The partimenti of Book VI are among the most difficult in the partimento literature. Nos. 2, 4, and others, for example, are canons and one is expected to perform the canon without writing it out beforehand. This is typical of the mental training required—one must read and play one voice while performing a second voice from recent memory of the first voice. The very last partimento in Book VI is a “tour” (It. giro) in which we travel through all the major and minor keys, presenting one of the bass motions (movimenti) for each key. A student who can do a good job realizing this partimento will have demonstrated command of all the bass motions presented in Fenaroli’s Rules (Book III).
Playable Books