An argument from a virtual instrument forum about functional music theory led me here. I can't believe how important this concept is in all of music. Thank you for clearly and generously explaining the concept. Keep up the good work.

I love your video and explanation. I only wish I had seen it 40 years ago when it could have dramatically changed my life. Still it is a life-changing connection of the dots. Thank you.

Underrated! This is so excellent.

You are so genuine, man! I'm a beginner in terminology of classic music, but your eager makes me eager also. :D

Great video! 👏

Your presentation is truly wonderful and highly comprehensible. Lately, I've been delving into the History of Music during the shift from vocal polyphony in the Renaissance to the Baroque period. My thoughts were somewhat scattered, but your explanation has brilliantly illuminated the progression of these concepts, making it all much simpler to grasp. Warm regards to you from Brazil!

Sehr schön erklärt. Vielen Dank!

Great combination of being informative and entertaining - keep it up, David! :-)

@david.fasold

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Jonas! Always a pleasure :)

I'm taking a History of Opera course at my college and this hit so many relevant points for me in such a clear manner. Thank you!

Thank you, this was very helpful!

I am always seeking new understanding of music. I heard much about basso continuo but never understood it. Your explanation was interesting, yet I am still confused. I would have been better to provide musical examples as you described the different iterations of the original basso continuo. I was much aware Opera began during the early part of the 17C, but I am still confused as to how to determine what each musical changes affected the music. For example - you stated the organist guessed the upper registers. An example would have clarified your explanation. Some people, such as myself have to listen and hear the changes to understand the progressions.

Really like how your explanation shows how figures are supposed to be supplementary and the majority of the work is about predicting the notes in the right hand from what you know could go there. I am totally an amateur at continuo playing but i have found sometimes that a part with really detailed figures is a bit much - you have a lot of information to interpret all at once.

@david.fasold

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly, that is definitely true for the Italian style, where most bass lines are only sparsely figured. This gives you some freedom and could make your life easier if you are already a skilled musician. But just as you said: Other countries and composers would go to extreme lengths to give very detailed figures, even for complicated polyphonic pieces (e.g. J.S. Bach)

@contrapunctusmammalia3993

2 жыл бұрын

@@david.fasold i have also heard some people say that Bach's figures are only so detailed because he might have been trying to teach with them, or at least establish consistency for students to learn from

What a nice video on this topic!

@david.fasold

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much, Daniel! I hope it helped with the very basics of Basso Continuo :)

Great Explanation! But how do you guess the rest of the parts if they all have different rhythm?

Is it true that basso continuo came from a shift from polyphony to homophony as the 'default' texture or do you think it more contributed to the shift?

Hi, thank you for explaining this concept 😊. I know that learning other languages is not easy; the correct pronunciation is not continu-o. The "uo" must be in a single continuous flow (ahah get it?). Un saluto dall'Italia

Great video, some audio aid or visual aid(with the scores) would've been great though.

@david.fasold

2 жыл бұрын

Emre, thanks for your idea! I will try to incorporate more visual aids in the future!

Was there not also a move from the theology of polyphony to monophony in the reformation and for Italy the counter-reformation?

@david.fasold

2 жыл бұрын

True, at this time we had efforts to "simplify" the listening experience of music in order to better understand the text. The music was still polyphonic (several independent voices singing togehter), but composed in a way you could follow the text.

"throw everything you know about basso-continuo away" already ahead of ya i have no clue what it is 😂

Basso continu-oh 😂