The Heartz: A Galant Schema from Corelli to Mozart

John A. Rice

This is a pre-publication version of a paper published in Music Theory Spectrum 37

(2014): http://mts.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/09/24/mts.mtu016

Abstract: Daniel Heartz has called attention to passages in eighteenth-century music with subdominant
harmony over a tonic pedal, which convey a sweetness and tenderness characteristic of a certain strain of
the galant style. These passages can be described as elaborations of a voice-leading schema in which a
melody moves from the fifth scale degree to the sixth and then returns to the fifth, over a bass that sustains
the first scale degree. I call this schema the Heartz and demonstrate how composers from Corelli to Mozart
used it as an opening gambit and a riposte in vocal and instrumental music.

Daniel Heartz (with whom I had the privilege of studying at the University of California,
Berkeley from 1980 to 1987) has repeatedly called attention to passages in eighteenth-
century music with subdominant harmony over a tonic pedal. These passages convey, for
him, a sweetness and tenderness characteristic of a certain strain of the galant style. Of
Leonardo Leo’s aria “Non so; con dolce moto” (Ciro riconosciuto, Turin, 1737; Example
1), he writes: “the ‘dolce moto’ he sets to the sweet sounds of the subdominant in 6/4
position.”1 Leo’s Salve Regina (Example 2) has a “typically Neapolitan sweetness, with
emphasis on the tonal relaxation provided by the subdominant chord.”2 In a flute sonata
by Pietro Antonio Locatelli (published in 1732; Example 3) Heartz calls attention to “the
suavity lent to it by the long subdominant harmony over a tonic pedal.”3 In “Colla bocca
e non col core,” Rosina’s first aria in Mozart’s La finta semplice (Vienna, 1768; Example
4), “the violins in thirds... intone a rising melody with chromatically raised fifth degree,
... the arrival of the sixth degree bringing with it subdominant harmony in 6/4 position.
The sensuous and capricious Rosina is thus captured in a musical portrait even before she
begins to sing.”4 Another Rosina’s aria, “Giusto ciel, che conoscete” (Example 5) in
Giovanni Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia (St. Petersburg, 1782), is characterized by “the
very tender progression of subdominant six-four chord to tonic.”5

                                                                                                               
1
Heartz (2003, 138).
2
Heartz (2003, 138).
3
Heartz (2003, 214).
4
Heartz (1995, 519).
5
Heartz (1990, 141).
   2  

EXAMPLE 1. Leonardo Leo, Ciro riconosciuto, act 2, “Non so; con dolce moto,” mm. 7–11, from a
keyboard-vocal score (on two staves) published in Johann Friedrich Reichardt’s Musikalisches
Kunstmagazin (1782), reproduced in facsimile in Heartz (2003, 136–37). Translation: “I do not know. With
a gentle motion my heart trembles in my breast.”

j
‰ œ œ œ ‰ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ
œ œœ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ
Largo e con gusto

3 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ
& b 4 œJ ˙ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Astiage

Œ ‰. R J J J
? 3 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Non so; con dol - ce mo - to il cor mi tre - ma!in pet - to

b 4 œ œ œ
œ œ

EXAMPLE 2. Leo, Salve Regina in F, mm. 1–5, from Heartz (2003, 139)

œ
3 œœ œœ ! œ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ
œ
œœ œœ ! œœ œœ œœ # œœ œœ œœ œœ n œœ œœ ! œ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œ .œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ .
Largo

b
& 4 œ œ œ œœ œœœ œœ . œœ œœ
Strings f p f p f p f
? b 43 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
6 5
4 3

EXAMPLE 3. Pietro Antonio Locatelli, Flute Sonata in A, Op. 2, No. 7, II, mm. 1–7, from Heartz (2003,
215)

Ÿ œ Ÿ j
b 12 œ . œ œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ Œ ‰
Largo

& 8 J J J
? 12 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j
œ œ
j œ œ œ
Flute, Basso

b 8 J J J J œ J J
œ
6 6 5 7 5 9 5
4 4 3 4 3

EXAMPLE 4. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, La finta semplice, act 1, “Colla bocca e non col core,” mm. 1–4

# # # Andante œœ
2 œ œ. œ. œ. # œ. œœ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œ œ.
œœ. œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
& 4 œœ .. œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ
p Í
3

#
? ## 2 ! ‰ œ. œ. œ. œ œ œ œ œ
4 œ
œ œ œ œ
Strings, Flutes
   3  

EXAMPLE 5. Giovanni Paisiello, Il barbiere di Siviglia, act 2, “Giusto ciel che conoscete,” mm. 15–24.
Translation: “Just heaven, you know how sincere my heart is.”

œ œœ j j r r œ œr r r
Larghetto
b 2 Rosina œ .
& b b 4 œR œR J R œœ œ œ ‰ œ œ J œJ œ œ . œ
r
œ
J
Giu- sto ciel che co - no - sce - te quan -to!il cor o - ne - sto

b 2
&bb 4 ‰ œœ œœ
œ œ
œœ
œ
œœ
œ
! œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ
œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. . . . .
p Strings
? b 2 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
bb 4 œ œ œ œ

b r j j œ. œ œ œ
&bb œœ Œ ‰ œ
18

œ J
bb b j ? œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ. œœ œœ œœ œœJ œœr œœ œ œœ œœ œœ. œœ œœ œœ œj ? œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ. œœ œœ œœ
si - a, quan - - - to!il cor o -
r
Bassoons Clarinets r Bassoons
& œœ & œ œ &
˙ ˙ ˙
? b b ˙œ œ
Horns

œ œ ˙œ œ œ œ ˙œ œ œ œ
b

b œ r
&bb ˙ ˙ œœ œ œ œr œ œ j Œ
21

œœ
j - sto
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ Œ
ne - - - - - - - - - si - a

b œœ
Clarinets

& b b œœœœ j‰
! œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ ! œ œ œ œJ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ. œ œ
œ. œ œ
J
? b œ j‰
bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ
Strings

