Ground Bass: Late Renaissance and Baroque Ostinato

william byrd, bells



william byrd, bells

in italy, during seventeenth century, claudio monteverdi composed many pieces using ostinato patterns in operas , sacred works. 1 of these 1650 version of “laetatus sum”, imposing setting of psalm 122 pits 4 note “ostinato of unquenchable energy.” against both voices , instruments:

monteverdi laetatus sum (1650) ground bass

later in same century, henry purcell became famous skilful deployment of ground bass patterns. famous ostinato descending chromatic ground bass underpins lament @ end of opera dido , aeneas:

purcell, dido s lament ground bass



purcell, dido s lament ground bass

while use of descending chromatic scale express pathos common @ end of seventeenth century, richard taruskin points out purcell shows fresh approach musical trope: “altogether unconventional , characteristic, however, interpolation of additional cadential measure stereotyped ground, increasing length routine 4 haunting 5 bars, against vocal line, despondent refrain (‘remember me!’), deployed marked asymmetry. that, plus purcell’s distinctively dissonant, suspension-saturated harmony, enhanced additional chromatic descents during final ritornello , many deceptive cadences, makes little aria unforgettably poignant embodiment of heartache.” see also: lament bass. however, not ostinato pattern purcell uses in opera. dido’s opening aria “ah, belinda” further demonstration of purcell’s technical mastery: phrases of vocal line not coincide 4-bar ground:

dido s opening aria ah! belinda

“purcell’s compositions on ground vary in working out, , repetition never becomes restriction.” purcell’s instrumental music featured ground patterns. particularly fine , complex example fantasia upon ground 3 violins , continuo:

purcell fantasia in 3 parts ground

the intervals in above pattern found in many works of baroque period. pachelbel s canon uses similar sequence of notes in bass part:

pachelbel s canon



ground bass of pachelbel s canon

two pieces j.s.bach particularly striking use of ostinato bass: crucifixus mass in b minor , passacaglia in c minor organ, has ground rich in melodic intervals:

bach c minor passacaglia ground bass



bach c minor passacaglia ground bass

the first variation bach builds on ostinato consists of gently syncopated motif in upper voices:

bach c minor passacaglia variation 1



bach c minor passacaglia variation 1

this characteristic rhythmic pattern continues in second variation, engaging harmonic subtleties, in second bar, unexpected chord creates passing implication of related key:

bach c minor passacaglia variation 2



bach c minor passacaglia variation 2

in common other passacaglias of era, ostinato not confined bass, rises uppermost part later in piece:

bach c minor passacaglia variation ostinato in treble



bach c minor passacaglia ostinato in treble

a performance of entire piece can heard here.