Francisco Valls - Quarter-tone composition (1742)
Composer: Francisco Valls (1665/1671 – February 2, 1747) Ensemble: Ensemble Schirokko Hamburg directed by Rachel Harris Enharmonic refers to sub-chromatic intervals, deriving its name from the ancient Greek modes that involved the use of approximately quarter-tone intervals. Notes from the score: This is the enharmonic composition which I have offered. I repeat that except with these instruments, played with great care, its use is very difficult. There are, however, some voices and instrumental performers who are so tone deaf that they ordinarily play or sing enharmonically. It is unbearable to listen to them. Moving on to the enharmonic style, I should say that its use with instruments is impossible, except for strings. The winds cannot play a three quarter sharp which is essential to enharmonic composition. As for voices, P Kircher said in the margin of his "Musurgia" "difficile est humana voce enharmonicum exprimere" [it is difficult to use the voice enharmonically]. Salomon de Caus and other composers are of the same view. I shall give a practical example for strings. This will show how this style may be used. First I will explain how the enharmonic sharp sounds so that people understand how to play it. The chromatic sharp is a full sharp. The enharmonic sharp raises the note by only a quarter of a tone. It is indicated by the following symbol: ×. Translated notes from: https://imslp.org/wiki/Composici%C3%B...