E. Jacquet de la Guerre: Trio Sonata No. 1
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Note: This is an early version and needs proofreading, and a great deal of editorial work on the figures.
Prepared from the manuscript:
This source consists of a full score and a complete set of parts. The score is in several hands, with the musical text being in the hand of an excellent copyist. The parts are in Brossard’s hand, as are most of the figures on the score; the parts have been consulted only when the score is ambiguous. Unlike Jacquet’s violin sonatas, these trio sonatas were never published and this is the only known source.
Figures in the continuo part have been taken directly from the manuscript score. As a result, they are both incomplete and often clearly incorrect, conflicting with solo parts.
No tempi or instrumentation is specified in the manuscript; two violins, viola da gamba, and organ are specfied on the parts. Neither soloist strays particularly high or low: each plays only a single b flat below middle c. Either line could be profitably played on a variety of instruments, needingly only one or two changes: violin, flute, oboe, etc. Violin I tends to spend most of its time above Violin II.
The bassline is intended to be played by more than one instrument: for a dozen or so bars beginning at mm.134 the bassi break into two parts while the soloists fall silent. The upper, more active basso part introduces a running subject that then passes to the soloists so this “solo” part is essential. It would certainly not sound ill if transposed up an octave or two and taken by the harpsichord’s right hand, but in the abscence of a keyboard at least two bassi players are needed.