C.P.E. Bach Study Guide: The Turn

C.P.E. Bach: Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen
(Part One 1753, Berlin)
(Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments)

I am always interested in original sources, and this is one of the best for keyboard players. C.P.E. would have formed many of his ideas from his father, the great J.S. Bach. At the same time, he was very much part of the next generation and was well known and respected on his own merits. It is well worth the effort to study the text either in the original German or the English translation. Having made my way through both, it takes time to wade through the antiquated writing style and sort out the musical examples. The following study guide is intended to make the text more accessible by providing a summary of each paragraph along with audio clips of the musical examples.

Study Guide: Summary and Examples
Chapter Two, Embellishments: The Turn

THE TURN

1) The turn is an easy embellishment that makes melodies both attractive and brilliant. The symbol and its execution are shown in Figure 118 with its execution at various speeds.

  • (1787 edition) If accidentals are needed, they can be placed over the turn to the left (altering the first note) or right (altering the third tone)

2) The turn can also be shown with the notation shown in the asterisked example, but C.P.E. prefers the other to avoid confusion.

3) Uses of the turn:

  • Slow and fast movements
  • Slurred or detached notes
  • Do not use with very short notes since that might impede the clarity of the melody

4) The turn can be found in three varieties, each of which will be examined in detail:

  • Alone (paragraphs 5-26)
  • In combination with the short trill (the Trilled Turn, paragraphs 27-32, full turn paragraphs 33-36)
  • After one or two 32nds in small notation (these differ from the appoggiatura) (paragraph 37)

5) When the turn alone is used, the symbol may appear either directly over the note or after it, slightly to the right

6) Examples of the turn alone:

7) There is a temptation to overuse the turn. Please do not.

8) In most cases the turn adds brilliance to a note. Do not add turns in sustained passages just because you can. You will ruin the affect.

9) The turn can be considered a normal suffixed trill in miniature, generally used the same way.

10) The turn is usually played quickly. Therefore, do not substitute it for a trill on a long note. The trill would fill out the note, the turn would not.

11) Exception to the above: in a slow tempo, such as in cadences and after an ascending appoggiatura.

12) The turn is better with an ascending following tone (same as suffixed trill). It is easy to move upwards through a series of turns (Figure 121).

(1787 edition adds) It may replace the trill where it is technically difficult due to 2 voices in one hand (Figure 121 a). Note this should only be done on a relatively short note that can be filled by the turn.

13) The turn can be used with leaping notes (same as suffixed trill).

14) The turn works well over repeated notes.

  • Note the following tone should rise a 2nd (1787 edition adds “at least in the case of rapid notes”)
  • When the following tone descends, a compound appoggiatura would be a better ornament choice

15) Warning: Turns over an appoggiatura—do not decorate the following note

Exception: before a fermata, where notes can be lengthened slightly to clearly show the distinction of ornaments (a)

16) Warning: Do not place a turn over an appoggiatura that is not a repeated tone

BUT: (a) the resolution after the appoggiatura may have a turn

17) The symbol for turn is not well known apart from keyboard instruments. It is often indicated by a trill sign or even a mordent sign. Figure 126 shows many examples of the turn vs. the trill.

  • Examples where only a turn works: (marked *) a, g, p, q
  • Examples where a turn or trill are equally suited in fast tempos: j, k, l, m (note the last note repeats the middle one)
  • Example n shows an appoggiatura is occasionally added to the turn in slow tempos
  • Other examples given:

18) The trill symbol is often used as an all-purpose symbol to use some sort of decoration. Example (o) shows a typical passage where a trill would be impossible to perform techanically due to the spped, and a turn is the appropriate ornament.

19) Using turns after ASCENDING appoggiaturas

  • YES: The turn may appear over a fermata preceded by an ascending appoggiatura
  • NO: The turn is never used over a final note approached in this way (by an ascending appoggiatura)
  • YES: OK to use it either with a fermata or final note with DESCENDING appoggiaturas

20) Turns vs. Trills: 2 key differences

  • The last notes of a turn are played slower, so there is always a small space between them and the following tone (trill last tones played at same speed)
  • The turn is sometimes played in a broad manner in slow, expressive movements (without brilliance)

21)The turn alone between a note (or appoggiatura) and another note serves to fill out notes and can appear in three cases:

  • Case #1: when the note is somewhat long
  • Case #2: over a tie
  • Case #3: after a dotted note

22) Case #1: when the note is somewhat long

  • note that stepwise downward motion should be avoided
  • Figure 129 (a *) shows how all turns in example (a) should be played

23) Case #2: over a tie

  • Note that in a slow tempo a dot is added, in a faster tempo there is no dot
  • This frequently occurs at cadences

24) Case #3: after a dotted note

  • Notes in the turn are invariable
  • Often used at very slow tempos where the dotted note alone would be bare
  • The turn in Figure 129 (c) should be played the same way as Example 2 (Figure 129 (2)).
  • Example 1: used at caesuras
  • Example 2: used before cadences when a dotted note is followed by a short one that anticipates a trill
  • Warning: do not use this type of turn before descending dotted notes of only moderate length
  • Example 3: Only a turn works here, a substituted trill would be incorrect
  • Example 4: The turn may be placed over the second note as well as the first
  • The accompaniment shows that this example requires a slow tempo
  • (1787 edition) C.P.E. suggests new notation symbols to indicate a case where he wants the last note of the turn to be detached
  • C.P.E. suggests notating a rest (e) or using the notation in (f)
  • C.P.E. suggests improving the notation in (g) after a long note
  • Suggested improvement:  (h) shows the use of ties to be more specific about placement

