a prelude, followed by a fugue and dance movements. Yet unlike BWV 997, some lute suites do not contain all these elements. For example, BWV 996 contains only dance movements, while BWV 998 consists of a prelude and fugue, but no dance movements.

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 41, No. 1, Spring 2025

21