œ œ

It is no accident that all three of the opera arias cited by Heartz contain the word
core (also spelled cor). Eighteenth-century opera composers associated the sonic
sweetness of the subdominant chord over a tonic pedal with the tender emotions of the
human heart.
The 6/4 chords in all these passages are neighboring 6/4 chords (also called pedal
or auxiliary 6/4 chords). Dmitri Tymoczko has argued that “the vast majority of
‘neighboring 6/4 chords’ fall into just a couple idioms or schemas––chiefly I – IV6/4 – I
and V – I6/4 – V.” He has urged the abandonment of the term “neighboring 6/4 chord” in
favor of an “idiomatic or ‘schema-based’” explanation of the passages in which it occurs,
which “correctly gives the expectation that there are just a couple of relevant
   4  

progressions, occurring on specific scale degrees, and expressing specific harmonic

functions.”6
Looked at from the point of view of the voice-leading schemata named and
explored by Robert O. Gjerdingen, and theorized in depth by Vasili Byros,7 the passages
quoted above can be described as elaborations of a schema—recently referred to by
Byros as the “Sol-La-Sol”—in which a melody moves from the fifth scale degree to the
sixth and then returns to the fifth, over a bass that sustains the first scale degree.8
Gjerdingen quotes such a passage at the beginning of an aria in Leo’s Olimpiade
(Naples, 1737). In “Non so donde viene,” King Clistene tells of the unfamiliar feelings
that come over him as he sentences a young man to death, unaware that the youth is his
own son. Again the heart is the source of emotion, but the librettist Pietro Metastasio
used “petto” instead of “core” to satisfy the requirements of rhyme:
Non so donde viene I know not the source of
Quel tenero affetto: that tender affection,
Quel moto ignoto that motion that surges
Mi nasce nel petto: unknown in my bosom:
Quel gel che le vene that chill which now seizes
Scorrendo mi va. my soul through and through.9

The melody’s –– motion over a tonic pedal, beautifully decorated with
leaps from  up to  and down again to , conveys the “tender affection” of Clistene’s
heart (Example 6; in this and all subsequent musical examples, and in the text, I follow
Gjerdingen in using black disks to refer to scale degrees in the melody, and white disks to
refer to scale degrees in the bass).
Gjerdingen describes measures 17–18 as an opening gambit and measures 19–20
as the beginning of a Prinner in which a Meyer is embedded.10 I would argue that
measures 17–20 together constitute a schema that is both common and distinctive enough
to deserve its own name and a place among the galant schemata. I call it the Heartz, in
acknowledgment of Daniel Heartz’s recognition of it as a characteristic and expressively
potent element of the galant style, and also as a reminder of the frequency with which
composers used it to communicate the meaning of texts that include the Italian word for
“heart.”

                                                                                                               
6
Remarks by Dmitri Tymoczko, 20 October 2011, on http://lists.societymusictheory.org/pipermail/smt-
talk-societymusictheory.org/2011-October/001202.html, consulted on 25 June 2013.
7
Byros (2012a) and Byros (2012b), building on and extending the work of Leonard Meyer and Gjerdingen.
8  Byros (2013, 221) uses “Sol-La-Sol” in reference to one of the “galant scale-degree schemata” in the first

movement of Mozart’s Piano Sonata in C, K. 279. The  passage,  with  the  tonic  pedal  shifted  to  a  middle  
part,  is  atypical  of  the  schema  discussed  here.  
9
First stanza only; translation from Gjerdingen (2007, 297).
10
Gjerdingen (2007, 301). On the Prinner see Gjerdingen (2007, 45–60); on the Meyer, Gjerdingen (2007,
111–16).
   5  

EXAMPLE 6. Leo, Olimpiade, act 3, “Non so donde viene,” mm. 17–22, after an annotated edition of the
aria in Gjerdingen (2007, 300–308) and I-Nc, manuscript Rari 7. 3. 8. Translation: “I know not the source
of that tender affection.” Gjerdingen’s annotations in italics, mine in roman.

HEARTZ

bœ œ.
PRINNER

b 3 œ œ. ‰ œJ
Larghetto OPENING GAMBIT
œ œ. œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ
MEYER

V b 4 œJ œ
Clistene ! " " !

J J J
b œ bœ bœ œœ bœ œ
Non so don - de vie - ne quel te - ne - ro!af - fet - to, quel

&b 43 ‰ œ Œ Œ œ Œ Œ œ Œ Œ œ œ
p Œ Œ Œ œ Œ Œ œ Œ
3 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œŒ
? b
b 4 œ œ bœ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ
Strings

1
‰ 1‰ 1
‰ 1
‰
4 3

b b #œ $œ b œ œ œ j %
J bœ bœ
21 &
V œ

b œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ
te - ne - ro af - fet - to

&b œ bœ œ œ œ
? b œ œ œ œœ œ
b œ œ œ œ
1

I share Gjerdingen’s reluctance to associate a particular voice-leading schema

with particular extra-musical meanings.11 Many schemata are topically neutral: they do
not communicate meaning through the system of musical topics, intensively explored
during the last thirty years by Leonard Ratner, Wye Allenbrook, Robert Hatten, Raymond
Monelle, Kofi Agawu, William Caplin, and others, and the subject of a forthcoming
book.12 But some schemata do convey, or have the potential to convey, meaning, as
Gjerdingen implied with the Italian names he gave them: the Quiescenza (“a state of
repose or inactivity”)13 and the Indugio (“a playful tarrying or lingering”).14 Likewise the
Heartz is not only a melodic-harmonic framework but also a gesture that can, in
combination with other musical parameters, communicate the idea of intense, heartfelt
emotion. Thus we might be justified in thinking of the Heartz not only as voice-leading
schema but also as a topic.
Table 1 presents a prototype of the Heartz.15 It differs from most galant schemata
in its symmetry: both the melody and the bass begin and end on the same scale degree. In
this it resembles the Quiescenza, with which it can sometimes be confused. Both
schemata feature a tonic pedal and a melody that moves to  and then away from it. But

                                                                                                               
11
Gjerdingen (2007, 120).
12  Mirka,  ed.  (forthcoming).  
13
On the Quiescenza see Gjerdingen (2007, 181–95).
14  On  the  Indugio  see  Gjerdingen  (2007,  273–83).  
15
Modeled on those in Gjerdingen (2007, 453–64), but without indicating “strength of metric position.”
   6  

the Heartz differs melodically from the Quiescenza in starting and ending on , not ,
and in approaching  from below, not above.16 The Heartz presents a melodic
prolongation of , the Quiescenza a melodic prolongation of .

