VIII SONATAS

for

HARPSICHORD

¬EQ
x URe¬ by

¬ DOMENICO ALBERTI
4 x
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CB P b
1
 Guide to this electronic edition

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 VIII SONATE
per
Cembalo

c c
c

Opera Prima
da

DOMENICO ALBERTI
London, Printed for I. Walsh, in Catherine Street, in the Strand

Edited by Stephen Henry

 Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................. 

Sonata I in G Major
I. Andante ......................................................................... 
II. Andante .......................................................................... 

Sonata II in F Major
I. Allegro Moderato ............................................................. 
II. Allegro Assai................................................................. 

Sonata III in C Major

I. Allegro ma non tanto ..................................................... 
II. Menuet ......................................................................... 
Sonata IV in g minor
I. Allegro............................................................................ 
II. Presto (Giga) ................................................................ 

Sonata V in A Major
I. Allegro Moderato ........................................................... 
II. Allegro .......................................................................... 

Sonata VI in G Major
I. Allegro Moderato ............................................................ 34
II. Allegro ........................................................................... 38

Sonata VII in F Major

I. Allegro............................................................................ 
II. Tempo di Menuet (with Four Variations) ......................44

Sonata VIII in G Major

I. Allegro.............................................................................48
II. Presto Assai ................................................................... 5

Critical Report ........................................................................ 56

Thematic Index ................................................................ 

ii
 Introduction

D
omenico alberti was born in Venice around This present edition is concerned with eight keyboard
the year . He was a student of Antonio sonatas published posthumously as his Opus 1 in London, 1748,
Biffi (1666/67-1733), who was maestro di cap- by John Walsh. That publication was issued to repudiate a scandalous
pella of the San Marco Basilica in Venice, and of act of plagiarism by one Giuseppe Jozzi (ca. 1710-1770) who had
Antonio Lotti (1666-1740), who succeeded Biffi in that position. these same sonatas printed under his own name in London in
1745.
Sometimes dismissed as an amateur, Alberti received
a thorough grounding in music. His teacher Lotti also Each sonata is in two movements, generally a slow-
instructed Baldassare Galuppi, Michelange Gasparini and er movement followed by a somewhat faster one. The sonata
Benedetto Marcello. Alberti seems never have occupied an movements often employ a rounded binary form, A ^> BA ^ ,
“official” musical post, but nonetheless established a reputation as where the theme of the first half is repeated at the conclusion of
a composer, singer and harpsichordist, often accompanying himself the second half. Thus, in Alberti’s sonatas one may discern, in a
at the keyboard. While serving as a page in the entourage of the rudimentary form, the lineaments of the classical sonata as even-
Venetian ambassador to the Spanish court in 1736, his singing tually expounded by Haydn and Mozart.
elicited the favorable opinion of none other than Carlo
Maria Broschi (1705-1782), famous in history by his stage name The collection seems very much a random compliation
Farinelli. with no overall plan. All the sonatas except the fourth are in major
keys. Sonata IV is in g minor and concludes with a Giga. Sonata
Subsequently, he joined the household of the VII in F major is distinguished by a minuet with four variations.
Marchese Giovanni Carlo Molinari in Rome where he was to die
on the 14th of October, 1740. He was laid to rest in the church of Perhaps no greater claim may be laid for him than that
San Marco, Formio. of petit maître, but placed within the context of his time, Alberti's
was a voice of the future and his influence was to extend right
His surviving works are comprised of 14 complete key- through to the end of the 18th century. Even today, “his” bass may
board sonatas and 10 separate sonata movements, all considered be employed, if only in caricature, to suggest a sort of antique
late works written during his last years in Rome. These are all preciosity.
that remain of the more than 40 that are thought to have once
existed. Additionally, there are two serenatas: Endimione (Venice, A Note on Performance
1737) and La Galatea (Venice, 1737), a Salve Regina, and various
Though intended for the harpsichord or spinet,
miscellaneous arias.
these sonatas are eminently suitable for the modern piano.
Today he is primarily known for his “Alberti” bass. Ornaments are confined to trills and appogiaturas. Historically,
In keyboard music, this is a figuration of the left hand that serves trills were understood to begin on the upper note except in step-
as an accompaniment to a theme in the right hand. At its most wise descending passages where they may begin on the primary


formulaic, the left hand describes a triad beginning with the root note. Appogiaturas were performed on the beat and could be held
of the chord, ascending to the fifth, descending to the third and for as long as half the length of the main note.
returning to the fifth:

