Alberti bass

Alberti bass is a particular kind of accompaniment figure in music, often used in the Classical era, and sometimes the Romantic era. It was named after Domenico Alberti (1710–1740/46), who used it extensively, although he was not the first to use it.Alberti bass — the accompaniment figure based on broken chords and used in many sonatinas and sonatas; named after Domenico AlbertiThis style of LH accompaniment gets its name from the 16th Century Italian composer, Domenico Alberti, who used it in many of his compositions. It was also used by Haydn, Mozart, Clementi and Beethoven, along with many other composers of the Classical period.A bass consisting of a succession of broken chords (arpeggios) of an unusual kind. Domenico Alberti, a gifted Venetian amateur who was born during the early part of the Eighteenth Century and died about 1740, is credited with the invention which bears his name. His cembalo music abounds in this style of accompaniment. Alberti bass is a particular kind of accompaniment figure in music, often used in the Classical era, and sometimes the Romantic era. It was named after Domenico Alberti (1710–1740/46), who used it extensively, although he was not the first to use it. Alberti bass is a kind of broken chord or arpeggiated accompaniment, where the notes of the chord are presented in the order lowest, highest, middle, highest. This pattern is then repeated several times throughout the music. The broken chord pattern helps to create a smooth, sustained, flowing sound on the piano. 'Chords of harmony broken up into short patterns. Steady bass patterns in orchestral music which give the rhythmic drive to Classical music, compensating for the energetic drive of the Baroque basso continuo line.' Alberti bass is usually found in the left hand of pieces for keyboard instruments, especially for Mozart's piano pieces. However, it is also found in pieces for other instruments. It has been described as, 'a truely tolerable monotony,' and as, 'perhaps the most overworked fixture of eighteenth-century music.' Well-known examples of Alberti bass include the beginning of Mozart's Piano Sonata, K 545. A famous example from 20th-century American popular music is the rhythm guitar part of the 1962 'surf rock' standard 'Pipeline', by The Chantays.