Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 4.djvu/63

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ABLATURE (Lat. Tabulatura, from Tabula, a table, or flat surface, prepared for writing; Ital. Intavolatura; Fr. Tablature; Germ. Tabulatur). A method of Notation, chiefly used, in the 15th and 16th centuries, for the Lute, though occasionally employed by Violists, and Composers for some other Instruments of like character.

In common with all other true systems of Notation, Tablature traces its descent in a direct line from the Gamut of Guido, though, in its later forms, it abandons the use of the Stave. It was used, in the 16th century, by Organists, as a means of indicating the extended Scale of the instruments, which, especially in Germany, were daily increasing in size and compass. For this purpose the lower Octave of the Gamut was described in capital letters; the second, in small letters; the third, in small letters with a line drawn above them:—

This Scale was soon very much extended; the notes below Gamut G (Γ) being distinguished by double capitals, and those above g̅ by small letters with two lines above them, the lower notes being described as belonging to the Double Octave, and the two upper Octaves as the Once-marked, and Twice-marked Octaves.

Several minor differences occur in the works of early authors. Agricola, for instance, in his 'Musica instrumentalis,' carries the Scale down to FF; and, instead of capitals, permits the use of small letters with lines below them for the lower Octaves— ff g  a etc. But the principle remained unchanged; and when the C Scale was universally adopted for the Organ, its Tablature assumed the form which it retains in Germany to the present day:—

The comparatively recent adoption of the C Pedal-board in England has led to some confusion as to the Tablature of the lower Octave; and hence our English organ-builders usually describe the Great C as Double C, using tripled capitals for the lowest notes—a circumstance which renders caution necessary in comparing English and German specifications, where the actual length of the pipes is not marked.

In process of time, a hook was added to the letters, for the purpose of indicating a ♯; as, c̨ (c♯), d̨ (d♯), etc.: and, in the absence of a corresponding sign for the ♭, ꞔ was written for d♭, ᶁ for e♭, etc., giving rise, in the Scale of E♭, to the monstrous progression, D♯, F, G, G♯, A♯, C, D, D♯—an anomaly which continued in common use, long after Michael Prætorius had recommended, in his 'Syntagma Musicum,' the use of hooks below or above the letters, to indicate the two forms of Semitone—ꞔ, c᷎, etc. Even as late as 1808 the error was revived in connection with Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, which was announced in Vienna as 'Symphonie in Dis' (D♯).

For indicating the length of the notes, the following forms were adopted, at a very early period:—



By means of these Signs, it was quite possible to express passages of considerable complexity,