Six Classical Moments You Love: Basslines for Your Creativity
A Notebook of Musical Moments
There’s a fascinating collection of basslines by Giovanni Battista Martini—one of Mozart’s teachers, among many others. You can explore them in modern editions of his basslines, including recent work by Peter van Tour, here.
What’s always intrigued me about Martini’s collection is that it isn’t a systematic, pedagogical set like those of Fedele Fenaroli or Nicola Antonio Zingarelli. Instead, it’s a notebook of moments—basslines he copied from pieces he found interesting. Little fragments from music he loved that he wanted to study, understand, and teach.
Patterns—and What Lies Beyond Them
I love teaching patterns—the Rule of the Octave, sequences, cadences. They form the foundation of so much classical music. But I equally love seeing how composers use them, stretch them, and go beyond them.
In Six Classical Moments You Love, I’ve taken six passages suggested by curious musicians like you and turned them into basslines you can play with, develop, and create from in your own way.
Six Basslines for You To Explore
The first three examples are grounded in conventional practice: the Rule of the Octave, pedal points, and cadences—first Mozart, then Beethoven, and then Clementi.
The final three move beyond that world: an extended pedal point from Bach’s St. John Passion, a repetitive but constantly evolving harmonic experiment by Brahms, and one of the most sublime passages I’ve encountered recently, from a piano trio by Fauré.
What Will You Do With It?
There were so many great suggestions that I already have material for a second volume. If you have a passage—any moment in classical music you love—send it my way. I’d love to hear from you.
I’d also love to know how you use this book. Are you working through it yourself? Using it with students? Or maybe you’re starting to extract basslines from music you love?