The Art of Accompainment From a Thorough-Bass, as Practiced in the XVII and XVIIIth Centuries, Vol. I

A solid grounding in musical techniques of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries is essential to a complete understanding of Baroque music. As scholar Denis Stevens says in his introduction to this work, "Full enjoyment will come only when the soloist learns the gentle art of tasteful embellishment of a melodic line, and when continuo players learn that their role is perhaps the most important in the entire ensemble."

Arnold's legendary work is a comprehensive survey of the topic, covering every issue of significance to today's performers. The text is fully amplified with numerous musical examples, authoritative citations, scholarly interpretations and syntheses, and the author's own conclusions.

This rich collection of source material for the musicologist is an equally indispensable companion for conductors, editors and performers.

Dover unabridged republication of the first edition (1931).