Leçons pour la Basse Generale

A textbook for basso continuo – a must-have for everyone interested in learning and playing a figured bass line. New chords and figures are introduced in 12 steps (12 sonatinas) and immediately result in well-sounding music.

In this first modern edition, all the figures used by Graaf have been adapted to the standards of the 18th century. To the score of violin and basso continuo, we added a version with the thorough bass realization. This is meant as a didactic tool for keyboard players who are not yet familiar with a figured bass.

Christian Ernst Graaf, composer and violinist, was born in Rudolstadt in 1723 and died in The Hague in 1804. He was the son of Johann Graf, Kapellmeister at the court of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. After his death, Christian Ernst followed in his father’s footsteps as Kapellmeister and in 1762 he was hired by Prince William V of Orange.