Table 1. The Heartz: Schema Prototype

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Scale degree in the melody   

Sonority, in intervals above the bass 5 6 5

3 4 3

Scale degree in the bass 1 1 1

In all the passages illustrated so far, and most of the examples that follow, the
Heartz is followed by a – descent. In many of these cases, the Heartz, as a
prolongation of , can be heard as the first stage in a larger schema, the Sol-Fa-Mi.17
The pervasiveness of the Heartz in eighteenth-century music is thus part of a larger story:
the frequency with which composers depended on the Sol-Fa-Mi as a melodic
framework.
Because the Heartz is so often followed by –, listeners may be sometimes
tempted to hear its concluding – (as Gjerdingen hears measures 19–20 in Example 6)
as the beginning of a Prinner. But several musical parameters typically discourage us
from interpreting the Heartz’s – this way. First, it is accompanied by 1 in bass, not
the Prinner’s normal 4–3. Second, the Heartz is often differentiated from what follows
by a distinctive texture (such as the broken chords in eighth-notes underpinning the
Heartz—and only it—in Example 6). Third, the music that follows the Heartz often has
its own schematic identity (e.g. the Meyer in Example 6).
Although composers born between 1690 and 1770 used the Heartz with particular
frequency, composers born earlier also used it—typically as one element of a pastoral
topic, defined by several musical parameters, including tempo, meter, and key, in
addition to the Heartz’s tonic pedal and subdominant harmony.18 Both Corelli and Handel
associated the Heartz with shepherds, the tonic pedal representing the drone of rustic
bagpipes: Corelli in the concluding Pastorale of his Concerto per la notte di Natale, Op.
6, No. 8 (probably written around 1690; Example 7)19 and Handel in the Musette of his
Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 6 (1739), embedding a short Heartz within a longer one

                                                                                                               
16
A passage in Niccolò Jommelli’s duet “La destra ti chiedo” that Gjerdingen (2007, 321, mm. 20–24)
divides into two segments, each labelled “Quiescenza?”, consists of two overlapping Heartzes. Hepokoski
and Darcy (2006, 105) conflate, within what they refer to as the “8–b7–6–nat7–8 pattern,” passages that
can usefully be distinguished as Quiescenzas or Heartzes, for example describing a passage in Mozart’s
Piano Sonata in D, K. 284, I, mm. 9–12, as “two loops of the pattern, literally in mm. 9–10, implicit in mm.
11–12.” I prefer to say that Mozart cleverly exploited the kinship between the Heartz and the Quiescenza,
presenting a two-measure phrase in a rising sequence, first as a Quiescenza, then as a Heartz.
17
On the Sol-Fa-Mi see Gjerdingen (2007, 253–62).
18
The scholarly literature on the pastoral topic is vast; for a thorough discussion and bibliography see
Monelle (2006, 185–271).
19
Quoted and discussed in Monelle (2006, 229–30).
   7  

(Example 8), and the Pastoral Symphony in Messiah (1741). Similarly pastoral (though
not explicitly labelled as such) is the siciliano-like Largo by Locatelli (born in 1695)
shown in Example 3.

EXAMPLE 7. Arcangelo Corelli, Concerto Grosso “fatto per la notte di Natale,” Op. 6, No. 8, Pastorale,
mm. 1–3

SOL-FA-MI

# 12
Largo
j"œ œ œ œ j j# œ j$
œ œœ œœ œœ œ
HEARTZ

œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œœ
œ
!
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
!
& 8 œ œ J œ œ
J J
? # 12 1˙ . ˙. ˙. œ.
Strings

œ.
1
8
1

œ.
6 5
4 3

EXAMPLE 8. George Frideric Handel, Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 6, III (Musette), mm. 1–7

SOL-FA-MI
HEARTZ

b 3Larghetto
HEARTZ

& 4 Œ
b j œ œ œ. œ
! " ! " ! # $
œ ˙
œ b œ œœ .. b œœ œœ b œœ œœ œ ˙ œœ b œœ œ ˙
œ ˙ œ ˙ œ˙ . œ œ b œ
œ
œ Œ
? b 3 ˙ œ œ ˙
b 4 ˙. ˙. œ bœ .
œ̇ œ œ œ
˙. ˙. ˙. ˙. œ bœ œ
6b 5 6
1 4 3
6 b

Opera composers found such sonorities irresistable. They often separated them
from their pastoral associations (and from the 6/8 and 12/8 meters so characteristic of the
pastoral topic) and used them instead to express heartfelt emotions, perhaps sensing an
anology between the melodic rise and fall, ––, and the expansion and contraction
of a character’s chest as he or she sighs. They replaced the pastoral drone with repeated
eighth-notes or quarter-notes, the pulsing bass conveying the rhythm of the heart to which
librettists so often referred in their poetry. In an early example of the non-pastoral Heartz,
Antonio Lotti, setting yet another text with the word cor, used two Heartzes in the final
duet of Teofane (Dresden, 1719; Example 9). He realized the Heartz’s – as an
appoggiatura, setting an example for many subsequent uses of the schema.
   8  

EXAMPLE 9. Antonio Lotti, Teofane, act 3, “A’ teneri affetti,” mm. 16–23, from Heartz (2003, 303).
Translation: “Let the heart surrender to gentle emotions; let those who enjoy such pleasure forget sadness.”

j j j "–! appoggiaturaj
j j œ œj œ
HEARTZ

2 j œ
HEARTZ

œœ œœ j
"–! appoggiatura
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
Teofane,

& b 4 œœ œ œJ œ
! !
œ œ
Ottone

J J J J J J J J
A' te - ne - ri!af - fet - ti il cor s'ab - ban - do - ni al

? 2 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Strings (violins doubling voices)

b 4 J
j
1 1 1
j
1

œœ œœ j j
b œœ œœ œœ œœ
&b J œœ œœ œœ
20 HALF CADENCE

J J œœ
J
duo - lo per - do - ni chi go - de co - si

? œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
b œ œ œ œ œ œ
5
1

The Heartz became a standard part of the galant vocabulary by the mid 1720s.
Leonardo Vinci’s opera Ernelinda (Naples, 1726) exemplifies the schema in a wide
variety of durations. It also shows how the Heartz typically served to open a movement,
as the first element in a broader Sol-Fa-Mi.
The aria “Sento che dice al core” begins with a three-measure Heartz: the opening
gambit in a seven-measure A–B–B’ melody (Example 10). Like the Sol-Fa-Mi in Ex. 2
and 6, this one ends with a Meyer; but here the repetition of the Meyer within the A–B–
B’ melody encourages us to hear the Meyer as a separate schema as well as part of the
larger Sol-Fa-Mi. That, in turn, helps us hear the Heartz as a separate schema as well—a
perception confirmed by the oscilating sixteenth-notes that accompany the Heartz but not
the Meyer.
Another aria in Ernelinda, “Sì, t’intendo,” begins with not one but a flurry of
short Heartzes in both the vocal line and the orchestra (Example 11). As in “Sento che
dice al core” the pedal point and the distinctive accompanimental pattern make it possible
to hear the Heartzes, collectively, as a distinct musical gesture, separate from the cadence
that follows (and separate from the Sol-Fa-Mi of which both the Heartzes and the
cadence are parts). The Heartzes in “Sì, t’intendo” constitute (like those in Lotti’s “A’
teneri affetti”) a series of – appoggiaturas, thus exemplying another common feature
of the Heartz in general.
   9  

EXAMPLE 10. Leonardo Vinci, Ernelinda, act 1, “Sento che dice al core,” mm. 14–20, I-Nc, manuscript
Rari 7.3.17. Translation: “I hear a flattering hope speaking to my heart.”

