G.B. Buonamente, Il Quarto Libro (1626); for VERSION 1.0

• Jan 24, 2011 - 18:53

Hi,

This is a complete edition of "Il Quarto Libro di Varie Sonate..." (The Fourth Book of Various Sonatas...) of G.B. Buonamente (published in 1626) for two violins and bass.

Part of it was already posted in the forum; this revision is complete and improved and takes advantage of some of the new features of version 1.0; so for a correct display and printing VERSION 1.0 IS NEEDED.

As the work is rather long (50 pieces for 104 pages), it has been split in 4 files; this also allowed a slightly different scaling for different sections, to better accommodate pieces of different length and optimize page turning. Title page and introduction make another, separate, file in .PDF format

Separate parts (another ca. 100 pages) will follows.

The work is definitely not 'main stream' but I hope someone will like it.

M.


Comments

Miwarre,

I tried to open your files under version 0.9.6.3 and it worked just fine - only the footer had to be reformatted.

Thank you for you great effort.

In reply to by kbundies

Thanks for taking the time to report this. I am sure that in 0.9.6.3 are small things here and there which do not show up as intended, as they refer to 1.0 features; for instance:

1) Page numbering: the 5 files (1 pdf and 4 mscz) follow a unique and continuous pagination
2) Change of keys between pieces have no courtesy keys nor (courtesy) naturals

OTOH, I can't imagine what went wrong with the footer, as I am not aware of any change in from 0.9.6.3 to 1.0; I'll try and see!

All in all, the fact that the scores went out readable and acceptable with a previous version is a good indication that this version is largely forward-compatible, i.e. not only scores saved with previous version(s?) are accepted by it (back-compatibility), but also scores saved with it are acceptable when opened with a previous version, which is not always the case.

Thanks for the report,

M.

Found your files as I was browsing for something else that was needed in my compositions.
This must have been a labour of love for this music.
Reading through the pieces it occured to me that these would also make excellent Flute pieces.
Hope you don't mind my adjusting a few notes to bring it in the range of the flute.
(Very few changes had to be made)
Had to change A4 to letter size and then printed a few for my wife who is a flautist.
She wishes to thank you for your effort.
When I have a bit more time I will check the rest and print more music for her.

Hope to see more of your work.
Thank You

In reply to by organsampler

Of course, I don't mind: I have published these works exactly to rescue them from oblivion and give them some circulation (also, I am not the author, just the editor).

Arranging music for different instruments is globally well within the practice of the time. It is true that Buonamente was a reputed violinist -- one of the first known virtuoso of it -- and his music has a noticeable 'violin flavour' (that was just the time when distinct idioms for different instruments started to emerge), but we may assume he was perfectly aware that his music was going to be executed with different instruments and with the necessary adaptations.

So, not only you have any (moral and legal) right to do any adaptation you like, but the operation is not unsuitable to the music itself!

(Note 1: Resizing from A4 to Letter, please play attention to page turning: my layout has been fine-tuned to minimize the impact of page turnings)
(Note 2: If you plan to publish your arrangements, it would be fair to quote your source, i.e. the original author (Buonamente) and the original editor (myself) )

I have under work two more Books of Buonamente (the Fifth and the Sixth), but the source I have at hand lacks one part of each (violin II: probably the 2nd violinist of the group that used that books centuries ago brought his part home 'to study' and never returned it!) and I am looking for other sources.

We may logically assume Buonamente also wrote a First, Second and Third Book, but they are nowhere to be found; a Seventh Book is quoted in the literature but currently not available to me.

Wishing you and your wife a happy time playing early Baroque music,

M.

Thought I had a lead on the Seventh Book but this has evaporated since the person I talked to does not own the book.
Perhaps there is a copy somewhere in the world libraries that might be available.

In reply to by organsampler

Thanks for caring!

While possible, it is unlikely for an individual to own a copy of such a book. Of course, there are book collectors and heirs of ancient families, but the latters are not found at any street corner and the formers would not be very interested in a work by a minor composer; an instrumental work, in addition, where vocal works usually get more attention...

So, I hope a copy of the 7th book exists somewhere but so far I could not find any evidence; I am waiting an answer from a library in Venice which lists some poorly catalogued Buonamente's works (might be anything!), but they do not seem to rush...

Thanks!

M.

Perhaps I should have been more explicit in my comment.
Sorry, I was in a hurry due to another meeting.
The person I was corresponding with is a relative of mine in England and has through inheritance aquired many books and manuscripts.
Some of these date back to the 13 and 14th century, perhaps earlier.
He thought he had the manuscript or book I was looking for but due to poor inventory procedures many are difficult to find.
If I had the funds would love to spend a few months in his Library.
From the pictures he has sent it seems to cover at least three large rooms.
Good luck in the Venice Library.

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