Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

School of Music

First Advisor

Phillip Bush

Abstract

Abstract This dissertation presents a research and quantitative study about overdotting performance practice in Baroque music. Overdotting is a performance practice in the 17th and 18th century. It refers to playing dotted rhythms with exaggerated lengthening of the dotted note and shortening of the following note, beyond what is indicated in the notation. In this study, the dual evidence method is applied for cross-verifying recorded performances in the past century with published literature on performance practice of the interpretation of overdotted Baroque performance tradition in J.S. Bach’s solo keyboard work recorded since the early 20th century. The analysis focuses on contemporary pianists’ decisions of when and where to apply this scarcely notated performance tradition in Baroque keyboard music. Interpreting Baroque keyboard music on modern pianos has been a controversial topic within the field of piano performance, because these works were composed before the existence of the modern piano, with the sound of harpsichord, clavichord, and organ in mind. However, the harpsichord and clavichord have faded for two centuries in the history of keyboard instruments, even though music written for them still holds a significant place in standard piano repertoire and pedagogical materials. Some works, such as the Goldberg variation, Well-Tempered Clavier, and The Art of Fugue are quintessential Baroque polyphonic keyboard compositions and monumental in the history of keyboard literature. This study will examine the application of overdotting on the modern piano through five aspects: 1) The authentic baroque interpretation in the historical context. 2) The genesis and development of overdotting, and its dissemination and development according to the research that has been done so far. 3) The treatises that were written by baroque composers about their opinions on interpretation. 4) 20th-century pianists’ views on interpreting baroque style. 5) The study of reappearance of over-dotted practice in recordings. This study aims to develop an objective view of the application of overdotting in J.S. Bach’s keyboard music with a more comprehensive awareness of its historical background; secondly, to explore current trends in interpreting dotted rhythm of Bach’s keyboard music among contemporary pianists; and last but not least, while adhering to mainstream aesthetic values, to solidify overdotted practice as an interpretive option for pianists passionate about baroque music.

Rights

© 2025, Jiamo Zhang

Download

Included in

Music Commons

Share

COinS