Jose de Torres's Treatise of 1736: General Rules for Accompanying on the Organ, Harpsichord, and the Harp, by Knowing Only How to Sing the Part, or a Bass in Canto Figurado (review)

Abstract

Paul Murphy's edition and parallel English translation of the first thoroughbass treatise from Spain, José de Torres's four-part General Rules for Accompanying of 1736, is a welcome addition to the few Spanish music treatises available in English. What we know about early Spanish music theory comes largely from Francisco José León Tello's Estudios de historia de la teoría musical and La teoría española de la música en los siglos XVII y XVIII (Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Instituto Español de Musicología, 1962 and 1974, respectively); unfortunately, neither has appeared in English translation. Torres (ca. 1665-1738), an organist and composer of some 171 known compositions, was also a publisher in Madrid of music and books on music, including the original edition of his thoroughbass treatise. In the present oblong-format volume, Murphy's transcription of the Spanish text--there is no facsimile edition of this treatise--and the music examples from the 1736 edition (in soprano and bass clefs) appear on the left page of each opening, with the parallel English translation and music examples in modern notation (in treble and bass clefs; occasionally, tenor clef) on the right. Much of the music is in unfigured bass (a feature distinguishing Torres's manual from most thoroughbass treatises from other countries), with figures appearing, when present, above the bass in the original edition and both above and below in the transcription.