Allegro Moderato Acknowledgements

VIII Sonate per Cembalo, Opera Prima, da Domenico Alberti

facsimile edition, Peacock Press, Hebden Bridge, 2006

While contemporaneous opinion ascribed the tech- Domenic Alberti

nique to him, modern scholarship, although finding little evidence Michael Talbot in the Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians,
for its use prior to Alberti, prefers to regard him as one its earliest 2nd ed., ed. Stanley Sadie, MacMillan Publishers, Ltd., 2001
proponents but not necessarily its inventor.
Johann Christian Bach and the Early Italian Classical Masters
Daniel E. Freeman in 18th Century Keyboard Music,
ed. Robert L. Marshall, Schirmer Books, 1994

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CRITICAL NOTES Pg. 10 m. 27, rh, 3rd beat- changed appoggiatura g´ from 7th note to
9th note
m. 29, rh, 3rd beat- changed appoggiatura c´´ from 7th note to
Editorial Method 9th note

The original engraver follows the 18th century convention where an accidental Pg. 11 m. 40, rh, 1st beat- appoggiatura b§´ changed from 7th note to
applies only to the note it immediately precedes- excepting, of course, the many 9th note
instances where he doesn’t. All accidentals have been modernized to be in force m. 41, rh, 3rd beat- appoggiatura b´ changed from 7th note to
for the full measure. Editorial accidentals are denoted by brackets [ ]. Courtesy 9th note
accidentals are designated by parentheses ( ). m. 42, rh, 3rd beat- appoggiatura b´ changed from 7th note to
9th note
All Alto & Tenor clefs have been suppressed and replaced by Treble & Bass m. 44, rh, 4th beat- removed trill from g
clefs as the context demands. m. 48- recast as 1st and 2nd ending repeats from the original:

Articulations and ornaments have generally been left in their original, if

haphazard, state. Apparent discrepancies in their application are at the per-
Segue Subilo
former’s discretion to resolve.

m. 48b- changed to segue subito from original segue subilo

Sonata I
Allegro Assai
Andante
Pg.13 m. 23, rh, 1st beat- changed appoggiatura e´´ from 7th note to
Pg. 3 m. 15, lh, 2 beat- changed d´ from 7 note to 9 note
nd th th 9th note
m. 33, rh, 1st beat- changed c´ from 9th note appoggiatura to a
Pg. 5 m. 31, rh, 3rd beat- changed tie to extend from 9th note c´´ regular 9th note; changed b § from 7th note to 9th note
to 3 note c´´. Originally, tie extended from preceding 9th note
d´´ to 3 note c´´ Pg.15 m. 116, lh, 3rd beat- combined d´ with b´ into one voice
m. 32, rh, 1st beat- supplied tie between 9th note a´ & m. 121, rh, 3rd beat- combined d´ with b´ into one voice
3 note a´
m. 33, rh, 1st beat- supplied tie between 9th note a´ &
3 note a´
m. 34, rh, 1st beat- supplied tie between 9th note e´´ &
9th note e´´ on 2nd beat Sonata III
m. 34, rh, 2nd beat- supplied tie between 9th note d´´ &
dotted 3 note d´´ on 3rd beat Allegro ma non tanto
m. 36, lh, 2nd beat- added 3 note c
m. 37, rh, 2nd beat- removed trill from 9th note f ´
Pg. 16 m. 1, rh, 3rd beat- changed appoggiatura b´ from an 7th note
m. 38, rh, 4th beat- moved trill from b´ to a´
to a 3 note
m. 38, lh, 1st beat- removed an extra downward stem from c
m. 3, rh, 1st beat- changed sequence of grace notes from
a´´ - g´´ to a´´ - b´´ in emulation of m. 24. Originally:

Andante

Pg.7 m. 38, lh- removed extra upward stems from >th notes e´´
& d´´
m. 40, lh- removed extra upward stems from >th notes e´´
& d´´ m. 5 & 6, lh, 2nd beat, 2nd voice- moved g from under d´ to
under e´
m. 7, rh, 1st beat- changed a´ 7th note tied to a´ 9th note to a
dotted 7th note a´
Sonata II
Pg. 17 m. 11, rh, 3rd beat- g´ appoggiatura changed from 7th note
Allegro Moderato to 3 note
m. 14, rh, 4th beat- changed bb´ appoggiatura from 9th note
Pg. 8 m. 2, rh, 1st beat- removed trill from g´ to >th note
m. 14, lh, 4th note- removed down stem from a and recast left
Pg. 9 m. 21- recast as 1st and 2nd ending repeats from the original: hand from original:

Pg. 18 m. 25, rh, 3rd beat- removed tie from 3 note g´´ to dotted
7th note g´´
m. 21a, rh, 4 beat- added 9 note g´
th th
m. 27, rh, 3rd beat- removed tie from 3 note f ´´ to 7th note f ´´
m. 21b, rh, 4th beat- added 9th note c´
m. 28, rh, 2nd & 3rd beat- changed from two tied 3 notes to
one 1 note, removed § from b´
 57
Menuet Sonata V
rd
Pg. 20 m. 10, rh, 3 beat- removed tie from d´´
m. 13, lh 3rd beat- added tie between f ´ and f ´ in m.14 Andante Moderato
m. 14, rh, 1st beat- removed trill from c´´
m. 14, rh, 3rd beat- removed tie from c´´ Pg. 28 m. 3, lh, 1st beat, 2nd voice- changed two tied 1 note es to one
m. 16, rh, 3rd beat- removed trill from e´ whole note e (in emulation of m. 18)
m. 19, rh- recast measure from original: m. 5, lh, 1st beat, 2nd voice- changed two tied 1 note es to one
whole note e
3 m. 8, rh, 1st beat- assigned b´´, d#´ & e´´ to 1st voice and
4
beamed with a´´ . Originally:
3
4
m. 22, rh, 3rd beat, 2nd voice- changed up stem to down stem
m. 24, rh- recast measure in similar fashion to m. 19

m. 9, lh, 1st beat- changed two tied 1 note bs to one

Sonata IV whole note b
m. 12, rh, 1st beat, 2nd voice- added 3 note c´
Allegro
Pg. 29 m. 18, lh, 1st beat, 2nd voice- removed § from b and changed
Pg. 21 m. 1, rh, 1st beat- changed d´´ from 3 note to dotted 7th note from two tied 1 notes to one whole note
and beamed with following >nd notes m. 19, rh, 1st beat, 1st voice- supplied 1 note e´´
m. 1, rh, 3rd beat- changed g´´ from 3 note to dotted 7th note m. 34, lh, 3rd beat, 1st voice- removed 3 note rest as voice
leading suggests beat belongs to 3 note e´ on treble staff
Pg. 22 m. 16, rh, 1st beat- changed a´ from 3 note to dotted 7th note
m. 16, rh, 3rd beat- changed c ´´ from 3 note to dotted 7th note,
removed extraneous # from c#´´ Sonata VI
m. 19, rh, 1st beat- changed d´´ from 3 note to dotted 7th note
m. 19, rh, 3rd beat- changed g´´ from 3 note to dotted 7th note Allegro Moderato
Pg. 23 m. 38, rh, 3rd beat- changed appoggiatura f #´ from 7th note to Pg. 35 m. 16, lh, 3rd beat- 1 note a´ changed to d under the assump-
3 note & added 2nd voice. Originally: tion the bass clef resumes here and changed to 3 note
m. 16, lh, 4th beat- changed 1 note D bearing both up stem &
down stem to 3 note. Originally:

Giga – Presto
Pg. 24 m. 1, 1st beat- added forward repeat sign Pg. 37 m. 34, rh, 3rd beat- removed trill to g´´ in emulation of m. 38

Pg. 25 m. 18a & m. 18b- recast as 1st and 2nd ending repeat from the Pg. 37 m. 35, rh, 3rd beat- added trill to g´´ in emulation of m. 39
original:
128 Allegro

