Metre in Unmeasured Preludes

Author(s): Richard Troeger

Source: Early Music, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Jul., 1983), pp. 340-345
Published by: Oxford University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3138021
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Richard Troeger

Metre in unmeasured preludes

1 An

1 A

-2 AMrr niviyo 77

The
shorter notes in other parts). The study of unmeasured
of t
notation centres on the contrast between its logic and
and
consistency (despite superficial differences between
exclusively, so that in these pieces only pitch is the practices of individual composers) and the multi-
indicated. Others employed varying degrees of pre- plicity of rhythmic realizations possible (none of them
cision in the notation of note-values: the durations of definitive) which was perhaps the motive for its use.
some notes may be indicated by slurs (liaisons) which Interest is heightened by certain quotations from
show how far a given note is to be sustained through measured music that appear in a few examples of
those that follow; in the later repertory particularly, unmeasured writing. This article will attempt to show
the note-values in the upper and lower parts are often the extent to which the metric flow of the unmeasured
roughly matched (a minim in the bass, for instance,
style may, however approximately, be ascertained.
will accompany approximately a minim's worth of
Nothing can be proved conclusively, but sufficient

340 EARLY MUSIC JULY 1983

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circumstantial evidence may be adduced to support
the conclusions and suggestions given below. The
discussion will be confined to metre; the subject of
rhythmic detail in the unmeasured prelude is beyond
the scope of the present article.
To call the music under consideration here 'un-
measured' is not entirely accurate. That the style is, to
a large extent, rhythmically free is obvious from both
the various forms of its notation and from other

evidence (which will be discussed below). However,

some kind of metric-rhythmic frame, whether explicit
or implicit to the player and the listener, is necessary
simply because of the length and elaboration of some
preludes- some of those by Louis Couperin and Jean-
Henri D'Anglebert, for instance. In fact, of course, any
decisions regarding relative note-values and stresses
will, to a greater or lesser degree, imply metre in the
sense of larger groupings of rhythms.
In general terms, the secular keyboard music of the
Baroque may be divided into several categories. Dance
rI
is the most important of these, and it accounts for the
majority of the output of the clavecinistes. All this
2 Jean-Henri D'Anglebert (1635-
music (except the slow type of allemande) derives from
his Pikces de clavecin (Paris, 1689
the accents and beat groupings of steps and patterns
tombeaux by Marin Marai
of steps; its essence is metric-rhythmic. Another
in
category consists of learned contrapuntal works, andslow
a 3/2 with freque
third of grounds and variations. The fourth unmeasured
group prelude in the
includes the music treated here, as well as the slow suggests that, insofar as it
prelude also follows duple
allemande, the tombeau and the toccata.1 This music is
often free in its rhythm, part-writing and formal that the prelude notation
but to the degree that an
construction; in its textural variety it manipulates to
the fullest advantage the inflexible dynamic of the organization in time of a w
harpsichord. Three of the types have the function of the general, underlying
an opening movement: the first of a suite of dances isduple than triple or con
music in triple metre at t
often either an allemande or a prelude, and the toccata
music and, as such, high
derives its name from toccare, 'to touch', as in trying
out, the keyboard. measured sections in cer
In this category, the unmeasured prelude is rep-
contrast with the surround
resented by the smallest number of extant examples.in triple or compound m
The most significant contributions to the genre are
free- style textures in C or
rhythmic, often imitative
those by Louis Couperin (which constitute the first, as
well as the largest, body of unmeasured keyboardpound metre. Duple met
preludes), Nicolas-Antoine Lebegue, Jean-Henri accentual standpoint and i
D'Anglebert, Louis Marchand, Louis-Nicolas Cleram- the figural and harmonic
bault, Gaspard Le Roux, Jean-Philippe Rameau and of the prelude.
Nicolas Siret. Support for the conclu
style
A significant aspect of the prelude's relationship to is based on duple met
the other genres is the fact that the allemande, ofthe aspects of the repertory
related genres. Prominent
tombeau and the non-imitative portions of the toccata
are all in duple metre: C or ?. (Exceptions arerencetwo of parallel passages

