14 - Final Remarks, Summary, and Synthesis

Summary

While the practical application of principles in thecase studies of chapter 13 brought together many ofthe concepts discussed throughout this study, thereare still a few elements that remain to besynthesized and examined. These are:

• 1. THE DEMISE OF THE PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM. Assuggested periodically throughout this study, theproportional system came to an end at the close ofthe Baroque period. The factors that contributedto its demise will be the subject of thissection.

• 2. A SUMMARY OF JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH’S TEMPONOTATION PRACTICES. As Bach's music has beenanalyzed according to tempo categories over thespace of a number of chapters, the treatment ofthis body of music has been scattered intosegments. Because of his importance for Westernmusic in general and because of his significantcontributions to organ repertoire in particular, anumber of his tempo notational practices will beassembled and summarized for the sake ofconvenience and reference.

• 3. THE METRONOME: ITS USEFULNESS FOR PRACTICE.Certainly, the metronome can be used as a tool tohelp in tempo transitions. Nevertheless, asattested to by Roger North, these transitions arequite attainable without external mechanicalaids.

• 4. THE TENSION BETWEEN RULES ANDINTERPRETATION. The purpose of this study was tounderstand the principles of (relative) tempo inGerman Baroque music. The assembly, explanation,and application of these principles may, however,give the impression of a rather intractable andinflexible science, one not having too muchsimilarity with the interpretive and subjectiveart form that is music. This section will attemptto balance these forces.

The Demise of the Proportional System

By the turn of the nineteenth century, very fewremnants of the Renaissance proportional systemremained in practice. In 1789, Christian Kalkbrenneravowed that time signatures had nothing to do withtempo, and that the determination of tempo wasmainly through tempo words and experience (seeespecially chapter 7). As will be discussed below,there were a number of factors that contributed tothe final disintegration of the venerable “old”Renaissance mensural system: The introduction of theterraced tempo system;

• 1. The introduction of the terraced temposystem;