SOL-FA-MI

# 3 œ œ. œ ˙ œ
‰ œJ œ
Andante HEARTZ MEYER

Œ
HEARTZ
œœ #
& 4 œ J
! ! " ! " !
R
Sen - to che di - ce!al co - - - re la

# 3 !œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ "œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ !œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Strings

& 4 œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
p
1 1 1
end of SOL-FA-MI repeated

# j
œ % œ. œ œ $œ &œ œ œ . œœ œ j
œ%
MEYER repeated
œ. œ œ œ$ &œ
œœ
17

& J J J J J J
#

spe - me lu - sin - ghie - ra, la spe - me lu - sin - gie - ra

# j
œ. œœ
j
œ. œ œœ
œ œœ œ œœœ . œœ œœœ œœ œœ œ
œ œ œ œ œœœ œœœ œ œ œ œ œœœ œœœ œœœ
œ œ
& œœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ

EXAMPLE 11. Vinci, Ernelinda, act 1, “Sì, t’intendo,” mm. 1–5. Translation: “Yes, I understand you,
traitor.”

œ œ ‰ œJ
SOL-FA-MI

2 ‰ œ œJ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œj #œ
HEARTZ

&b 4 œ
HEARTZ
$
œ
Eduige ! ! " ! " !
J J
!
J J J
Sì, t'in - ten - do, t'in - ten - do, o tra - di - to - re

‰ j
2 œ œ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œ
HEARTZ HEARTZ HEARTZ

& b 4 ‰ œœ œ œœ ‰ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ
! " ! ! " ! ! " ! j
œ
œ
‰ œ
? 2 ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ
œ
Strings

b 4
1 1 1

In a final excerpt from Ernelinda, from the aria “Sorge talora,” the third stage of
the Heartz again takes the form of an appoggiatura, whose structural importance the
violins emphasize by momentarily interrupting their otherwise constant triplets (Example
12).
   10  

EXAMPLE 12. Vinci, Ernelinda, act 2, “Sorge talora,” mm. 9–12. Translation:
“Sometimes a dark dawn rises, then the sky, without a vail of clouds.”

### œ œ œ œ œJ
Andante HEARTZ

œ œ œj œj œj œj Œ
"
c œ
! "–! appoggiatura
&
Vitige
œ. œ.
Sor - ge ta - lo - ra fo - sca l'au - ro - ra

## œ œ
& # c œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3

Strings p
œ œœ œœ œœ œ œ
? ### c
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 1 1 1

### œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ %œj œj j

CONVERGING CADENCE

‰ œ. ‰ œ
11
$
& œ
#
J J J J
3
3
poi sen - za ve - lo di nu - be!il cie - lo

##
& # œœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœ œœ œœœ
œœœœœœ
? ### œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ
4 #4 5

We do not know for sure the author of a particularly lovely interaction of Heartz
and Prinner in the first act of a setting of Metastasio’s libretto Demofoonte; it was most
likely composed in Naples in the mid-1730s by either Domenico Sarro or Leo.20 The
shipwreck aria “Sperai vicino il lido” begins with a melody that—unusually for the
period—consists of only the first line of text (Example 13). The Heartz begins with this
line of text, and for its completion the composer repeated only the first word, “Sperai.”
To complete the poetic line, and the melody, he presented the rest of the words (“vicino il
lido”) in a Prinner. The music clearly differentiates the Heartz and the Prinner, but the
text brings them together. This passage exemplifies a feature of many Heartzes: the full
–– line is apparent only in the accompaniment. The busy broken-chord figuration,
depicting ocean waves, will play an important role in many later Heartzes.

                                                                                                               
20
The manuscript in which this Demofoonte is preserved (Naples, Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella, Rari
7. 3. 5, available on the Internet Culturale and IMSLP websites) may correspond to a production of the
opera (Naples, 1735) with music by three composers: Domenico Sarro (act 1), Francesco Mancini (act 2),
and Leonardo Leo (act 3). However, two numbers in act 2 are attributed to Leo in other manuscripts,
raising the possibility that the entire opera is by Leo.
   11  

EXAMPLE 13. Domenico Sarro or Leo, Demofoonte, act 1, “Sperai vicino al lido,” mm. 7–11, I-Nc,
manuscript Rari 7. 3. 5. Translation: “I hoped the shore was close.”

#
SOL-FA-MI

œ
Larghetto

& # C œ œ. œœ Œ œ
Timante HEARTZ

œ œ œ
œœ
Spe - rai vi - ci - no!il li - do, spe -

# j œ œœ œœ j j œ œœ j
& # C Œ
"
œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ
œ œœ œ
!

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
p
Strings, Horns

? ## C Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 1

## œ œ j
œ Œ œ œ œœ œ Ó
9

& œ ˙
PRINNER

œ ˙
3
ra - i vi - ci 3 - no!il li - do

Œ
## j œ œœ œœ œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œj
3 3
! " !
œ œœ œ œ˙ œ œ
#
& œœ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ˙œ œ
$
œœ
Ó
f
? ## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ Ó
œ
1 4 3 2 1

The preference that galant composers showed for the major mode means that minor-mode
Heartzes are quite rare. Leo used one in the last act of Demofoonte (Naples, 1735?),
setting Timante’s climactic aria, “Misero pargoletto” in F minor (Example 14). Timante,
mistakenly believing that his wife Dircea is his sister and that his son is consequently the
product of incest, addresses the child with horror and pity.21 Leo’s A–B–B melody, with
a Meyer as B, follows the structure and schematic content of the melody by Vinci in
Example 10; but the minor mode and augmented-second melodic intervals evoke a very
different emotional landscape.
The Heartz seems to have served primarily as an opening gambit in the 1720s and
1730s; later in the century it served more frequently as a riposte or a continuation. In
Johann Adolf Hasse’s Solimano (Dresden, 1753), the aria “Fugge invano” begins with a
two-measure opening gambit (Example 15). A Meyer follows a Heartz (with the ––
 leaps we saw in Leo’s “Non so donde viene”), in the same succession of schemata as
in Examples 2, 6, and 10).