EARLY MUSIC JULY 1983 341

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settings. Quotations from free-style, duple- metre works throughout. The guitar preludes of Robert de Visee8
by J. J. Froberger are found in preludes by Louis are all measured in ? except one, in a stricter style,
Couperin. One of these, a prelude in A minor entitled which is in 6/4. The preludes of Marais for viola da
in the Berkeley Parville Manuscript 'Prelude a l'imit- gamba and continuo9 show strong ties with the
ation de Mr. Froberger',2 quotes phrases from Fro- unmeasured style (their measured notation may have
berger's Plainte faite a Londres and from one of his resulted from the necessity of co-ordinating the solo
toccatas, both also in A minor;3 further, as Alan Curtis and the continuo); of Marais' 46 preludes published
tacitly indicates by juxtaposing passages in his edition between 1687 and 1717, 45 carry time signatures of C,
of Couperin's harpsichord music,4 the conclusion of ? or 2. The most important measured keyboard works
one section of Couperin's Prelude in D minor parallels in the free style are by Francois Couperin and Froberger.
a passage from Froberger's Tombeau de M Blancrocher Couperin published eight preludes in his treatise L'art
(ex.1). de toucher le clavecin of 1717, by which time unmeasured
Ex. I notation was all but extinct. Five of these are in C or ?
(a) L. Couperin, Prelude in D minor, Bauyn Manuscript, Paris,
time (the remaining three are in 6/4, 3/8 and 6/8, in a
Bibliotheque Nationale, Res.475, f.l stricter style, to be played mesure). The composer
explains that they have been measured for ease of
comprehension and that, despite the notation, they
must be played according to the performing style
customary for the prelude, 'd'une maniere aisee sans
trop s'attacher a la precision des mouvemens'.10 These
(b) J. J. Froberger, Tombeau de M Blancrocher, Vienna, Minoriten-
five preludes include the features common to the
konvent, Mus.MS XIV 743, C75v
genre in the early 18th century: use of sequence (much
more frequent than in the 17th-century repertory),
upbeat figures in small note-values, slow bass motion,
and greater use of dotted rhythms, arpeggios and
linear discontinuity than in other areas of the clavecin
literature. (Froberger's free-style works will be dis-
Time signatures, of course, constitute cogent cussed below.)
evidence. In the works of Couperin's contemporaries The unmeasured keyboard repertory itself presents
and the ensuing generations I have been unable to both internal and external evidence for duple-metre
find any markings implying triple metre as a basis for interpretation. Four brief, simple preludes by Dandrieu,
unmeasured preludes. However, in the unmeasured published c1703,1 are in four-note units throughout
repertory for lute and viola da gamba, duple time and suggest duple metre almost automatically. Dan-
signatures occur occasionally. Of two preludes by drieu's preludes are unusual for the early 18th century
Jacques Bittner appearing in a lute tablature of 1682,5 in using exclusively the semibreve (though they scar-
the first opens with a ? signature, though there are no cely warrant more complex notation, for they are very
bar-lines: the other has no time signature but includes simple). The more explicit notation used by other
bar-lines and rhythms indicating duple metre. The composers often presents a fair degree of rhythmic
latter procedure is also used, with scant rhythmic exactitude, particularly at cadences, and such passages
variety, in a lute prelude by Charles Bocquet;6 again, reinforce the concept of an underlying duple metre.
the result is clear duple metre. Like Bittner's first Exx.2-4 are typical.
prelude, the preludes for viola da gamba by de Machy7
all bear (1 signatures, as well as detailed indications of
rhythm, but there are no bar-lines. The use of either Ex.2 N.-A Lebegue, Prelude in F, Pieces de clavessin (Paris, 1677), p.81
time signatures or barring (but not both) suggests that A * [
the metre is approximate, in the nature of a guideline,
rather than a prescription to be followed strictly
~k-4 L ~t.
7LPr -.
throughout.
In that part of the measured prelude repertory which
has elements of free style, duple metre prevails almost

