Figured Bass Notation: The Basics
| In figured bass notation, an F written on the
bass clef automatically "implies" the harmonies shown here on the treble clef.
The normal harmony was a perfect diatonic triad built on the bass note, as shown here in
the first measure. Numerical figures indicate alterations of the normal triad: a
"6" meant that the fifth interval above the root would be replaced by the sixth.
(See measure 2.) Adding a "4" to this figuration meant that the third interval
(C) should be replaced by the fourth (D). (See measure 3.) Chromatic alterations could be
indicated by adding marks such as a slash through the upper portion of a "6" to
show that the sixth interval was to be raised by a half step. That's the system, in a nutshell, but what is amazing is the complexity of the instantaneous compositions that musicians could create over this simple framework. One can get a pretty clear idea of the art's complexities by viewing the next few multimedia pages. They show (and play aloud) famous examples of thorough-bass accompaniment drawn from Johann David Heinichen's Der General-Bass in der Composition [Thorough-Bass in Composition] (1728). Heinichen illustrates the development of a thorough-bass accompaniment from a bass line to final improvisation or to use the technical term, "realization" of a written thorough-bass. First, on the next page, see how the music looks to the improvising harpsichord accompanist: |
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