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Allan Keiler's recent JMT article, "<a
href="http://jmt.dukejournals.org/content/current">The Problem of
the Retrieval of Musical Knowledge: The Thoroughbass Tradition and
Its Relationship to Rameau</a>," touches on the relevant issue
from thoroughbass realization. It's a beginner's standard, of
course, to realize thoroughbass with a fairly free-ranging left-hand
bass with close-positioned chord an octave or so above in the right.
Thicker textures call for more left-hand chording.<br>
<br>
As for technical terms for RH voicings, one could do worse than by
labeling the <i>soprano</i> position--what the pinky is doing
rather than the thumb. Some German authors note this, e.g., <i>Terzlage</i>
for a voicing with pinky on the chordal third, <i>Q</i><i>uint</i><i>lage</i><i>
</i>for fifth, etc. This works well in situations where
accompanimental chords "hang" in close position from a melody.<br>
<br>
As for fundamentals-textbook authors, I encourage the use of C-clefs
to flush out overqualified students looking for an easy A.<br>
<br>
Daniel Harrison<br>
Yale University<br>
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