EXAMPLE 14. Leo, Demofoonte, act 3, “Misero pargoletto,” mm. 17–22, I-Nc, manuscript Rari 7. 3. 5.
Translation: “Poor little child, you do not know your
fate”

                                                                                                               
21
For a longer excerpt from this aria and discussion of the music see Heartz (2003, 132–34).
   12  

SOL-FA-MI
HEARTZ

œ b œJ œ œ ˙
Andantino gustoso
b bœ n%œ b œ
&bb C ˙ œ œ
MEYER
j$
œ œ œ
Timante ! HEARTZ HEARTZ "–! appoggiatura
œ
J
#

œ˙ b œ œ œ b œœ œœ ˙˙
Mi - - se - ro par - go - let - to il tuo de - stin non

b œœ nœ bœ
&bb C œœ
j
œ œ nœ œ œœ œœ
Œ̇ Strings Œ
p pf p
? bb C Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ nœ
2

œ œ œ œ
4 3

b
1 1 1 1 1 1 1

end of SOL-FA-MI repeated

˙MEYER repeated
bbb œ nœ bœ j$
œ œ œ œ œ œ
20
&
& œ œ
& #
œ
%

˙
sa - i, il tuo de - stin non sa - i.

b nœ bœ
& b b œ˙ œ œ œœ
j
˙ œ nœ œ œœ œœ œ˙ œ œ
pf p
? b ˙ œ œ
1 2

Œ nœ œ œ œ œ
1
bb

EXAMPLE 15. Johann Adolf Hasse, Solimano (1753), act 1, “Fugge invano,”
mm. 16–21, D-Dl, manuscript Mus. 2477-F-68. Translation: “The reckless man flees in vain, seeking
shelter, seeking peace.”

HEARTZ # ˙
OPENING GAMBIT

˙ Ÿ œ œ Œ œ œJ
Molto allegro SOL-FA-MI

Vb c ˙ œ. œ Œ œ œ
œ œ
Solimano "–! appoggiaturaMEYER
J
Ÿ . l'au
œœ. œœ œœ
! "
Ÿ œ
˙ œœ. œœ. œœ œœ. œœ. œ œ œœ
Fug - ge!in -
in - van va - no, - da - ce cer-ca!a -

b c œ ˙ œ . œ ˙
œ œ
œ œ œœ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ
œ
p Strings, Oboes, Horns f p p
f
? c œœœœœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœœœ œ œ œœœœœœ œœœœœœœ œ
b
1 1 1 1

œ œ œ œ
Vb ‰ J J œ œ œ Œ
20 $ % # &

J
œŸ œ œ
œ. œœ. œ œœ œœ
si - lo e cer - ca pa - ce

&b œ œ œœœ œœ œœ
f p
? œ œ œ œ œœ œœ fœœ œœ œœ œœ
b œ œ œ œ
   13  

In using the Heartz as a riposte, composers often repeated it, taking advantage of
its beginning and ending on the same scale degree (another way the Heartz resembles the
Quiescenza, which usually occurs in pairs). Hasse’s aria “Nell’orror d’atra caverna”
(Example 16) begins with a Do-Re-Mi unfolding majestically over six measures. A pair
of Heartzes (the second embellished, again, with –– leaps) initiates a modulatory
passage.
EXAMPLE 16. Hasse, Solimano, act 3, “Nell’orror d’atra caverna,” mm. 21–32. Translation: “Into the
horror of the dark cave the traveler wonders thoughtfully.”

˙
DO-RE-MI

b ˙ ˙ j
Andante #
!

Vbb C
"
œ. œ ˙. œ. œ œ œ
Solimano

˙
Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
Nell' or - ror d'a - tra ca - ver - na, d'a -

b C œœœœœ œ œ
&bb œ œ
p Strings, Horns œ œœœ œ œœœœ œ œœœœ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
? bb C œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
b
1 1 suspended 7 1

b œ œœœ œ bœ
Vbb œ œ œ. œ Ó œ œ ˙
HEARTZ

˙
25 HEARTZ %–$ appoggiatura

œ œ

b ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
- - tra ca - ver - na tal s'in - ter - na il

b œ œ
& b œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œœœœ œ
œ œ œ œ $
pœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
%
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
$
? b
bb œ œ œ œ
poco forte

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 1 1 1

b % ˙ œ. œ œ œ œ
Vbb œ œ œ œ Œ œ. œ œ œ
&

J nœ
29 %–$ appoggiatura
%

J R
Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
pas - - sag - gie - ro e già va col suo pen - sie - ro

b œ œ œ
&bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
? b œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ
%

bb œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
1 1

Hasse spent much of the 1720s in Naples, working together with Vinci to
establish the galant style. As Kapellmeister in Dresden from 1730, he played a crucial
role in the spread of the galant from Italy to the rest of Europe. One of many composers
who learned from his example was Johann Adam Hiller, who grew up in Dresden while
Hasse dominated Italian opera in the Saxon capital. In Die Jagd (Weimar, 1770) Hiller
portrayed Hannchen’s sweetness and virtue with the orchestral introduction to her first
aria, “Du süsser Wohnplatz” (Example 17), which ends with the line “Sein Herz sey
mein, wie sein mein Herz” (“May his heart be mine, as my heart is his”). Music marked
   14  

“Con tenerezza” begins with a Heartz whose – ascent Hiller intensified with a
chromatic appoggiatura.22
EXAMPLE 17. Johann Adam Hiller, Die Jagd (Weimar, 1770), “Du süsser Wohnplatz
stiller Freuden,” mm. 1–8, from Heartz (2003, 431).

HEARTZ
.
b b 3 œ œ œ œ œ n œ œœ "˙˙ œ œ œ
Con tenerezza "–! appoggiatura
b
& 4 ˙. œ œ˙ . œ œ œœ b œœ ˙˙
!