342 EARLY MUSIC JULY 1983

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Ex3 N. Clerambault, Prelude in C, Premier livre de pikces de clavecin deaths of Ferdinand III and Ferdinand IV, the Plainte
(Paris, 1704), p.2 and the Tombeau de M Blancrocher; several of these bear
the direction that they should be played 'lentement,
aA -" avec discretion'. In addition, Froberger's 25 toccatas
and some of his capriccios are in the unmeasured
1 TI/ style. The idiom of all these works is strikingly similar
to that of the unmeasured prelude, and the relationship
is emphasized by the performing direction to the
tombeau, 'sans observer aucune mesure'.
Ex.4 J.-P. Rameau, Prelude in A minor, Premier livre
It may be suggested that Froberger's phrase 'sans
clavecin (Paris, 1706), p.l
observer aucune mesure' actually invites the player to
vary the time by the emphasis of strong beats and the
passing over of weak beats, to such an extent that the
notated metre is in fact often obscured, if not lost
entirely. The rhythmic and metric levels become vague
not because they are ignored but because they are
exaggerated; of course, discretion-le bon goztt--is
The Parville Manuscript contains a 'Prelude de required to make such exaggeration both effective and
Monsieur de la Barre' (see illus.1). Several of the convincing. C and a were a logical choice for works in
notational features of this piece are remarkable, and this style, as they are accentually the most neutral
their combination is unique in the unmeasured metres. Froberger's notation is one solution to the
repertory. The composition employs bar-lines and a ? problem of prescribing an unmeasured performance;
time signature, but the opening chords are written inanother is notation that, to some degree, dispenses
the 'arpeggiated' slant usual in unmeasured preludes. with the attempt to show rhythm accurately. The latter
Every measure contains one or two semibreves in the was the solution selected by the French.
bass, co- ordinated with irregular quantities of what are I do not intend to insist dogmatically on constant
notated as quavers; the written values of other notes duple metre in the realization of unmeasured preludes.
appear to represent more or less accurately the It would appear, from the evidence shown above, to be
durations required in performance. This notation is asthe point of departure for this music, but more diverse
significant as it is unusual. The quaver is used in the beat groupings are possible. It is unlikely, however,
way employed by Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la that these could occur with sufficient frequency to
Guerre, D'Anglebert and others to indicate melodic parallel, say, the metric flux of Lullian recitative, with
notes as opposed to sustained harmonic ones, the its constant changes of time signature. In such
latter being shown here by crotchets, minims and recitative, the word stress is the unifying, focal
semibreves. (Even in the rhythmically more precise element and the music is merely supportive. The
prelude notation of the early 18th century, semibreves preludes have no such strong focus; in general, their
and quavers remained the most flexible values.) texture is uniform and the melodic element either
Apparently, then, the irregular groups of what look like weak or, often, lacking altogether.
quavers above the regular duple pulse of the bass In this repertory, harmonic change is usually
should emerge as rubato flourishes in an underlying j strong factor in initiating a group of beats because i
metre. marks an accent. Although a perpetual flux of bea
As I have already mentioned, the measured groups
free- within a neutral texture could not easily b
style works of Froberger provide important cluesarticulated
to an by inherent harmonic stresses alone, I
understanding of the unmeasured notation used by that the basic chord changes should generate
believe
the French for music of the same type. Froberger'bar-lines'
wrote in any realization of a prelude; this approach
is supported by the related styles of allemande,
his 'unmeasured' pieces in precise rhythmic values
tombeau and toccata, in which a chord is almost never
and then required the player to disregard such metric
and rhythmic exactitude and play with 'discretion'.
held over a bar-line (except in cases of pedal harmony).
The works in question are all in C or ? metre and
Therefore, beyond the problem of underlying metre,
include several allemandes,12 the laments on the the player must find the rhythm appropriate to the

EARLY MUSIC JULY 1983 343

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figurations found between 'downbeat' chord changes.
However, that topic is beyond the range of this article.
Ternary groupings of beats occur in preludes as well
as in the related repertory, but explicit examples are
rare. Two instances are found in allemandes by Louis
Couperin: in C meter, groupings of quavers occur in
patterns of 3 + 3 + 2, determined by both chord
changes and surface rhythm (exx.5 and 6). More
striking and more subtle is the underlying 3/2 meter,
determined primarily by harmonic change, in ex.7.
(The work from which this example is taken is, among
Couperin's measured compositions, the one that comes
closest to the unmeasured style.)
Ex.5 L. Couperin, Allemande in E minor, Bauyn Manuscript, f40v,
bar 7
1 1 L 1 0 oI
Ex.6 L. Couperin,
bar 6
I 11I I I t i
Ex.7 L Couperin, Tombeau de M Blancrocher, Bauyn Manuscript, f.49v,
bars 37-41
'j;-
3 I I
2
The relatively explicit notation of 18th-century
preludes offers very few groupings that are clearly
non-duple. The passages shown in exx.8 and 9 come
from the Prelude in G minor by Nicolas Siret. In ex.8
the notation of the bass and the almost exact matching
to it of the values in the top line imply the metre
indicated below the lower staff. (Precise matching of
344 EARLY MUSIC JULY 1983
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values is rare in even the most exact unmeasured
notation. The inaccuracies in this passage are only
those typical at this period for small values in flourished
and dotted figures.) Ex.9 appears to include a 5/4 bar;
the 'extra' crotchet could, however, be regarded as a
'stretching' of the trill on d", and be compensated for
by accelerating through the ensuing notes. The passage
would then constitute a written-out ritardando-the
type of nuance Froberger would leave to the performer.
Except for one other instance of an 'extra' crotchet
beat, the remainder of this prelude seems clearly to be
in ? meter.
Ex.8 N. Siret, Prelude in G minor, Second livre de pikces de clavecin
(Paris, 1719), pp. 1-2
tilln t ns!a e .1 .
Allemande in A minor, B
CIPF F
Ex.9 Siret, Prelude in G minor, p
A case of 'mixed' notation, reminiscent of that in
illus. 1, occurs in the prelude transcribed as ex.10.
Again there is a ? signature. Perhaps this signature
suggests the basis of the entire prelude, which eschews
bar-lines and precise rhythmic notation after two bars.
The piece can, generally, be accommodated by duple
metre, with a written-out concluding ritardando begin-
ning at D. However, as in the examples from Siret,
some triple groupings may be implied (they are marked
in the example). Another possibility, since the notation
represents the true note-values only approximately, is
Ex.1O Anon., Prelude in G, Paris, Bibliotheque Ste Genevieve, 2374, f16v

