1) What is the two in the time sig. mean. Teacher says its 4/4 time.
Your teacher is correct.
2) The 10th & 19th bar has only 2 beats. Are these somehow pick up's for bars 19 & 27? If so is this common?
If you look at bar 1, it has only two beats as well. This is called an “anacrusis”, and it is a way to start a piece on a weak beat (technically called an upbeat), so that it “prepares” for bar 2 (which would be considered the true first bar, if you follow my drift). When the first section ends (on bar 9), the missing two beats of bar one are supplied. This is why bar 9 has only two beats (they are the missing beats of bar 1). However this practice is not universally adhered to.
Like wise, bar 10 – the start of the second section of the piece – is also an anacrusis which is completed at the end of the section (bar 18 – with only two beats).
Finally bar 27 should complete the anacrusis of bar 19 – which contrary to the previous sections does not seem incomplete at all – but actually is as you will see next.
2) What sequence do you play? Is it 1-9 & then 1-9 again, then 10-18, 19-27 & finish w/ 1-9?
This is a “rondeau”, a form first used in poetry and then adapted to music. A rondeau is a poem where a “refrain” is repeated after every stroph (or stanza), like so:
Refrain
Stroph 1
Refrain
Stroph 2
Etc.
Refrain.
In this case, the refrain is the first section (bars 1 – 9) – or premier couplet.
So it should be played like so:
First section (bars 1 – 9) - repeat
Second section (bars 10 – 18) - repeat
First section again – no repeat
Third section (bars 19-27) - repeat
First section (end) – no repeat
As you go from the first section to the third, replace bar 9 by bar 19 – the first two beats of bar 19 replace bar 9 – and that is why bar 19 is not an anacrusis (but it is in a sense).
3) What are these notations:
a)10th bar has a (1er couplet) notation
b)19 bar has a (2e fois) (2e couplet) notatation.
c)18th & 27th bar has a (au Rondeau) notation.
d)9th has a (Fin) notaion.
These are directions to play the several sections and their repeats as explained above. (1er couplet mean first section, 1er fois means first time, Fin, means end)
4) Fingering suggestion and how to play the ornaments:
I know not to play these now since it just complicates the learning process, but would like to know how to play them so I can work out the proper fingerings.
I have realised the ornaments for this piece following Couperin’s directions – Duphly was roughly contemporary with Couperin and they were both French, so I assume that Duphly followed the same rules. But the cruel truth is that we have no idea (at least I have no idea) what such ornaments are. Signs like such “+” do not represent specific ornaments, but rather suggestions that at that point the performer should ornament. In Duphly’s time, ornamentation was mostly improvised by the performer, the composer did not imposed his own ideas (Couperin did and was much resented by performers who viewed it as patronising and and encroachment in their area of expertise). If I have time during the weekend I will try to post the scores. However they are just suggestions, being neither binding nor authoritative. I would be most interested in directions for Duphly’s ornaments myself. (Also, have a look at reply #3 above)
5) What tempo would you suggest?
Crochet = 66 – 80
I might add that when I first listen to this recording on the https://jacques.duphly.free.fr/ web site I did not really like it. But listening to my teacher play it changed my mind completly.
There are some excellent CDs of Duphly available (the site has a list). I strongly suggest you get some. Unfortunately they are all on harpsichord.
P.S. Would anyone else like to suggest any other Duphly pieces that a 1st year beginner could tackle?
Most of the pieces are of similar difficulty to the rondeau. You may try “La de Drummond”, “La De la Tour” and “La Forqueray” all of which are very beautiful.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Bernhard.
Topic: Jacques Duphly