? b 3 ˙.
Strings (violins with mutes),

bb 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
flutes, horns

˙. œ 1
1 1 1

b œœ œœ œ œ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œr œœ œœ
CONVERGING CADENCE

j
& b b œœ œ .œ œœ œ .œ œœ œ .œ
5
!$ &
œœ
# " %
j
œœ œœ

? bb œ nœ œ œ
œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ nœ
4
J
#4 5

C. P. E. Bach’s use of the Heartz exemplifies his dark, introverted take on galant
schemata. The slow movement of the Prussian Sonata No. 1 (published in 1742) is
famous for its recitative; but just as theatrical is beginning of the movement, in which
Daniel Heartz hears “an elegiac, gently throbbing discourse, replete with many sighs,
which create a plaintive mood.”23 The F-minor Heartz with which the movement opens
contributes to this mood, as does the torturously twisted Sol-Fa-Mi in which it is
embedded (Example 18). In the Magnificat (1749), the aria “Suscepit Israel” (Example
19) again begins with a minor-mode Heartz, but this time Bach surprises the listener by
following it with a Prinner riposte in the relative major.

EXAMPLE 18. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Prussian Sonatas, No. 1, II, mm. 1–3, from a
facsimile of the first edition (Nuremberg, 1742) in Heartz (2003, 399–402)

Ÿ
SOL-FA-MI

bœ
HALF CADENCE
HEARTZ

& c œ œ b œ œ b œ œ . œ b œ œ b œ n œ œ œ œ b œ œ œJ bœ. œ œ bœ bœ œ
3
j
Andante "–! appoggiatura $
œ
#
œ œ
!

œ œ j
b œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ
œ b b œœ œœ b œœ œœ œœ 3 œ œ œœ œœ . b œ œœ
?c œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ J n œ œ œœ bœ bœ œ
piano

œ
1 1 5

                                                                                                               
22
For a longer excerpt of this orchestral introduction and a perceptive appreciation see Heartz (2003, 431).
23
Heartz (2003, 404).
   15  

EXAMPLE 19. C. P. E. Bach, Magnificat, “Suscepit Israel,” mm. 19–22. Translation:

“He has come to the help of his servant Israel.”

MODULATING SOL–FA–MI

r!
Andante HEARTZ

3 œ
PRINNER IN F MAJOR!

&b 4 œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œœœ
$
r"
œ
Alto ! " ! #
œ
J
. . . Is Su - sce - pit - ra - el pu - e - rum su - um

3 œœ .. œœ œœ œ œ
& b 4 œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œ œ œ œ œœ. œ
r
˙. œ œ œœ
œœ
#œ œ œ œ
. . .
? 3 œ # œ œ œ. œ. œ.
Flutes, muted strings

b 4 œ œ œ œ œ
1 4 3
œ
1 1 1
The Venetian teenager Anna Bon enjoyed the patronage of Wilhelmina,
margravine of Bayreuth. Wilhelmina was the sister of C. P. E. Bach’s employer Frederick
the Great, so it is not surprising that Bon’s keyboard sonatas should reflect Bach’s
influence. Her sonata in B minor (published in 1757) has a slow movement in B major
that begins with a tenderly prolonged Heartz (Ex. 20), with two small Heartzes nested
within the larger one. From , Bon made the same yearning leap up to  that we saw in
Leo’s “Non so donde viene” and Hasse’s “Fugge invano” and “Nell’orror d’atra caverna”
(see Examples 6, 14, and 15). To complete the larger Sol-Fa-Mi Bon had recourse to a
schema used rarely in this context, the Jupiter.
EXAMPLE 20. Anna Bon, Keyboard Sonata in B minor, II, mm. 1–3

SOL-FA-MI
HEARTZ
HEARTZ HEARTZ

# # # # 3 ! " ! " #œ . "j "–! appoggiatura œ œ œ œjœ% œ œ œ œ #œ . œ œ œ œ &œ œ

Adagio non molto

& # 4 œœ œœ œœ œœ œ . œœ œœ œœ Œ œ œ œ #œ œœ Œ
JUPITER

œ
? # # # # 3 ˙ .. Œ œ œ
œœ
œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ.
3

# 4˙ ˙ œ œ œ
$

1 1 1 1 1

Composers using the Heartz in instrumental music liked to deploy the exciting
broken-chord accompaniments and rising arpeggios that animate such arias as “Sperai
vicino il lido” (see Example 13). In doing so, they sometimes made music with hardly a
trace of the tenderness and sweetness with which Vinci, Leo, and Bon imbued the
schema. Joseph Haydn could have absorbed the Heartz from Nicola Porpora, the
Neapolitan master from whom he learned “the true fundamentals of composition.”24 In an
early Keyboard Sonata in C, Hob. XVI:1 (written before 1766) he assigned the rising
arpeggios to the right hand and the broken chords, in the form of an Alberti bass, to the
left (Example 21). By repeating – he gave his melody the same A-B-B shape as the

                                                                                                               
24
See Diergarten (2011).  
   16  

opening melodies of Vinci’s “Sento che dice al core” (Example 10) and Leo’s “Misero
pargoletto” (Example 14). Haydn’s opening theme could easily have served as the
accompaniment for an aria such as those of Vinci and Leo; but it lacks the melodic line
that listeners could have associated with an operatic character’s expression of heartfelt
emotion.
EXAMPLE 21. Joseph Haydn, Keyboard Sonata in C, Hob. XVI:1, 1, mm. 1–7

SOL-FA-MI
HEARTZ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
&c œ œ œ
"
M M M
Allegro ! !

& c œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

! " !

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 1 1

œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œr œ œ œ
end of SOL-FA-MI repeated
M #M
œ M$
œ $M œ
#
Œ Œ Œ Œ # œ œœ œ Œ
4 CONVERGING CADENCE

&
œ œ
?œ œ Œ
& œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ ˙ œ #œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 #4 5

Mozart learned the Heartz along with many other voice-leading schemata as a
boy.25 A keyboard piece in C major, K. 9a, which Mozart wrote at the age of eight or
thereabouts, in 1763 or 1764 (without tempo marking, but presumably an allegro;
Example 22) begins with triadic ascent that may seem to have nothing to do with the
EXAMPLE 22. Mozart, Keyboard Piece in C major, K. 9a (1763–64?), mm. 1–6

SOL-FA-MI

œœœ œ ˙ œœœœœœœœ
HEARTZ

˙ œœœœœœ
&c ˙ ‰ J
DO-MI-SOL # # $
! "

? c œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ$œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 1

œ œœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ
œ
$-# appoggiatura
œ œ œ œ ‰
4 %
& œ œœ œ œœ
"

œ
? œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

1
                                                                                                               
25
On Mozart’s childhood appropriation of galant schemata as documented in his early keyboard works see
Gjerdingen (2007, 333–57).
   17  

Heartz. But if, encouraged by the Alberti bass, we hear measures 1–4 as a single musical
gesture, that gesture reveals itself as a Heartz—and the first stage of an even broader Sol-
Fa-Mi.26
Mozart found other ways to elongate the Heartz, stretching it out to six measures
in the opening movement of his Symphony No. 7, K. 45 (1768). The Heartz serves here
as a response: the first part of an ABB melody (Example 23, mm. 7–16) whose schematic
content is identical to that of the beginning of Haydn’s Sonata in C, except that Haydn’s
melody ends with a half cadence. Mozart’s Sol-Fa-Mi is twice as long as Haydn’s.

