Basso Continuo and Sustained Bass Instrument
Doubling (at pitch)
see “Basso Continuo” by Paul O’Dette and Jack Ashworth in Stewart
Carter’s A Performer’s Guide to 17th Century Music Schirmer, 1997
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Italy, 1600-1635
Sacred Polyphony (Monteverdi)
Sacred Concerto (Viadana, Gabrieli)
Solo Song/Monody (Caccini)
Villanelle, Canzonette (Kapsberger)
Sonatas, Canzonas (Fontana, Castello)
Concerted Madrigal (Monteverdi)
Opera (Peri, Monteverdi)
Italy, 1635-1665
Liturgical Music (Rovetta, Cazzati)
Oratorio (Carissimi)
Opera & Cantata in Venice (Cavalli, Cesti)
Opera & Cantata in Rome (Landi, Rossi)
Sonatas (Uccellini)
Italy, 1665-1700
Mass (A. Scarlatti, Legrenzi)
Oratorio, Opera, Cantata
Sonata da Chiesa (Corelli)
Sonata da Camera (Corelli)
Concerto Grosso (Corelli)
England, 1600-1635
Service Music (Gibbons)
Masque Song (Ferrabosco, Lawes)
Solo Song (Lanier, R. Johnson)
String Consort (William Lawes)
England, 1635-1665
Ayre & Dialoque (Lawes)
String, Consort (Jenkins)
England, 1665-1700
Service Music (Purcell)
Ayre (Purcell, Blow)
Theater Music (Locke, Purcell)
Chamber Music (Purcell)
North Germany, 1600-1635
Sacred Polyphony (Schütz)
Religious Polychoral (Praetorius, Schütz)
Sacred Concerto (Scheidt, Schütz)
String Consort (Schein, Brade)
by Joëlle Fancher Morton
organ
organ (+ theorbo)
theorbo, harpsichord
guitar, theorbo, harpsichord
organ, theorbo, harpsichord
theorbo, harpsichord, lute, organ
harpsichord, organ, theorbo
organ, theorbo
organ, theorbo, harpsichord, lirone
theorbo, harpsichord
theorbo, lirone, guitar, harpsichord
organ, harpsichord, theorbo
organ, theorbo
organ, theorbo, harpsichord
organ
harpsichord OR cello (chordal)
harpsichord, theorbo, organ
organ
lute, theorbo, cittern, band., harpsichord
lute or theorbo
organ, theorbo
lute, theorbo or bass viol (chordal)
organ
organ, theorbo
organ, harpsichord, theorbo or bass viol
harpsichord, guitar, theorbo
organ, harpsichord
organ or lute
one organ or lute PER choir
organ, theorbo
lute, spinet, or none
no
bowed bass has own part
double bass added occasionally
no
no
no
no, except with other string parts
no, except with other string parts
usually, at pitch to reinforce organ
occasionally, in arioso movements, for effect
occasionally, in arioso movements, for effect
occasionally, in arioso movements, for effect
no
yes
yes, but only within larger ensembles
no
possibly, if melodically interesting part
has own part, but double bass may be added
to ritornelli
no
yes
no
has own part (no double bass)
no
has own part (no double bass)
yes, at pitch, to reinforce organ
yes, bass viol or violone, at pitch
has own part
no, unless it has a specific part
no
yes (preferably violone, at pitch)
optional
has own part (no double bass)
North Germany, 1635-1665
Sacred Concerto (Schültz,
Hammerschmidt) organ, lute, harpsichord optional - both Schutz & Hammerschmidt
permit 8' and 16' bowed bass, if desired
Sacred Polyphony (Schütz) organ or lute no
String Consort (Hammerschmidt) lute, spinet, theorbo has own part

North Germany, 1665-1700

Church Cantata (Buxtehude) organ, theorbo yes, as desired, both 8' and 16'
String Consort (Rosenmüller) harpsichord, organ, theorbo has own part
Chamber Music (Buxtehude) harpsichord no

South Germany, 1600-1635

Mass (Priuli, Valentini) organ yes, probably 8' violone
Sacred Concerto (Valentini) organ, theorbo yes, probably 8' violone
String Consort (Valentini) organ, harpsichord, theorbo has own part
Concerted Madrigal (Valentini) chitarrone ?

South Germany/Austria, 1635-1665

Mass (Schmelzer, Kerll) organ, theorbo yes, probably 8' violone
Oratorio (Bertali, Sances) organ, theorbo yes, probably 8' violone
Opera (Cesti) harpsichord, theorbo yes, probably. 8' violone

South Germany/Austria, 1665-1700

Mass (Draghi, Kerll, Biber) organ yes, often fagotto
Oratorio (Draghi) organ, theorbo, harpsichord yes
Theater Music (Draghi, Biber) harpsichord, theorbo yes
Chamber Music (Biber, Schmelzer, harpsichord yes, often many instruments!
Muffat)

France, 1600-1635
no basso continuo repertoire until 1647,
1652

France, 1635-1665
Air de Cour (Huygens, Lambert) theorbo, lute, harpsichord no
Motet (du Mont) organ, theorbo no

France, 1665-1700
Opera and Ballet (Lully):
solo vocal parts and choruses theorbo, harpsichord yes
instrumental ensembles no harmonic continuo "bass violin" (cello) has own part
Mass, Moted (Lully) organ, theorbo yes
Chamber Music (Charpentier, Couperin) theorbo, harpsichord yes, usually bass viol