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Lesson 57: Major Work Study, Part 1 — Overview and First Movement

  • Take the opening Largo from sight-read to a confident, expressive performance.
  • Hear and name the affect of the Largo against the three movements that follow.

One piece, four lessons. Not because it is hard. Because it is worth knowing well.

This lesson begins an extended study of Loeillet of Ghent's Sonata in D minor, Op. 1 No. 1, starting with the first movement. A player who has learned one sonata thoroughly knows more about Baroque style than one who has skimmed twelve; the piece becomes a reference everything afterward is heard against.

The whole sonata at a glance

Four movements, slow-fast-slow-fast — the standard sonata da chiesa plan. Each has a defined affect; the contrasts are the architecture.

I. Largo
Noble, French; the opening descent is a sigh. Quarter = 50.
II. Allegro
Italian energy, running eighths. Quarter = 110.
III. Adagio
Heavier than the Largo, weight on the second beat. Quarter = 55.
IV. Giga
Light, lifted compound dance. Dotted quarter = 65.

Movement I — Largo

Read the opening at half tempo once, listening for shape rather than fixing anything. The whole movement is built from two alternating gestures: a sighing descent from D, and a climb back to the same cadence.

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Practice plan — the Largo only

Learn the Largo; just listen to the other three. Four sessions:

Session 1 — read all four movements once at half tempo
Then sing the four opening motives from memory.
Session 2 — the Largo, hardest-bar work
Apply the Lesson 51 chunked procedure to the cadence figures in bars 4–5 and at the end.
Session 3 — the Largo, chunks
First half to the first cadence, then second half; stop when each plays the same way twice in a row.
Session 4 — the Largo, end-to-end
Two run-throughs at quarter = 50, recording the second; mark the bars to work on next.

One ornament — flattement on the cadence

Apply the Lesson 54 finger flattement on the two cadential notes only — not on every long note.

Now play these

Loeillet of Ghent: Sonata in D minor, Op. 1 No. 1
Read all four movements; learn the Largo in detail.
Loeillet of Ghent: Sonata in F major, Op. 3 No. 3
Compare its slow movement to the Largo above.

When the Largo plays at quarter = 50 with flattement on its two cadences, and you can sing the other three opening motives from memory, move on to Lesson 58.