-----Original Message-----
From: Harpsichords and Related Topics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jan de Groot
Sent: 28 January 2016 12:49
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: early fingering in rapid passages

> Jan wrote: ... when playing very rapid passages, such as in Sweelinck's
toccatas or, for example, Byrd's fantasia Nr. 13, I think that the very fast
succession of, e.g., 23 or 34 was felt as inconvenient to the keyboard
players in those early times as it is for me. Could it be that in such
(exceptional?)cases these players applied some kind of what we now call
'modern' fingering?

No it could not. 

It is well documented that players at that time did not pass the thumb for
scales (w. a few exceptions for the l.h.).: long scales were played with two
fingers (or three if there were accidentals) well into the times of Mozart:
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach played this way in the 2nd half of the 18th century!
 
According to Lindley (1982) the passage of the thumb for fast scales and
passages, coexisting with the traditional fingerings for slow passages, is
first suggested by Alessandro Scarlatti in the 1730's. 

Best

CDV
http://finger.braybaroque.ie/



---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Note:  opinions  expressed on HPSCHD-L are those of the  individual con-
tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
versity of Iowa.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
[log in to unmask]  saying  HELP .
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::