Conclusion

With this research work, I tried to demonstrate how the Viennese tuning could be used in the late classical period for the composers who succeeded Mozart, Haydn, and Sperger.

Unfortunately, I have found no clear evidence of a date, or of a composer, who made specific use of Viennese tuning in orchestras after the solos of Haydn’s six symphonies, and Sperger’s last symphony. The Viennese tuning disappeared progressively towards the middle of the 19^th century. The last evidence I found is Beethoven’s Septet op. 20, the first performance of Beethoven’s 1^st symphony, and Schubert’s Trout quintet. The performance on 2^nd November 1800 of Sperger’s 42^nd symphony “Erbprinzessin-sinfonie”, which he had completed on 7^th October 1800 should also be mentioned.[1] Finally, it is a fact that instruments of this tuning were built until at least 1820.

In this transitional period, two generations of double bassists played two different tunings in the Viennese area: the Viennese tuning, and the fourths tuning with low “F” or “E”.

Putting together the conclusions I have drawn from my analysis and practical research on Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, and Félix Mendelssohn at this stage, I can come to the following conclusions:

In Beethoven’s music, the use of Viennese tuning can be interesting and justified for his first two symphonies, given the dates, the compositional technique used, and my practical experience. The 4^th symphony could also be played in Viennese tuning with a low “F” as a root note, but this is mainly justified by the presence and use of an F chord. I think the best compromise given the musical innovations would be to play these symphonies with a tuning in fourths but a low “F” as the last note. To get deeper into the historical details about the interpretation of Beethoven’s musical works, the next step would be to go through all the critics and reviews of the early 19^th century, such as the “Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung”, or the “Zeitung für die elegante Welt”, to find more insight about his work and how it was perceived at the time. Aesthetically, the same can be said of Schubert’s compositions up to the period of the creation of his Trout Quintet, between 1819 and 1825. This includes his Octet composed in 1824. For Mendelssohn, my proposal is less a historical point of view, and more a proposal of stylistic practice about his classical symphonies. It would also allow us to rediscover the sound aesthetics of this period. 

After having gathered the proven facts and my application proposal, the best conclusion I can give on the historical level is the following: Given the existence of two generations of double bass players in the early 19^th century, if it cannot be proven that the symphonic pieces were written in this tuning, it is more than likely that they were performed in mixed Viennese and fourths tunings. The practical approach I gave in this research work reflects my approach and is a starting point for reflection.

Personal note

As performers, we have to decide which instrument will be historically used for the program and fit the aesthetic of the pieces and the orchestra’s texture. It is something we often discuss among colleagues, as we already do with bows. More than a question of volume and projection, we are looking for clarity and support to assume our bass role.