Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/305

 CHAPTER XVII

INSTRUMENTS AND INSTRUMENTALISTS

132. Solo Instruments.—One of the signs of a broadened view regarding methods of musical procedure was the closer attention to the artistic use alone of various instruments that before had been chiefly ancillary to vocal effects. The great development of the vocal solo aroused an analogous development of the instrumental solo, and this tended more and more to bring out their contrasted possibilities. In the 17th century, under the opera régime in its early stages, the voice had often been used as if it were first of all a marvelous machine, capable under training of dazzling feats of tonal legerdemain. From this extreme the 18th century gradually reacted in favor of something more normal, namely, the expression through the voice of intimate, profound or intense personality. Thus the more external accomplishment of the mere vocalist gave place to the fine art of the true singer, and the noblest field of the vocal solo began to be fully perceived. Meanwhile the less personal voice of certain instruments was more carefully studied, and to it was transferred much that was possible for the singing voice, with much, too, which was quite unvocal, but suggested by the genius of the instrument itself. Thus the instrumental solo began to advance as a distinct art-form.

The solo instruments thus used were chiefly those of the viol family, especially the violin, the old gamba and the new violoncello, but the flute was also somewhat considered, and the oboe, with occasionally the trumpet and other wind-instruments. Furthermore, interest in the lute and the theorbo had not yet ceased, especially as they were capable of concerted effects of moderate dimensions. The stringed keyboard instruments, finally, now stepped forward into decided prominence as independent implements, giving clear tokens of their later immense influence. Hints of all this had appeared before 1700, but the early 18th century rises much above preceding periods in definite achievements.