Sonatas for violin and basso continuo written by British composers in the first half of the eighteenth century

Kostka, Magdalena 2014. Sonatas for violin and basso continuo written by British composers in the first half of the eighteenth century. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

The sonata for violin and basso continuo was one of the most popular instrumental genres in early eighteenth-century Europe, as is clearly evident from the numerous works by Italian, German and French composers of the period, whose contributions are widely known and documented. Violin sonatas by British-born composers of the period, on the other hand, have largely been neglected by scholars and performers and no systematic examination of this repertoire has thus far been conducted. The present thesis attempts to contextualise this rich and fascinating repertoire and view it holistically. It aims to contribute substantially to knowledge about the British violin sonata during the period and enhance our understanding of its function, content, dissemination and performance. Fifteen collections of sonatas for violin and continuo written by British-born composers in the first half of the eighteenth century have been selected for detailed analysis. These works have been examined from two different perspectives: as social phenomena and as aesthetic objects. Following relevant introductory materials contextualising the research, the first part of this thesis presents biographical accounts of the selected composers, their careers and musical environment, and the circumstances surrounding the publication and distribution of their sonatas. In Part II the sonatas under scrutiny are analysed in terms of their external designs and internal forms, tonal scope, and harmonic and melodic vocabulary, as well as their technical demands. Technical discussion focuses on issues such as range requirements, position-work and shifting, fingering, bowing, articulation, embellishment, dynamics, and chordal playing.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Music
Subjects:	M Music and Books on Music > M Music
Funders:	AHRC
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	19 Mar 2016 23:49
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/67440

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