A transcription of Elias Nikolaus Ammerbach's Orgel oder Instrument Tabulaturbuch (second edition, 1583)

Abstract

Title on spine: A transcription of Ammerbach's Orgel Tabulaturbuch (1583) --- Vita. --- Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of Rochester, 1963. --- v.1. [Discussion].--v.2. [Transcription].

The principle endeavor of this thesis is to present in modern staff notation the late sixteenth century organ tablature, Orgel oder Instrument Tabulaturbuch, by Elias Nicolaus Ammerbach (1530 - 1597). Of three tablatures printed by Ammerbach during his lifetime, this is the third, in reality, an extensively enlarged re-edition of his first tablature. Several copies of these tablatures have been preserved. The author has had three (in microfilm) made available to him: a first edition (1571) from the University Library, Cambridge, England, and two copies of the second edition (1583), one from the Royal Library in Stockholm from which the major work of transcribing was done, and the other from Isham Memorial Library, Harv​​ard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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 The complete transcription is contained in Volume II of this thesis. Included are 142 compositions in four-part writing. The second edition, like the first, contains not only a large group of German sacred and secular songs, but also a large representation of dances. In addition to these and included only in the second edition are several Italian madrigals, French chansons, and Latin songs. Thus the contents of the second edition make a valuable compilation of music common during the latter part of the sixteenth century.
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 As many as possible of the compositions have been traced to their origins and a comparative study of them has been made. In the case of one composition there has been presented a line-by-line comparative rendition of both Senfl's and Ammerbach's versions in an endeavor to show the transcription techniques of Ammerbach. THe author arbitrarily chose fifteen compositions to analyze from the standpoint of non-harmonic tones and harmonic materials. The results of this study have been computed and are shown in table form
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 Ammerbach was one of the "colorists" so the question about coloration techniques naturally arises. In the first edition there are several compositions in the coloristic style of Ammerbach's day. In the second edition there is no elaborate coloration indicated, but in order to show how a song was colorized the author transcribed five colorized pieces pieces of the first edition. These five pieces occur without colorization in the second edition. From the fact that there are no florid embellishments in the second edition, it seems that Ammerbach expected the performer to introduce his own original colorations. In the chapter on coloration, the technique of coloration is discussed and a table of coloration motives has been presented.
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 A short history of tablature tells of the development of the tablature and lists other tablatures similar in character. A short biographical sketch of Ammerbach gives some evidence of his work in Leipzig other than his regular responsibilities at the St. Thomas Church. Some suggestions on fingerings and a system of tuning form parts of the Foreword and give insight into the musical practices of the day. 
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 Thus, in general, the thesis makes available a large collection of sixteenth century music heretofore unpublished.