JAVS Spring 2024

Another important phenomenon to highlight is the consistent appearance of measures in which there are a different number of beats than the one established by the time signature. While it is not clear why, such measures usually appear with double the number of beats, which may seem to be an omission of the barline, or in some cases like the first measure of the Passagalia , to show in a clearer way an important musical motive. However, there are several examples where it is not exactly double or where there are fewer beats, mainly in improvisatory styled sections which include the succession of several small value notes. It is important to mention this, because when studying and interpreting the works, playing in a different meter can generate a different rhythmic effect. score that can be interpreted in different ways, different editions of the work have been created over the years, and each one created with different criteria and for different purposes, either academic or interpretative. By the date of publication of this document, there are eight different available editions of the complete collection for violin and continuo, and which were examined for this research. These editions have been published by GIA Publications (1993), The Early Music Company Ltd (1997), Doblinger- Diletto Musicale (2000), Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich (2003), UT Orpheus Edizioni (2007), Musedita (2008), Strube (2008), and Kalmus (unknown date). Editions Given the large number of elements present in the Upon starting the transcription for viola of the different sonatas, it was necessary to determine an edition on which to base this work. After carefully examining each of these editions, understanding their editorial criteria, the purpose for which they were created, and comparing each one with the manuscript, it became evident that most of the commercially printed editions substantially modify the content of the original manuscript. Therefore, for the purpose of not reproducing in this new transcription any editorial choices made by anyone other than the composer, it became necessary to re-construct a new edition of this sonata collection for violin, being as faithful as possible to the original manuscript, both PART 2: CONSTRUCTING A FAITHFUL REPRESENTATION OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT

academically and historically, which could serve as the starting point for creating a reliable viola transcription.

This new violin edition is an attempt to reproduce the composer’s original content, and only considering as copyist’s errors the places where the music is not viable due to the generation of dissonant sonorities which do not fit the global pattern of the sonatas and their style. In this edition the measures are preserved with the rhythmic figures and number of beats as in the manuscript and the original directions of the stems are preserved (which are vital to understand the different voices present in the music), trying to present only the elements present in the manuscript. It is also important to note that this new edition follows Biber’s writing common practice in which accidentals apply only to the indicated note and to immediate repetitions of the same note but are not carried over the measure. The initial idea of creating a transcription of the viola sonatas arose from the motivation to perform them on the viola, as well as making this repertoire available to the viola community. As of today, there is no published transcription or edition for viola of the complete sonatas, although the last work in this collection, the Passagalia, was first published for viola in 1975, and is widely known and often performed by violists around the world. Three of the most used editions of this Passagalia for viola are: HEINRICH IGNAZ FRANZ BIBER: Passacaglia (C minor) for viola solo Transcribed by Walter Lebermann. Frankfurt (Edition Peters) 1975. HEINRICH IGNAZ FRANZ BIBER: Passacaglia for Viola senza Basso Bolonia (Atelier-Editionen Röhm) [Unknown publication date] HEINRICH IGNAZ FRANZ BIBER: Passacaglia (original pour violon) pour alto seul Transcribed by Jean-Philippe Vasseur. Paris (Gérard Billaudot Éditeur) 2016. PART 3: THE VIOLA EDITION

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 40, No. 1, Spring 2024

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