Alberti bass in Thomas Attwood's Sonatina in G Major opening

Alberti bass in Beethoven WoO 78, Variation V opening

Alberti bass is a particular kind of accompaniment

figure Figure may refer to: General *A shape, drawing, depiction, or geometric configuration *Figure (wood), wood appearance *Figure (music), distinguished from musical motif *Noise figure, in telecommunication *Dance figure, an elementary dance pattern ...

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...

, often used in the

Classical era Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...

, 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." ''Baker's Student Encyclopedia of Music''. Ed. Laura Kuhn. Schirmer-Thomson Gale, 1999. . Alberti bass is a kind of

broken chord A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves. An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...

arpeggiated A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves. An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...

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 instrument A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument played using a keyboard, a row of levers which are pressed by the fingers. The most common of these are the piano, organ, and various electronic keyboards, including synthesizers and digital p ...

s, especially for Mozart's piano pieces. However, it is also found in pieces for other instruments. It has been described as, "a true tolerable monotony," and as, "perhaps the most overworked fixture of eighteenth-century music." Bernstein, Leonard (2007).
The Infinite Variety of Music
', p.51. Amadeus Press. . "But over and over again we can find Mozart using this figuration in such a way that it is transformed by the sheer beauty of his melodic invention above it." Well-known examples of Alberti bass include the beginning of Mozart's Piano Sonata, K 545, and the third movement of Beethoven's

Moonlight Sonata The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked ''Quasi una fantasia'', Op. 27, No. 2, is a piano sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven. It was completed in 1801 and dedicated in 1802 to his pupil Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. The popular name ''M ...

. A famous example from 20th-century American popular music is the bass guitar part of the 1962 surf rock standard " Pipeline", by

The Chantays The Chantays, sometimes credited as Chantay's, is an American surf music band from Orange County, California, United States, known for the hit instrumental " Pipeline" (1963). Their music combines electronic keyboards and surf guitar, creating a ...

.Overly, Mike (March 25, 2015).
Surfin’ With Mozart
, ''12ToneMusic.WordPress.com''. Accessed: 21 July 2019. Alberti bass is also used in the ending theme of Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. 2. "Ending Theme - Super Mario Bros. 2"
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Notes

References

Accompaniment Piano {{Music-stub