September 2010
Beginner
376 pages
12h 7m
English
The flip side of the chaconne, the passacaglia is a repeated bass line as the basis for a varied melodic line. The bass line creates a groove over which the melody can soar, either aligned or unaligned with the phrase markers of the bass. There are several stock bass lines used, particularly the lament bass, so called because of the minor key and the stepwise bass line descending from scale degree one to scale degree five.
Like the chaconne, the passacaglia was produced in Spain in the 17th century. It was distinguished from the chaconne by Giacomo Frescobaldi, who composed many examples ...
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