Dale Carr | Toccata VI da sonarsi alla Levatione by Froberger performed by Dale Carr in Zeerijp on 7 June, 1986 @dalecarr6361 | Uploaded March 2022 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
Toccata VI da sonarsi alla Levatione by Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667), performed by Dale Carr in a concert in Zeerijp {prov. Groningen} on 7 June, 1986
A toccata is a piece for a keyboard instrument or a lute. The name indicates the way of making music : with the fingers. Similar names are cantata, for a sung piece, and sonata, for a “sounded” piece, i.e. a piece for an instrumental ensemble. In a toccata, thus, something different is going on than in music for voices or an ensemble (or both together in a concerto) : the player tries out, often in an improvisational manner, the toucher of the instrument. More important than any virtuoso aspect is the simple fact that the instrument is made to sound by the fingers.
'Da sonarsi alla Levatione' means 'to be played during the elevation', the moment during the celebration of the Mass, indicated by the raising of chalice and host, at which, according to Roman Catholic belief, the wine becomes blood and the bread becomes flesh. During this act, organists lived out their most extravagant musical fantasies.
Extravagant in what ways?
- extravagantly slow tempi;
- unexpected contrasts of movement, from relatively fast notes to virtual stasis and vice versa;
- unexpected dissonances such as suspensions and augmented or diminished triads; these dissonances are emphasized by the sustained character of organ sound;
- unexpected changes from major to minor mode, or the opposite;
- unexpected harmonic progressions;
- unexpected melodic diversions;
- registration was often intended for the 8' Principale with addition of a 'voce umana', a slightly detuned register giving a wavering effect {not available on this organ}.
In addition, passages using lombardic rhythms {i.e. long-short} are found in relatively many toccate per l'elevazione; another example is at youtube.com/watch?v=zoIaytgsuCw
I don't know whether these passages have an extra-musical significance.
A few words concerning the many striking harmonic effects. These are of 2 types: dissonant intervals & out-of-tune intervals.
Dissonant intervals are strictly defined in the harmonic practice of Froberger's time: they consist, among others, of augmented 2nds such as e𝄬-f#, diminished 4ths such as g#-c, and other augmented & diminished intervals. The composer carefully prepared such dissonances & also resolved them according to strict rules.
The 'out-of-tune' intervals in this performance are a result of the mean-tone tuning of the organ in Zeerijp, in which c# has a different pitch than d𝄬. The same is true of g# & a𝄬 and of d# & e𝄬. This tuning gives the most-used chords a greater purity than is heard in equal temperament, while the out-of-tune intervals are much more striking.
I find that a rather strict tempo allows the written contrasts to stand out very well, whereas a less strict tempo tends to weaken their effect.
About a year ago I uploaded this piece performed in the Der Aa-Kerk in Groningen, where the organ is not tuned in mean-tone. {youtube.com/watch?v=IeNp8IJ3IrY }
This Toccata is found in a presentation manuscript for emperor Fredinand III dated 29 September 1649.
Toccata VI da sonarsi alla Levatione by Johann Jakob Froberger (1616-1667), performed by Dale Carr in a concert in Zeerijp {prov. Groningen} on 7 June, 1986
A toccata is a piece for a keyboard instrument or a lute. The name indicates the way of making music : with the fingers. Similar names are cantata, for a sung piece, and sonata, for a “sounded” piece, i.e. a piece for an instrumental ensemble. In a toccata, thus, something different is going on than in music for voices or an ensemble (or both together in a concerto) : the player tries out, often in an improvisational manner, the toucher of the instrument. More important than any virtuoso aspect is the simple fact that the instrument is made to sound by the fingers.
'Da sonarsi alla Levatione' means 'to be played during the elevation', the moment during the celebration of the Mass, indicated by the raising of chalice and host, at which, according to Roman Catholic belief, the wine becomes blood and the bread becomes flesh. During this act, organists lived out their most extravagant musical fantasies.
Extravagant in what ways?
- extravagantly slow tempi;
- unexpected contrasts of movement, from relatively fast notes to virtual stasis and vice versa;
- unexpected dissonances such as suspensions and augmented or diminished triads; these dissonances are emphasized by the sustained character of organ sound;
- unexpected changes from major to minor mode, or the opposite;
- unexpected harmonic progressions;
- unexpected melodic diversions;
- registration was often intended for the 8' Principale with addition of a 'voce umana', a slightly detuned register giving a wavering effect {not available on this organ}.
In addition, passages using lombardic rhythms {i.e. long-short} are found in relatively many toccate per l'elevazione; another example is at youtube.com/watch?v=zoIaytgsuCw
I don't know whether these passages have an extra-musical significance.
A few words concerning the many striking harmonic effects. These are of 2 types: dissonant intervals & out-of-tune intervals.
Dissonant intervals are strictly defined in the harmonic practice of Froberger's time: they consist, among others, of augmented 2nds such as e𝄬-f#, diminished 4ths such as g#-c, and other augmented & diminished intervals. The composer carefully prepared such dissonances & also resolved them according to strict rules.
The 'out-of-tune' intervals in this performance are a result of the mean-tone tuning of the organ in Zeerijp, in which c# has a different pitch than d𝄬. The same is true of g# & a𝄬 and of d# & e𝄬. This tuning gives the most-used chords a greater purity than is heard in equal temperament, while the out-of-tune intervals are much more striking.
I find that a rather strict tempo allows the written contrasts to stand out very well, whereas a less strict tempo tends to weaken their effect.
About a year ago I uploaded this piece performed in the Der Aa-Kerk in Groningen, where the organ is not tuned in mean-tone. {youtube.com/watch?v=IeNp8IJ3IrY }
This Toccata is found in a presentation manuscript for emperor Fredinand III dated 29 September 1649.
