The Fundamentals of Lute Playing, Episode 30: Grounds, a General Discussion

An introduction to grounds.
A link to the ground examples: www.dropbox.co...
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[@vanessagreen3986]

👍🏻

[@banjoboy01]

I found "les Pantalons" by Nicolas Vallet (1615) on the Sarge Gerbode site, I assume that's the famous one (bergamasca)

[@laudonschuett3019]

@@banjoboy01 it’s a great piece!

[@banjoboy01]

@@laudonschuett3019 I just looked at your version because I only play 6 course music. I like the minor key variation, is that uncommon for a bergamasca?

[@laudonschuett3019]

@@banjoboy01 that was inspired by this big beautiful change to minor in another ground, called Arthur’s Dump. I thought it would work nicely in a Bergamasca as well, though it would blow my mind if there isn’t an example in the literature. They definitely liked to play with Major/Minor/flat/sharp variations. The Milanese is basically a major version of the passamezzo antico. Thanks for asking and if I spot a bergamasca with that change, I will let you know : )

[@banjoboy01]

@@laudonschuett3019 thanks so much, one more thing...how strict is the ground since I don't have the low octave, there are times when a 1st or 2nd inversion could work in the bass, I'm just trying to avoid so much repetition of the root string

[@laudonschuett3019]

@@banjoboy01 great question! So they were fairly strict since the bass is the ground and not necessarily the harmony BUT there are some exceptions (just off the top of my head). First, you can add extra harmonies between the ground bass notes as long as those ground bass notes arrive on the downbeat of the next measure (John Johnson Quadro pavins for example). Second, I have seen substitutions, though I think all the ones I have seen were root position. Things like switching out an F major chord in a passamezzo moderno with a d minor chord. Usually this is after several iterations of the ground so it is clear that it is a variation.I think one of the great challenges is to keep it interesting over that static bass but I’m sure if you look hard enough through the repertoire, you will find some examples of 1st inversions of the ground. 2nd inversions would be avoided because of the 4th against the bass, which is cadential in the 16th century. I’ve only seen a few examples of non cadential 2nd inversion chords in fantasies where the composer got stuck and they usually find a way to pass through it quickly or break it up with a texture change. One thing I did before composing was a big survey and analyze of about 150 pieces and that helped to create a list of common traits and things they avoided. I hope this helps a bit! You know, looking at Vallet again after all these years, it has a few spots with inversions so there you go! I would say that that is fairly special but they obviously did it so okay to do! : ) m.49 and m.53 if you are looking for them….