AaI I CD3'

do I

rII I

*F - w7

that the impliedthat'third'

their metric point ofbeats (on
departure is duple, though w
realization in this metre
changes of harmony) are is open to occasional increase
written-o
duple metre: or reduction
the of the number ofembellishm
long beats and is characterized

anticipatory c" by exaggeration through

before theduration of strong and weak o
chord
no crotchet beats, so
rest inthat the underlying'tenor'--
the pulse is often more
such as this are implicit than explicit.
frequent in the unm
and the rapid descending notes f
interpreted in this way.
'Davitt Moroney Note
mentions the relationship between that
the allemande, t
last two tombeau, toccataA
instances, and unmeasured
excellent
and
sharp prelude in
article f his
'The performance of unmeasured harpsichord preludes,' Early
match the soprano rhythms.14
Music, 4/2 (April 1976), pp.143-51.
2Bauyn Manuscript, Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale, Res.475, f.9;
Parville Manuscript,
To sum up. In the unmeasured Berkeley, University of California, 778,
prep.79
3Vienna, Minoritenkonvent, Mus.MS XIV 743, f.61; Vienna,
harpsichord composers of the Ba
Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek, 18706
appears, for the most part,
4A. Curtis, ed., L Couperin to
Pi~ces de clavecin, be
Le pupitre, im
18 (Paris,
both internal and external evidence. It offers a metric 1970), p.xvii
5J. Bittner, Pieces de lut (Paris, 1682), pp.1, 14
frame that, in contrast to the generally dance-orientated6C Bocquet Oeuvres, ed. A. Souris and M. Rollin (Paris, 1972), p.64.
triple metre of the period, is not inherently accentual;7De Machy, Pieces de violle (Paris, 1685/R1973)
it is also the metre of the compositional genres most 8R. de Visee, Livre de guittarre (Paris, 1682/R1973); Livre de pieces
pour la guittarre (Paris, 1686/R1973)
closely related to the prelude, allemande, tombeau and9M. Marais, Pitces de violle, books 1-5 (Paris, 1686-9, 1701, 1711,
toccata. Quotations from the measured, duple-metre1714, 1717)
repertory as well as time signatures and/or bar-lines in
IoF. Couperin, L'art de toucher le clavecin (Paris, 1717), p.60
"See P. Brunold, 'Trois livres de pieces de clavecin de J. F.
certain unmeasured preludes further reinforce the
Dandrieu', Revue de musicologie, 16 (1934), p.148.
postulation that C and ? are fundamental to these"2Allemandes belonging to Suites 14, 16, 17, 18 and 20 in J. J
works. Finally, the stylistically similar preludes andFroberger Orgel- und Klavierwerke, ed. G. Adler, DTO 13, Jg. vi/2
(1899/R1959)
free-style works of FranCois Couperin and J. J. Fro- 131 am indebted to Bruce Gustafson for providing me with a copy
berger are all written in duple metre. Exceptions toofa this prelude.
uniform duple pulse do occur, as Siret's Prelude in G '4This kind of notation may be related to the superfluous notes
and beats of the type discussed and illustrated by Frederick
minor exemplifies. However, the overall impression
Neumann in Ornamentation in Baroque and Post-Baroque Music
conveyed by the preludes and their related repertory (Princeton,
is NJ, 1978), p.34.

EARLY MUSIC JULY 1983 345

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