Bach Ornamentation

This semester i have been considering the use of appogiaturas. In my Bach piece.
The word appogiatura originates from the ittalian word Appoggiare, To lean and in musical terms it is an
ornamental note that temporarily displaces a note with a different note from outside the chord, before
resolving, usually stepwise, to the displaced note. (encyclopedia Brittanica, 2014) But it shouldn't be
thought of as a seperate note. Rather, it should be treated as if it was the chordal note that is resolved to.
(Robyn Wells, 2014)
An apogiature is an increadibly effective technique used to create and heighten emotional tension by
leaning into the end of the phrase. A singer can also gain a stronger sense of phrasing by considering the
appogiatura and it will assist with emoting the phraseing.
There is an concept in Italian singing technique called appoggio of the breath. This is where the
breathing muscles lean against each other in such a way that they create an unconcious coordination of
the breath which provides just the right amount of pressure to the vocal chords (Emmons). This sense
of leaning and balance is a fundamental physiological requirement of how an efficient voice works.
(Robyn Wells, 2014). The leaning and balance concept in Appoggio of the breath is very similar to the
leaning concept in an appoggiatura where by the leaning of the melody creates an onward pressure and
intent. Combining these two concepts creates a physiological link which helps in the execution of both.
The appogiatura, the most popular... of graces, can be indicated either with a small note of varying value
or written into the music using a regular sized note. This ornamentation was notated inconsistently even
in the late eighteenth century. (Martha Elliot, 2006) Another notation i have come across is a small x
above the note that is being displaced by the appogiatura. These differences in notation must be
considered when interpreting a piece, especially if the appogiatura is written into the score as a full sized
note (whether you treat it as an appoggiatura or just as a note) or as an x above the note (What value do
you give the appoggiatura, and from which direction do you aproach it). Robyn Wells (2014) states that
an Appogiatura should take up at least half of the value of the note it is displacing. With Elliot noting that
in the mid eighteenth century treatises comment that an appoggiaura before a rest can evan take the full
value of the rest and resolve upon the rest. Although she does note that Musicallity should be held with
more importance than just following rules.
Elliot, Martha 2006. A guide to vocal performance practices, Yale university press.
Wells, Robyn 2014. in lesson, 28th october 2014.
Emmons Shirly ??? breath Management, Shirlee-emmons.com, Accessed 28th October <www.shirleyemmons.com/breath_management.html>