EXAMPLE 23. Mozart, Symphony No. 7, K. 45, I, mm. 1–16

œ œ œ ##
Allegro
CADENCE

c œ œ œ ‰ œ
j œ ˙œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
DO-RE-MI

&
DO-RE-MI

œ œ œ œ œ . . !œ
p ! "œ " œ
f Strings,
#
œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
Oboes,

? ## c œ œ œ Œ Œ œ œ œ
Horns, Trumpets,

œ œ œ
Timpani

J‰J‰J‰
Strings alone 4 5 1

˙
.œ œ. œ. œ. ˙˙
SOL-FA-MI

## œœ œœ œj j
HEARTZ

j
$ CADENCE

& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ. œ. @ Œ J ‰ œœ ‰ œœ ‰ œœ ‰
5

. . . œ œ
fFull Orchestra p
˙ œ œ
#
œ
? # # œœ œ œ œ œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
4 5 1 1 1

˙ ˙
# # @˙˙ œ œœ j j ‰ @˙˙ œœœ œœ œj j
Œ œœ ‰ œœœ ‰ j
% $
œœ ‰ Œ J ‰ œœ ‰ œœœ ‰ œœ ‰
9

& J J œ œœ
œ œ
f p f p
œ œ
4

? ## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœœœœœ
œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 1 1 1

# # œ œ œ œ œ œœrœ œ r
r
œ œ œrœ&œ œ œrœ œ r
end of SOL-FA-MI repeated
œ&
œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ r
r
œ œ
œ œ œ œ œœ œœ Œ
œ
œ
13 # #
& œ œ œœ œ
œœœ œ œ œ œ
f
œœ œ œœ œ œ
? ## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
2 1 2 1

                                                                                                               
26
Gjerdingen (2007, 347), quoting this passage only from the beginning of measure 3, hears mm. 3–6 as a
Prinner.
   18  

EXAMPLE 24. Mozart, Violin Concerto No. 1, K. 207, III, mm. 1–17

SOL-FA-MI

Presto œ
b 2 œ œ œ . œ. œ. œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ
OPENING GAMBIT: I-V oscillation

œœ
HEARTZ

b J œ . œ œ œ
!
& 4 . . œ œ. œ œ œ œ .
. . œ œ. œ. œ
f œ
? b 2 ‰ Œ œ Œ Œ Œ
b 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ
1 1

Ÿ HEARTZ Ÿ œ
bb "œœ !œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ "œœ !œœ ‰ œ œ œ œœœœœ
# œœ œ
Œ œœœœœœœ
œ
7 $
&
? b œ œ
b œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ Œ ‰œ œ Œ
1 1 1

œ œœ œœ
b œœ .. œœ œœ œœ
&b Œ ˙
14 CADENCE

J
œ œ œ
? b ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
b œ
4 5 1

EXAMPLE 25. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 21, K. 467, III, mm. 28–40

œ
‰ #œj œ
SOL-FA-MI

œ œ" œ . œ œ œ" œ œ"

HEARTZ

œ. œœ
Allegro vivace assai CADENCES

œœ
HEARTZ

2 œ ˙ ˙˙ ˙
! ! !
&4 ˙˙
HEARTZ

˙˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
˙@! ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ @ @ @
@" @! @" @! œ œ
?2
4 œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œ ‰J ‰ œJ
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5

‰ $œj œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ
EVADED COMPLETED

˙ j
& @˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ j œ œœ œ
œ Œ
36

œ @ @˙ œ ˙ œ
@ œ
@
œ
@
?œ œ
‰ J œ ‰ œJ œ ‰ œJ ‰ j œ Œ
œ œ
6 4 5 1
   19  

Although the passages just quoted demonstrate Mozart’s continued interest in the
Heartz as a means of continuation and intensification, he also made use of it as an
opening gambit. Of the beginning of his Piano Concerto in G, K. 453 (1784; Example 26)
Daniel Heartz wrote: “only the tonic and subdominant are heard, lending the proceedings
a very soothing and relaxed quality” and establishing a “particular mood of blissful
ease.”27 James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy include this idea among themes
exemplifying “the ‘circular’ 8–b7–6–nat7–8 pattern” (conflating Gjerdingen’s
Quiescenza and the Heartz);28 but because it begins and ends on , not , I prefer to
hear it as an unusually long Heartz rather than a Quiescenza.

EXAMPLE 26. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 17, K. 453, I, mm. 1–9

# œ Ÿ œ œ œ . œ œ # œ . œ œJ œ n Œœ œ œœœ
œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ
Allegro HEARTZ

˙.
& c œ. œ J‰ ‰J‰
! "

Ó
p Strings Winds

œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ
+ Horns (tonic pedal)

œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ
. œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ.
"
?# c
!
!
œ Œ Ó œ Œ Ó œ Œ Ó
1 1 1
œ œœ œ œ œœ
# œœ Ÿœ . œ œ œ ˙. # œ . œ œ œ . J œ # Œœ !œ n œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ
J‰ ‰J‰ œœ œ œœ œ œ
5

& œ‰
Ó
J
œœ. œ. œœ. œ. œœ. œ. œœ. œ. œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ !œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ
?# œ œ œ œ . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. . œ. J‰
œ Œ Ó œ Œ Ó œ Œ Ó
1 1 1

Given the importance of the Heartz in Italian opera and in Mozart’s concertos, we
should expect to find it in Mozart’s operas. In Così fan tutte (1790), Mozart used the
schema so often—in response to this opera’s Neapolitan setting?—that it became part of
the drama’s distinctive color. With the prominent sound of the Heartz near the beginning
of the overture—first in the form of a quick alteration of tonic and subdominant chords,
then in a more leisurely unfolding of the schema over six measures (Example 27)—
Mozart announced its importance throughout the opera. Lovingly elaborating the Heartz
and other schemata in a rich texture of interweaving voices, instrumental as well as vocal,
Mozart showed himself in Così fan tutte to be “the ultimate heir and greatest genius of
the galant style.”29

                                                                                                               
27
Heartz (2009, 96–97).
28  Hepokoski and Darcy (2006, 92).  
29
Heartz (2003, 1007).
   20  

EXAMPLE 27. Mozart, Così fan tutte, overture, mm. 25–37

˙ œ œ œ œHEARTZ
œ œ ˙HEARTZœ œ œ HEARTZ
œ œ œ Oboe
HEARTZ HEARTZ HEARTZ

œ
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Presto HEARTZ

& C œ ˙˙ œœ
œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ˙˙ œœ
f Full!Orchestra
œ œœ œœ œœ
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
" ! !
˙ œœ ˙˙
! " ! " " ! " ! " !

