The History And Evolution Of Figured Bass

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Thorough bass, basso continuo, figured bass. Each is a mildly different term for a system of shorthand notation of numbers and figures below the notes of the bass part to indicate which chords to play. According to Encyclopedia, it developed in the early 17th century as a way to notate the accompaniment. However, evidence of its origins goes back to even the late 15th century. When a piece is played using the figured bass notations, it is called realizing the piece. The realization of a piece changes from player to player based on skill and taste. The player could play fast moving ornamentations in an attempt strengthen the melodic line, or they may chose to play just block chords. The average piece written with basso continuo has a bass line notated on the staff in addition to numbers and accidentals beneath the staff that show what intervals above the notes should be played and it also includes with inversions as well. Composers were not very consistent in their writings. Some would even omit numbers where they thought the chord was obvious. In the early seventeenth-century, intervals are sometimes literally written, as Monteverdi often used 10, 11, and 15. Eventually, numbers greater than 9 where no longer used. For the most part, the numbers used in basso continuo stayed the same, it was the style they were written in that changed, which number over which, which ones were common enough to leave out, ect. For example: The note C is given on a staff. The numbers 5 and 3 are below it. This indicates that an E and G should be played, or in other words a CEG chord in root position. Most of the time the numbers would be left out on this chord since it is perhaps the most common in pieces, which is still a standard practice in modern writings. Keeping with the C, if the number 6 is below it, that indicates that an A should

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