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 Trill

TRILLS

1) Trills enliven melodies and are therefore indispensable. In earlier times they were mainly used in two ways:

a) after an appoggiatura (“angeschlossener Triller” or “enclosed trill”)

b) on the repetition of a tone

Today [C.P.E. Bach’s day] they are used in both stepwise and leaping passages, immediately at the beginning of a movement, in succession, and at cadences. Additional uses:

• Held tones

• Fermate

• Caesurae (Einschnitten) without an introductory appoggiatura

• Caesurae (Einschnitten) with an introductory appoggiatura

2) Use the trill judiciously, especially in affettuoso passages (do not overuse them).

3) The accomplished keyboard player has four trills:

• Normal
• Ascending
• Descending
• Half trill (short trill)

4) Each type has its own sign, and all may be notated by the abbreviation tr or a cross. The location will be clearly notated.

5) NORMAL TRILLS

• (a) have the sign shown above           
• (b) the sign is extended over long notes
• (c) shows the correct execution (start on the upper note, the number of shakes does not need to be precise)
• (d) shows that the small note is not needed unless it indicates the use of an appoggiatura

6) SUFFIX: At times two short notes from below are added at the end of the trill. These are called the suffix. The purpose is to make a more rapid trill.

The suffix is often written out. This is C.P.E.’s preference to be most clear.

It can also be indicated by the specific symbol shown in 92(c)

7) Trills are technically the most difficult to master. They must be even, and a although a slower trill may be used in slow pieces, a faster trill is generally more desirable.

8) C.P.E. advocates for practicing trills slowly first and gradually increasing speed, always listening for evenness and clarity. Practice intelligently, stay relaxed and do not force it. He also advises there should also be a quick release of the key after the final striking.

9) You should train all fingers to be able to trill, although in practice, certain finger combinations will be used more frequently than others. This is because of natural differences in the physical makeup of the hand, as well as the fact that composers write trills more often for certain fingers, resulting in more practice given to these. Still, there are times when trill figures are written in the outer voices, requiring a good trill ability from the weaker little finger.

10) At least two good trill combinations in each hand are needed:

• Fingers 2-3 and 3-4 in the Right Hand
• Fingers 1 (thumb)-2 and 2-3 of the Left Hand

11) Some performers practice double trills in thirds in one hand. These are good for the fingers, but it is better not to use them unless they sound even and distinct, the two most important marks of a good trill.

12) Useful fingering tips:

• Cross finger 2 over the thumb to avoid trilling on a black key with the thumb
• Trill with 3-5 or 2-4 in the right hand if the action of the keys is stiff

13) Using SUFFIXES

• Trills on long notes are always played with a suffix
• You may add a suffix to a trill followed by a leap

• When the decoration notes are short, an ascent after a suffix trill is better than a descent (Figure 95 b better than 95c)

• A suffix could be added in a very slow tempo for Figure 95 d (even though the rapid notes following the dot may be used as substitutes). The descending 2^nd is the least desirable substitute.

• It is not necessary to always add a suffix if dotted notes are trilled for their full value.

14) Adding suffix to dotted notes:

• Suffixed trills can be added to dotted notes followed by a short ascent

• In this case, instead of going straight into the following note, make a very short pause to show the separation of elements (that the following note is distinctly not part of the trill). Since a note following a dotted note is always shorter than its notated length, the notation in the examples is only approximate and must be determined in context.

15) The suffix should be in the same tempo as the trill itself. Choose a fingering that allows for this. For example, don’t use fingers 1-2 in the right hand if you plan to add a suffix.

16) Using the UNSUFFIXED trill

• with descending successions

• over short notes

• successive trills

• Trills followed by one or more short notes which can replace it

• However, do not make the substitution shown in the asterisked example

• In general, do not use a suffixed trill over triplets. However, at a slow tempo you could add a suffix for the first three of Figure 96 e, but never the last.

17) Most intermediate players or above can tell be ear whether or not to add a suffix but it is discussed here for the sake of beginners.

18) In a very fast tempo, you can achieve the effect of a trill using an appoggiatura. The last two short notes substitute for a suffix.