25) Accidentals in turns

  • Accidentals are used according to context (same as trills)
  • Do not use with the interval of an augmented 2nd (same as turns)

26) Choose a fingering that will work technically for the fast execution of the turn

27) THE TRILLED TURN

  • This can be thought of as a short trill + a suffix
  • It is a miniature version of a trill with suffix, although it is very different and should not be used as a substitute
  • C.P.E. tries to introduce a new notation symbol to indicate this type of ornament. It was not widely adopted.
  • The large slur in the example only refers to the overall phrasing

28) When to use the trilled turn:

  • Occurs with or without a preceding appoggiatura
  • Used only in a descending 2nd (same as a short trill)
  • The first note is tied, becoming part of the ornament as shown in Figure 131 and 132
  • Since the trilled turn has more notes,  it fills out longer notes better than either the turn or short trill alone
  • Because of this, it is better to use it instead of the short trill in passages such as the first three of Figure 133
  • However, the short trill alone is better in the asterisked example when the tempo is allegretto or faster
  • In general, in passages where an unsuffixed trill could be used, neither the turn alone or the trilled turn would work (i.e. they would not fill out the note)

(1787 Edition)

  • In moderately fast movements the trilled turn can be played as in example (a) (i.e. there is no tie due to the fast speed)
  • This is fine as long as it does not create bad voice leading
  • If the ornament is intended to be played this way, it is best to use the symbol in (a) (not C.P.E.’s symbol of the turn on top of the trill)

29) The turned trill in the case of three descending notes in a slow tempo

  • The second note (which has a trilled turn) and the final note both take appoggiaturas
  • The examples show this without ornaments (a), with the ornament symbols (b) and with the execution written out (c) 
  • Purpose of the first appoggiatura:
    • Helps to fill out notes in a slow tempo (typical use)
    • Helps to make the trilled turn work well, not coming in too soon
  • Purpose of the second appoggiatura:
    • Shortens the final tone
    • Satisfies the tendency of the turn to rise
  • Reasons NOT to play the 2nd appoggiatura ahead of the beat, making it part of the turn rather than the principal note (C.P.E. feels strongly about this)
    • It is a prefix belonging to the final tone, not a suffix belonging to the trill
    • C.P.E. has already discussed that the turn must always have a slight pause at the end to make it distinct from whatever follows
    • The appoggiatura divides the final tone in a way that makes it similar to other parts of the passage
  • Example (d) is another example, also noting the last two notes should be played as shown

30) Fingering

  • To play the turn quickly and clearly, sometimes creative fingerings need to be used
  • The turn should be practiced with all fingerings in case there is no alternative to using weaker fingers

31) Although ornaments are not as easily added to the bass line, the trilled turn may be used as shown in Figure 136

32) C.P.E. notes that the instrument itself must be in good condition in order for the performer to execute the rapid ornaments (especially the trilled turn and short trill).

33) THE FULL TURN (C.P.E. does not use this term, but what he describes is often referred to as a “full turn”)

  • This is a turn that starts on the main note, all notes played rapidly
  • C.P.E. refers to this as the “snapped turn” to distinguish it from his term of “trilled turn”
  • C.P.E. introduces new notation in which he writes a small 32nd note of the same pitch before the principal note with the turn symbol
  • This should be used over rapid notes
  • C.P.E. notes that he prefers trills to be reserved for longer notes where there is time for several repercussions, and otherwise this “snapped turn” is a better choice to provide brilliance

34) Uses of the full turn (snapped turn):

  • Do not use this turn with a descending slurred second (compared to the trilled turn, which can only be used with the descending second)
  • Figure 137 shows the symbol (a), the execution (b) and a few characteristic uses (c)
  • It may appear:
    • At the beginning of a passage
    • In the middle
    • Before stepwise motion or a leap
    • NOT over a final tone (no exceptions, staccato or not)
  • C.P.E. notes that this turn is often notated by a trill sign or regular turn symbol

(1787 edition adds the following)

  • It may be used in the second of a pair of slurred notes in stepwise ascent, as in example (d)
  • In this situation it replaces the ascending trill or ascending turn
  • Example (e) shows the full (snapped) turn over the first of a pair of slurred notes in stepwise descent
  • The preceding detached notes make this use acceptable
  • If the preceding notes are slurred, as they likely may be at a slow tempo, a smiple turn or the compound appoggiatura is better, shown in the asterisked example

35) Fingering consideration: this ornament is very difficult to use with notes that require a thumb, fourth or fifth finger. Use the stronger finger combinations.

36) Full (snapped) turn vs. simple turn after a note

  • Note these are very different, as shown in Figure 138
  • Simple turn is played well after and is found with slurred and sustained notes

37) TURN PRECEDED BY TWO small 32nds

  • These small notes become part of the turn, played rapidly
  • The 32nd beamed notes are unvariable (play them the same speed as the turn notes)
  • This turn variant amounts to a miniature ascending trill
  • It can be substituted for the ascending trill over short notes
  • C.P.E. suggest calling it the “ascending turn”

(1787 edition adds following):

  • When it is substituted for an ascending trill over the second of two slurred notes, it sounds better to tie the preceding note to the first note of the turn as in example (a)

SOURCES

Bach, C.P.E. Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments. Translated and edited by William J. Mitchell, W.W. Norton & Company, 1949, pp. 112-127.

Bach, Karl Philipp Emanuel. Versuch über die wahre Art das Klavier zu spielen. Edited by Walter Niemann, C.P. Khant, Leipzig, 1925, pp. 53-65. 

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