Göttweig Suite 11
Alternative readings of the text of the complete Gottweig edition
Suite 11
Updated, May 14, 2017
What defines a suite, or a partita? Usually to be a one of these baroque compositions, there has to be a first movement called prelude/sonata/intrada/entre, plus some of the obligatory dances, the allemand, courante, saraband, and gigue. Non-essential movements, also called Galanteries, such as menuets, passepieds, arias, trezzas, canarios, and others are found in this collection, but it is for me hard to see how they would make a whole musical work in the sense it was thought of at the time.
There are well known exceptions. The Mystery Partitas (usually called the Rosary Sonatas) of Biber often contain only a single dance.
This Suite contains many movements that are considered galanteries, that is, non-essential dance movements.
This is not to say don't play this music! However, I think your audience will notice the absence of slow serious dances like allemands and sarabands.
Entre
Bar 12 basso in the manuscript the G is a whole note.
Bar 13 basso in the manuscript there is a low F dotted half followed by a f quarter
Bar 13 vda in the manuscript the rhythm in the second half of the bar is dotted quarter eighth.
Bar 25 vda in the manuscript the vda is a 6th above the bass. The notes are f’’ f’’ e’’ d’’
bar 31 vda in the manuscript the f’ is doubled
Bar 30 - 24 basso Here is the basso part for these bars of the manuscript. Bar 30 is the 4th bar of the manuscript example. I believe the original bass will serve the player well for this passage.
Rondeaux (this is the spelling in both manuscript parts)
bar 19 vda in the manuscript the a’ is written “f’” on the 3rd string.
Bar 53 vda in the manuscript the d’’ is doubled
Bar 59 basso. in the manuscript the c is tied over to the next bar.
Bar 61 vda. I read the slurs in the passage as from the 2nd to the 3rd beat of bar 61, then beat 1 to beat 2 for the next 4 bars.
Bar 66 vda. in the manuscript the a’ is written “f’’’ to be taken on the 3rd string.
Bar 67 vda. In the manuscript I read the slur as beat 2 to 3.
Bar 68 vda. In the manuscript I read the slur as beat 1 to 2. In the manuscript the rhythm of the 3rd beat is 2 16ths, eighth.
Gavott. (basso) Gavott. (vda)
Bar 3 basso in the manuscript the final note is an f.
Bar 3 vda in the manuscript all of the 2nd beat is a tone higher.
Bar 9 basso in the manuscript the final note is a b flat.
Bar 10 vda I read the eighths from the 2nd half of the bar as follows: e d c b natural g e d c#, I would play f d c b natural g e d c#. See for yourself:
My suggestion is a change of only one pitch from what is in the manuscript, and follows the logic of the melody and harmony well.
Bar 16 basso In the manuscript the bar reads d e f, g is the first note of the next bar.
Bourre.
Bar 6 vda In the manuscript the last two notes are slurred.
Bar 11 vda in the manuscript the slur looks like a smudge.
Menuet (vol. 2 page 70)
Bar 35 vda The manuscript has 8 crossed out bars starting at bar 35. The basso part of the cadence is real, so do not hesitate to alter the cadence bars 35 and 36 in the vda part to fit the bass as best suits yourself.
Menuet Premier, Menuet Seconda
It appears to me that the premier and seconda indications are intended to have been erased. In the basso part the seconda minuet comes before the permier. In the Menuet seconda, vda part, the repeats are the end of the A section also seem to have been erased.
If you do play these movements, here are some errata from Minuet seconda on page 72 of the edition:
Bar 7 basso, In the manuscript the c is tied over to the following bar.
Bar 16 basso In the manuscript the first note is d.
Bar 25 basso. In the manuscript the last note is a G.
Guigz
In this movement the slurs do appear to be careless. However, it looks to me like the player could take encouragment from them to slur by a variety of numbers of notes, 2 + 1, and 3 together.
Bar 3 basso. the slur looks accurate!
Bar 15 vda. in the manuscript there is no slur on the second beat.
Bar 17 basso in the manuscript both notes have the figure 7.
Bar 24 vda. in the manuscript the slur is over the last 2 notes. Maybe tie the g's and slur the last two notes?
Bar 34 basso in the manucript the second beat is slurred.
Last bar, both parts: in the manuscript there is a repeat sign at the end of this bar.