Existing studies on ornamentations are mostly limited to those on the ornamentations of the Baroque period and of the improvisation and there seems to be no research on the ornamentations of the Galant Style. So, the purpose of this study is to present the correct understanding and interpretation of the galant ornamentations to performers who plays the galant music and to be helpful for them to play the Pre-classical music correctly and rightly.
In this research, quote; “Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments” of C. Ph. E. Bach (1714-1788), "Anleitung zur Singkunst" of J. F. Agricola (1705-1782), “The Clavier Playing Instruction for Teachers and Students, or the Guidelines for Clavier Playing or Instructions in Playing the Clavier for Teachers & Students” of D. G. Turk (1750-1813), “The Interpretation of the Music of the 17th and 18th Centuries” of Arnold Dolmetsch (1858-1940). By using them as the guidances of this study, some rules about interpretation of ornamentations extracted.
Used, Sonata in B♭, Op. 5, No.1, Sonata in D, Op. 5, No. 2, Sonata in E♭, Op. 5, No. 4, Sonata in G, Op. 17, No. 1, Sonata in c, Op. 17, No. 2 and Sonata in E♭, Op. 17, No. 3 by J. C. Bach in the Pre-Classism as materials of this research. To know the characteristics of the ornamentations and how to play them, the interpretation rules derived from the guidances of the first half of the 18th century and the mid-18th century are applied to the interpretation of the ornamentations, presented in J. C. Bach''s Op. 5 and Op. 17.
As the result of this study, found, galant ornamentations are used to change or reproduce the themes by changing melodies and harmony. Also, to overcome week points about sounds of the pianos at that times, the ornamentations are used as maintaining sounds and emphasizing rhythms
The correct performance of the Galant Style must be preceded with the correct interpretation of the ornamentations. That is, the rated performance could be played after the correct interpretation.
Through this study, I hope to lay some foundations to understand the galant ornamentations correctly and to reproduce the music of Galant period rightly.