19) Adding accidentals to trills:

• If accidentals are not included with the trill symbol, the trill and its suffix use the key in force at the time
• Example a shows preceding notes determine the accidentals needed

• Example b shows succeeding notes determine the accidentals needed

• Example c shows the ear alone or modulation determines the accidentals needed

• Never use an augmented 2^nd in trills or suffixes

20) Complaints about trills

• Just because a note is long, it does not require a trill, especially if the note group is marked with a slur

21) More complaints about trills:

• The suffix should be played at the same speed as the trill. Do not slow down on it!

• Do not add a “worthless” unaccented appoggiatura to the suffix (C.P.E. really hates these)

• Make sure to give trills their full length
• Do not plunge directly into a trill without playing a preceding appoggiatura or correctly joining both ornaments
• Do not trill loud and fast in a slow and peaceful context
• Do not add too many trills, particularly do not always add them just because a note is long

22) THE ASCENDING TRILL

• Figure below shows the dedicated symbol along with two other options for notating it
• If only tr is marked, the performer may choose to use an ascending trill where appropriate

23) Ascending trills:

• need to be over a long note to accommodate all the tones as well as a suffix where needed
•  all the points relating to normal trills apply also to ascending trills.

24) Examples:

• (a) shows how to use a suffix after a tie

• (b)  suffix should not be used because of the 16^th

• (c) suffix should not be used because of the 32nds

• (d) however, in cases where the tempo is slow or can be broadened (cadences or a fermata), you may add a suffix, giving the final notes some freedom as the pace broadens.

25) Most frequent uses of the ascending trill:

• Over long notes, especially at cadences and before fermatas

Additional uses:

• Over a repeated note

• In conjunct motion

• After a leap followed by an ascending or descending progression

• If fingers get tired during a long trill, ascending notes could be used to revive the trill if done discreetly without interrupting the flow of the trill
• You may approach it by gradually moving into a true trill as shown in Figure 105. This often occurs at cadences.

• It may be used in modulatory passages

• With caesuras (Einschnitten)

26) Do not use ascending trills in passages with successive leaps. Only use the normal trill in these cases.

27) THE DESCENDING TRILL

• Figure below shows the dedicated symbol and its execution. The asterisk example shows optional notation. 

28) Descending trills:

• Need to be over the very longest notes since they have the most notes of all trill types
• The cadence in Figure 110 would be best with a normal or ascending trill

• The descending trill was used more widely [prior to 1750]. Now it is mostly limited to the following examples.

• Could be used after a repeated tone

• Could be used in descending motion

• Could be used in downward leaps of a third

29) Correct voice leading is always most important. In the example below either a normal or descending trill could be used, but an ascending trill would create forbidden 5ths.

30) THE SHORT TRILL (HALF TRILL, PRALL TRILLER)

Figure below shows the symbol with its execution. Note that the large slur only indicates the overall phrasing. The 2^nd G is tied (not played). There was a misprint in early editions that did not show the tie but C.P.E. clearly describes the note as being tied.

31) The short trill

• Joins the preceding note to the decorated one and never appears over a detached note
• Has no suffix
• Is introduced either by an appoggiatura or a principal note

32) The short trill

• Is the most important of all the trills, but can be the most difficult technically
• Must be lively, played crisply and clear
• Can only be demonstrated at a fast tempo
• May appear over rapid notes, but must be played so that the ornamented note stays in tempo
• C.P.E. finds this to be the most essential trill. While other substitutions may be made to reduce technical difficulties, there is no substitute for the short trill

33) The trill is best executed with the strongest fingers. Choose fingerings wisely to execute the passage musically.

34) The short trill appears only in a descending second, preceded either by an appoggiatura or a large (regular notation) note

35) In addition to use at cadences and fermatas, it can be used:

• In descending passages of three or more tones (similar to the trill without suffix in descending successions)

• May be used in passages where long notes are followed by short ones (also similar to the normal trill without suffix)

36) C.P.E. discusses the fact that this short trill is difficult to perform at the pianoforte because of the tendency for it to be too loud.

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. 99-112.

Bach, Karl Philipp Emanuel. Versuch über die wahre Art das Klavier zu spielen. Edited by Walter Niemann, C.P. Khant, Leipzig, 1925, pp. 42-53.  

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