[rolltrane]

I'm working on this currently for a recital exam,(the Rascher transcription). I have heard a couple of saxophone versions but I'm really getting more out of listening to violin recordings especially this one by period specialist Andrew Manze

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handel-Complete-Sonatas-George-Frideric/dp/B0006Z2LN8

A lot of the phrasing, articulation, dynamics etc is very different from the Rascher ( and very effective in my unlearned opinion). If the Rascher edition is specified in the list of repertoire do you think it's ok to deviate from it? After all Baroque music was generally left up to the taste of the performer and I love the improvisational quality of the Andrew Manze recording. Is it true that Rascher's transcriptions are not highly regarded? I notice the 4th movement in the violin version has some additional sections- does anyone know why Rascher omitted these- because of range perhaps?

any opinions much appreciated

 

[JohnM]

I'm with you on the violin recordings. Whenever I play a Baroque transcription, I like using urtext editions (printed version intended to reproduce the original intention of the composer as exactly as possible, without any added or changed material). My professor showed me his urtext edition of Handel's Sonata Op. 1/1 and it has absolutely no articulations, just notes that allows the performer to decide how to perform it.

The last Baroque I worked on was Johann Friedrich Fasch's "Sonata for Bassoon & Continuo in C major" and I didn't like playing or even looking at Rascher's articulation markings. In this case, the result of Rascher's published edition sounded choppy and messy IMO. My professor informed me about the urtext editions of pieces such as this and he actually reads off the score itself (bassoon part in score). Granted you have to add in the key signature but I find that it helps me play more freely without having to look at all of the staccato markings. Now that's not to say I think all Baroque pieces need to be rid of staccato markings because that is a signature trait of the style at certain times (such as Henry Purcell's "Two Bourrées").

Leopold Mozart's treatise "Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule" (A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing) is how my professor learned to play in this style and recommended I read about how Baroque violinists traditionally play. This helps me think in a way to get the music more flowing and how to play within the traditional style of the Baroque period. The link I posted is actually for the original copy [not translated] but there are books out there that have the information from this treatise. It's just cool to have the original IMO. There is also a flute treatise that is good as well but the author and title elude me at the moment.

As for your questions regarding deviating from the listed rep, I have been told that it is fine, but that is just myself and my professor. I'm sure you will get many differing answers regarding this and since this is for an exam I would play it safe and check if you can use a different edition. Just depends on the situation IMO. If this were a recital just for the sake of playing music and sharing it with people, then I say go for it. Not quite sure about Rascher's reasoning behind leaving certain movements and sections out of his editions. Could be range, thought it wouldn't be suited to play on the saxophone, etc... It also could be that it was not Rascher but the publishing company that made this edit. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of this can elaborate...

 

[DWoz5000]

I mostly agree with Lovano, except for a few things.

- Just because you're reading from the Rascher edition for an exam doesn't mean you need to be a slave to the ink. This goes for just about anything you'll play, BTW. The people grading you won't be playing a gotcha game about every slur (and if they are, they shouldn't be). The exam specifies the Rascher transcription because it is the most common one (I think it was Hemke who put out another transcription of this Sonata, but changed the key to our F. Neither Rascher nor Hemke's transcriptions are in the original key - our B).

- Don't get too hung up trying to copy Baroque violinists while neglecting Baroque wind players. Listening to a period flutist will do you a world of good.

- In addition to sources like the Mozart (or Quantz), you might get a lot out of reading something like Robert Donnington's performance practice text which serves as a digest of the different performance treatises of the period. Very convenient to have this info in one book with clear, modern English written specifically for today's players. Plus, you need to realize that what Mozart says to do is not necessarily what Quantz or others say to do.

- Rascher's transcriptions aren't bad so much as they're dated. The performance practice movement is relatively young, and when Rascher published his Baroque transcriptions it was okay to approach them from a 19th-century performance-practice perspective.

 

[rolltrane]

thanks for the replies guys. I'm relaxed about not being slavish to the Rascher edit. I have the Quantz book and a fair amount of Baroque flute on CD. As you say DWoz everybody can tell you different things. That Donnington book sounds useful-I'll check that out.
I'm sure Rascher changed the key for reasons of range, I wish I was playing it in F all the same!

 

[Woodshedfred]

Hi


I'm also learning this for an LTCL exam next year

are you doing it with Trinity?, if so the syllabus says that you can use any other publishers edition, provided it is not radically different. I had to check this last week because I want to use the Barenreiter edition of Glazunov rather than the Leduc (piano part is written out more clearly - need to keep the accompanist( i.e. wife) happy!)

I don't think Handel XIII is on the AB syllabus, in which case you would submit it as an own choice item, and could use any arrangement you like, however I think that it is too long to use as an own choice item.

I've also got The Dolmetsch edition of the Handel for violin and Piano. The interesting thing is the the dynamic markings are quite different to Raschers edition. it is also in concert D rather than G. I guess Rascher changed the the key to make it fit in the alto's range.

I'm fortunate that my teacher is a very good baroque bassoonist as well as saxophonist, I'm planning to go over the score with her and fine tune the dynamics and phrasing.

If you have done the exam by now - how did it go?

best wishes, Jim