Fortspinnungstypus. A New Definition based on Eighteenth-Century Theory

Abstract

Wilhelm Fischer’s concept of Fortspinnung has become one of the most frequently used terms in modern descriptions of late-Baroque musical style ever since it first appeared as the central idea of his fundamental study Zur Entwicklungsgeschichte des Wiener klassischen Stils in 1915. Nevertheless, modern use of this term and the underlying concept are troubled by two problems. First, Fischer’s original meaning and his underlying theory are sometimes distorted or obscured. Secondly, the theory itself is somewhat inconsistent and sometimes at odds both with the music of the late Baroque and with musical conceptualization of that period. Restoring Fischer’s original meaning, therefore, will not entirely solve the problems that surround this term. Rather, the concept behind the term can be profitably enriched by an infusion from eighteenth-century theories. The most detailed theory of phrase and period to come out of the 18th century was initially created by Joseph Riepel in the first two instalments of his Anfangsgründe zur musicalischen Setzkunst, published in 1752 and 1755, respectively, and elaborated in Heinrich Christoph Koch’s three volumes of Versuch einer Anleitung zur Composition, published in 1782–1793. Riepel’s treatise, which he must have begun to write during the 1740s, has the additional recommendation of reflecting musical thought current during the lifetime of Johann Sebastian Bach. While Fischer’s insight into the historical significance of the Fortspinnungtypus period remains important, its value can be enhanced through correction and clarification based on the study and application of Riepel-Koch theory. The purpose of this article is to show how period theory can illuminate and improve Fischer’s insightful concept and provide a better basis for modern analysis of late-Baroque music.