Composition -
Belmont Street Bergamasca - MLE 41
By Sean Nolan 2009
 
A T B
 
 
 
 
A Bergamasca is one of several traditional dance tunes from 16th-century Europe, all of which are built over a repeating “ground bass” pattern. The Bergamasca ground is the 4-chord sequence: I-IV-V-I (in this case, G-C-D-G). In this trio, the Bergamasca sequence repeats, with some variation, 36 times. Trios can have fun with ornamentation on the repeats; larger groups and mixed-instrument ensembles can experiment with orchestration, perhaps using different groups on each section repeat. A continuo instrument such as keyboard, harp or guitar would be a welcome addition as well. Chord players who are playing by ear should be aware that the music transposes up a 4th to C at section E1, and then up another step to D at section E2 before returning to the main key center of G at section F. This transposition series is actually the Bergamasca sequence in slow motion.
-- Glen Shannon, Editor
 
 
No. of Recorder Parts:
3
Difficulty:
Moderate
Occasion:
Any
Libraries:
Members' Library Editions
Date Added:
03/01/2011
Style:
Social/Casual, Tonal/Melodic, Folk/Traditional