Trill - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Trill, a fleeting dance between adjacent musical notes, is more than a mere ornament; it is a vibrant expression, a momentary flutter that animates a sustained tone. Often misunderstood as a simple embellishment, the trill’s true essence lies in its ability to add drama, fragility, or exuberant joy depending on the context, demanding a virtuosity that transcends mere technical execution.
The earliest identifiable directives for performing trills appear during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Treatises from the early 17th century, such as those by Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643), provide detailed instructions on executing ornaments. These early examples reveal a function that extended beyond mere decoration; the trill became a rhetorical device, lending emotional weight to key passages. The period itself roiled with artistic ferment, caught between the old contrapuntal styles and the emerging emphasis on solo melody, mirroring the trill's own ambivalent role.
Over centuries, interpretations of the trill have undergone significant evolution. C.P.E. Bach’s Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments (1753 & 1762) offers keen insights into the performance, stressing variations in tempo and approach tied to specific expressive goals. Yet, ambiguities persist. Historical accounts detail instances of performers argued vehemently and publicly over the proper execution, its starting point (on main note above) or tempo reflecting stylistic disparities. The trill, in its shimmering variability, embodies the evolution of musical expression, reflecting our own changing sensibilities regarding feeling and its conveyance.
The trill's enduring power resonates even in contemporary music, used both as an homage and a tool for forging new musical languages. Modern composers utilize it sometimes with an ironic and subversive twist, questioning its perceived association with tradition. Does the contemporary re-appearance of this antique bring with it an echo of the past, or does it instead signpost a new avenue of musical meaning? Ponder the trill: a delicate gesture through which the past continues to converse enigmatically with the present.