128 Pg. 39 m. 27, rh, 1st beat- changed 7th note a´ tied to 9th note to
dotted 7th note
m. 29, rh, 1st beat- changed 7th note b´ tied to 9th note to
Pg. 26 m. 19, 1st beat- added forward repeat sign dotted 7th note
m. 31, rh, 1st beat- changed 7th note c#´´ tied to 9th note to
Pg. 27 m. 38, lh, 3rd beat, 1st voice- added bb dotted 7th note
m. 38, lh, 4th beat, 1st voice- added a in emulation of m. 3. m. 31, rh, 3rd beat- removed # from c§´´
Originally: m. 33, rh, 1st beat- changed 7th note eb´´ tied to 9th note to
dotted 7th note
128 m. 35, rh, 1st beat- changed 7th note f §´´ tied to 9th note to
dotted 7th note
m. 37, rh, 1st beat- changed 7th note g´´ tied to 9th note to
128 dotted 7th note
m. 57, rh, 1st beat- changed appoggiatura f ´ from 3 note to
m. 41a & m. 41b- recast as 1st and 2nd ending repeats, 7th note
changed meter in m.41b to O. Originally: m. 57, rh- changed dotted 1 notes to dotted 3 notes
m. 57, lh- changed dotted 1 note to a dotted 3 note
128

128
In the original, the facing page is blank
58
m. 106, rh, 1st & 2nd beats- added 9th note grace note after 3
Sonata VII note g´s in emulation of m.34, removed tie between notes
m. 106, lh, 1st & 2nd beats- added inner voice b & c´ notes in
Allegro emulation of m. 34.

Pg. 41 m. 18- added h meter in brackets Mm. 105 & 106 originally:
2 3 3
Pg. 43 m. 35, rh, 3rd beat- changed 7th note f ´´ with trill to 4 3

two 9th notes in emulation of m. 16. Originally:

2 3 3
4

m. 110a & 110b- recast as 1st and 2nd ending repeats

Presto Assai
m. 40- added h meter in brackets
Pg. 53 m. 55 through m. 57, rh, 1st beat- appoggiaturas changed
Tempo di Menuet from 7th notes to 9th notes
m. 58 & m. 59, rh, 1st beat- appoggiaturas changed from
Pg. 44 m. 11, lh, 3rd beat- removed b tied to 1 note b in m. 12 in 7th notes to 9th notes
emulation of m. 9 and other similar passages. Originally:
Pg. 54 m. 91, lh- combined voices
34 m. 92 through 95- combined voices

34 Pg. 55 mm. 96 & 97, rh- beamed 9th notes together. Originally:

38
m. 12, lh, 1st beat- removed tie & up stem from b
38
Sonata VIII
m. 101, lh, 1st beat- added 3 note c in emulation of m. 3
Allegro m. 109, rh, 3rd beat- changed f #´´´ to d´´´
m. 111, rh, 3rd beat- changed f #´´´ to d´´´
Pg. 48 m. 1- added forward repeat sign
m. 2, rh, 2nd beat- changed appoggiatura d´´ from 7th note to
9th note

Pg. 49 m. 26, rh, 1st beat- changed g´´ from 7th note to 9th note
m. 32, lh, 2nd beat- changed a from two tied 7th notes to

v
one 3 note. Originally:
3
24 3 3

24 3

m. 35, lh, 2nd beat- changed a from two 7th notes, untied this
time, to one 3 note. Originally:
3
24 3 3

24 3

m. 39a & m. 39b- recast as 1st & 2nd ending repeat

Pg. 50 m. 50, lh, 1st beat- changed original b to § on f ´

Pg. 51 m. 77, rh, 1st beat- changed appoggiatura b´´ from 9th note to
>nd note
m. 98, rh, 2nd beat- added appoggiatura c´´ in emulation
of m. 94
m. 99, rh, 1st beat- added appoggiatura a´
m. 105, rh, 2nd beat- changed g´ from 3 note to 7th note in
emulation of m. 33, removed tie to g´ in m. 106
m. 105, lh, 1st beat- original changes to triplets in emulation
of mm. 33 & 34
 Thematic Index
59

Sonata I Sonata V Page 28

Page 2 Allegro Moderato
Andante


3 3

Andante Page 4 Allegro Page 30


38

38

Sonata II Sonata VI
Page 8 Allegro Moderato Page 34
Allegro Moderato

Page 12 Page 38
Allegro
3 38
Allegro Assai

8
3 38
8
Sonata III Sonata VII
Allegro ma non tanto Page 16 Page 40
Allegro

Menuet 3 Page 20 Tempo di Minuet Page 44

34 34
3

34 34

Sonata IV Sonata VIII

  
Allegro Page 21 Page 48
2
Allegro

4
6

2
4

Giga Page 24 Presto Assai Page 52

128 38
Pr esto


128 38