Continuo Resources

Thanks to Charlotte Nediger, to whom most of this list is due.

An excellent starting place is Christensen’s “18th Century Continuo Playing” (see “Modern” below).

Historical Treatises

France

• 1689: D’Anglebert, “Principes de l’accompagnement”
  • Published at the back of his “Pièces de Clavecin”; examples of full (4-voice minimum) realizations with detailed arpeggiation markings
• 1718: Dandrieu, “Principes de l’Acompagnement du Clavecin”
  • Basslines with full four-voice realizations given entirely in figures
  • See here for the exercises in all keys

Germany

• 1699: Muffat, “Regulae Concentuum Partiturae”
  • Begins with standard list of cadences; ends with example basslines with discussion and multiple realizations for each
• 1700: Niedt, “The Musical Guide”
  • Chapters I–IX paraphrased by Bach for teaching thorough-bass
  • Translation by Poulin and Taylor (Internet Archive) notes changes made by Bach in footnotes
• 1728: Heinichen, “Der General-Bass in der Composition”
  • Thorough treatise with plentiful written-out examples (multiple for each bass)
• 1733: Telemann, “Singe-, Spiel- und General-Bass-Übungen
  • Songs with discussions and examples of realization
  • Translation by Remeš
• 1762: C.P.E. Bach, “Essay on the True Manner of Playing the Clavier”
  • Covers all parts of keyboard playing
  • New translation by Plebuch and Remeš

England

Note: “flat key” means “minor key” and “sharp key” means “major key”. There are a number of other odd terms that are peculiar to English music writing of the period.

• 1673: Locke, “Melothesia”
  • Very brief introduction to continuo
• before 1707: Keller, “A Compleat Method for Attaining to Play a Thorough Bass”
  • Written-out examples, often several
• before 1708: Blow, “Rules for Playing of a Through Bass”
  • More detailed than Locke, still very brief
  • Manuscript not publically digitized (July 2026)
• before 1753: Avison, “An Essay on Musical Expression”
  • Some remarks on continuo realization style
  • Best edition is by Pierre Dubois (Internet Archive) and inlcudes related writings

Italy

• 1722: Gasparini, “L’Armonico Pratico al Cimbalo”
  • Has specific discussion of recits and diminution (including of the bassline)

Historical Exercises

• 1730s: Handel’s continuo exercises
  • Edition by David Ledbetter “Continuo Playing According to Handel” (Internet Archive) contains realizations by the editor at the end
• 1710s: Bach, Violin Sonata in E minor BWV 1023
  • Extremely detailed figures
• 1730s: Bach, Violin Sonata in G major BWV 1021
  • Extremely detailed figures
• 1700s: Choralbuch für Ostfriesland
  • Many chorales with only the outer voices and figures
  • Edition by Noetzel

Historical Realizations

Some of these are absolutely realizations; others are conjectured to be by reliable sources and others are conjectured by me.

• ca. 1689: Purcell, “A New Ground in E minor” ZT 682
  • Adapted from “Here the Deities Approve” from “Welcome to All the Pleasures” Z.339 (also found in Orpheus Britannicus)
• ca. 1680s: Purcell, Ground in C minor ZT 681
  • Adapted from “With him he brings the partner of his throne” from “Ye tuneful Muses” Z.344
• 1735: Bach, BWV 1030
  • At least the “largo e dolce” likely originates from a piece for solo and continuo
• 1700–1760: Corelli, 12 Violin Sonatas Op. 5
  • Complete realization by Antonio Tonelli; not terribly interesting

Modern

• Christensen, “18th Century Continuo Playing: A Historical Guide to the Basics”
  • Gathers parts from many historical treatises, separated by country and compared to each other
• Toronto Continuo Collective
  • Various resources by Lucas Harris and Borys Medicky
• Early Music Sources PIE Series
  • Translations of “neglected” sources; mostly basso continuo treatises so far