?C œ ˙ œ œ œ œ
!

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Flute œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
30
Oboe, Bassoon

&
œœ œœ œœ "
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
!

?œ œ œ œ
1 1
CADENZA DOPPIA

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
34 Flute

& œ
œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
?œ œ
w w
1

Gjerdingen argues that many of the schemata he discusses were passed from one
generation of composers to another by means of partimenti—lines, mostly base lines
without figures, that young musicians learned to use as the basis for improvisation and
composition. Gjerdingen and Giorgio Sanguinetti analyze partimenti as consisting, in
part, of some of the schemata that served eighteenth-century musicians as compositional
frameworks.30 But evidence for the Heartz is harder to find in partimenti than its ubiquity
in eighteenth-century music would lead us to expect, probably because teachers of
composition were reluctant to give their students bass lines with a single pitch repeated
over several measures. They may have felt that their students could easily learn the
Heartz by ear.
Yet two students of the great Neapolitan master Francesco Durante did provide
rare opportunities for their students to practice the Heartz. Fedele Fenaroli gave an role
for the schema in his Partimento No. 11 in E major, in his Libro primo (Example 28).
After modulating from the tonic to the dominant and cadencing there, Fenaroli laid down
a pedal point on B, decorated with leading tones (like Hiller’s pedal point in Example
16). The alternating figures 5/#, 6/4, 5/#3, 6/4, # invite the student to play two
overlapping Heartzes. Near the end of the partimento the passage returns in the tonic.
                                                                                                               
30
See Gjerdingen (2007) and Sanguinetti (2012).
   21  

Giacomo Insanguine, who used two-part solfeggi to teach the elements of composition,
showed in his Solfeggio 25 (Example 29) how the Heartz could be part of a Sol-Fa-Mi
and at the same time maintain its own identity.31

EXAMPLE 28. Fedele Fenaroli, Libro primo, Partimento No. 11 in E major, as

transcribed by Robert O. Gjerdingen on the website “Monuments of Partimenti”: http://faculty-
web.at.northwestern.edu/music/gjerdingen/partimenti/collections/Fenaroli/index.htm, consulted on 24 May
2013, mm. 1–11

œ8 œ 6 œ œ œ œ œ8 œ 6 œ œ œ œ œ # œ65 œ
? #### c œ œ œ œ
6 7 # 6 7 # 8

œ
HEARTZ
HEARTZ

? # # # # œ œ5 œ œ # œ œ 4 œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
# 6 # 6 5 6 5 6 # 6
6 # #

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
#3 4 5 #

1 1 1 1 1

EXAMPLE 29. Giacomo Insanguine, Solfeggio No. 25 (ca. 1780s?), as

transcribed in Gjerdingen (2007, 348).

œœ œ œœœœ
SOL-FA-MI

?# c œ œœœ œ œ œ Œ œœœœ œ ˙
# $
œ
HEARTZ

? # c! " "–! appoggiatura

œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœ
1 1 1 5 1

I interpret Gjerdingen’s Music in the Galant Style, using one of his favorite
phrases, as an opening gambit: both he and other scholars should feel free to change his
list of schemata as our knowledge of the music they describe changes. Like most of the
schemata named by Gjerdingen, the Heartz has been heard, enjoyed, and recognized by
musicians and listeners for centuries, and never more perceptively and appreciatively
than by Daniel Heartz himself. I hope that by naming this schema and pointing out a few
examples of its use, I will encourage readers to include the Heartz in future discussions of
the music of which it forms a part.

                                                                                                               
31  Gjerdingen
(2007, 348) describes this passage as “a Prinner riposte with a triadic flourish”; but the
absence of the full Prinner bass makes me reluctant to accept that interpretation.  
   22  

WORKS CITED

Byros, Vasili, 2012a. “Unearthing the Past: Theory and Archeology in Robert Gjerdingen’s Music in the
Galant Style,” Music Analysis 31: 112–24

Byros, Vasili, 2012b. “Meyer’s Anvil: Revisiting the Schema Concept,” Music Analysis 31: 273–346

Byros, Vasili, 2013. “Trazom’s Wit: Communicative Strategies in a ‘Popular’ yet ‘Difficult Sonata,”
Eighteenth-Century Music 10: 213–52

Diergarten, Felix. 2011. “’The True Fundamentals of Composition’: Haydn’s Partimento Counterpoint,”
Eighteenth-Century Music 8: 53–75.  

Gjerdingen, Robert O. 2007. Music in the Galant Style. New York: Oxford University Press.

––––. “Monuments of Partimenti,” http://faculty-

web.at.northwestern.edu/music/gjerdingen/partimenti/collections/Fenaroli/index.htm, consulted on 24 May
2013.

Heartz, Daniel. 1990. Mozart’s Operas. Berkeley: University of California Press.

––––. 1995. Haydn, Mozart, and the Viennese School, 1740–1780. New York: Norton.

––––. 2003. Music in European Capitals: The Galant Style, 1720–1780. New York: Norton.

––––. 2009. Mozart, Haydn, and Early Beethoven, 1781–1802. New York: Norton.

Hepokoski, James, and Warren Darcy. 2006. Elements of Sonata Theory: Norms, Types, and Deformations
in the Late-Eighteenth-Century Sonata. New York: Oxford University Press

Mirka, Danuta, ed. Forthcoming. Oxford Handbook of Topic Theory. New York: Oxford University Press

Monelle, Raymond. 2006. The Musical Topic: Hunt, Military and Pastoral. Bloomington: Indiana
University Press

Sanguinetti, Giorgio. 2012. The Art of Partimento: History, Theory, and Practice. New York: Oxford
University Press.

Tymoczko, Dmitri. 2011. Remarks dated 2 October 2011 in

http://lists.societymusictheory.org/pipermail/smt-talk-societymusictheory.org/2011-October/001202.html,
consulted on 25 June 2013.