Music for Viola Bastarda (Indiana University Social Science Series; No. 31)

This anthology is an invitation to present-day players to recreate the improvisation practice of the 16th and 17th centuries in ways not fully disclosed by ornamentation manuals of that time.. Jason Paras has traced the development of the "viola bastarda" and has assembled and transcribed 46 peices in this genre. The music in his collection is a rich and fascinating repertory that is rarely heard today. The Italian repertory for the solo viola da gamba in the 16th and early 17th centuries was largely music played "alla bastarda," an art of performance in which a polyphonic composition is transformed into a single melodic line derived from the original parts and spanning their ranges. The term "viola bastarda" refers to both an instrument and a style of playing that is one of the crowning achievements of musical mannerism

Allen T. Garvin said 5 Stars for the Exposition. The first half of the book, given over to a description of the Viola Bastarda's history, repertoire, and techniques, is quite valuable. Original sources are quoted extensively, sometimes in length with the original text followed by a translation. That section is about 50 pages long and is easily worth the excellent price for the book.The transcriptions, which make up the remaining 160 pages, are somewhat annoying. They're hand-written, not typeset. Furthermore, while reasonably cle. Josh Lee said WONDERFUL RESOURCE. This is a wonderful book by an almost legendary late American viol player. If anyone is interested in the Bastarda repertoire this book is a must have.