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The manuscript of Striggio's Mass Ecco sí beato giorno for 40 and 60 voices is a fascinating bibliographical object, the dating of which has always been problematic. From the 18th century with Sébastien de Brossard, to the present day with Laurent Guillo and, more recently, Davitt Moroney, several hypotheses have been proposed for the date of this unicum, copied in France during the 17th century. This article presents new evidence based on the identification of three watermarks, whose concomitant presence allows dating the manuscript to the decade of 1610. The accurate dating of this manuscript is important not only for the reception of Striggio's music in 17thcentury France, but also because it may represent the first occurrence of the term 'basse continue'-or rather 'basse continuée'-in a French source. Furthermore, the manuscript bears strong evidence that it was the copyist who devised the 'basse continuée' part, and that he achieved this solely based on the vocal parts, and not from any pre-existent Italian basso seguente. Indeed, the analysis of the two organ parts reveals the challenging and laborious process the French copyist undertook to reach his goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses two questions, neither of which has received much attention from scholars working on Handel's performance practices: did the cello in Handel's continuo section occasionally realize recitative harmony senza cembalo (without harpsichord)? And was the double bass, which has been banished from modern performances of Handel's recitative, actually a regular part of his continuo ensemble when it accompanied recitative? Sources examined include iconography, contemporary manuscripts and testimony, and orchestral pay rosters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the turn of the 17th century Italian composers of secular vocal music, especially those associated with the seconda prattica, began to place greater emphasis on textual expression, and expanded their means of musical expression by means of new harmonic tools such as extreme or unprepared dissonances (durezze and heterolepsis), unresolved dissonances in cadences (ellipsis), harsh note clusters (acciaccatura) and the persistent repetition of a bass note in a tenorizing cadence (extensio), or in the vocal part (cadentia duriuscula), thus delaying its resolution. In today's realizations of 17th century thoroughbass few, if any, of these devices can be heard. On the contrary, many continuo players suppress dissonances, but strive for imaginative melodic lines in their accompaniment, even though this is strongly discouraged in nearly all contemporary thoroughbass treatises. This article examines examples from 17th-century sources, demonstrating how continuo players can learn to recognize and apply these dissonances and musical-rhetorical figures, particularly in unfigured bass lines. The understanding of dissonance treatment is not only a prerequisite for a stylistically appropriate accompaniment of Italian 17th century solo vocal music; more importantly, the judicious application of these techniques allows the accompanist to enhance the affective expression of the music without impeding the vocal line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on the history of the musical term basso continuo. Popularity of the basso continuo; Importance of establishing a difference between Baroque and Palestrina; Details on basso continuo.

Focuses on the harpsichord continuo in Arcaenglo Corelli's opus 5 sonatas. Playing of the chord with the right hand; Maximum number of parts; Stylistic criteria; Examines the authenticity of 20th century continuo style in reflecting documented practices of the Baroque.

Offers a musicological analysis of `Orfeo,' by Claudio Monteverdi. Guide to the selection and use of musical instruments for bass continuo; Survey of literature; Evidence and aspects of performance.