Lesson 36: Advanced Articulation Techniques

• Play paired articulation: too-ru, did-ll, te-re.
• Apply paired articulation to a passage of fast eighths and feel the difference.

• Lesson 8 — basic tonguing.
• Lesson 15 — slurs.

• Mixed articulation patterns.
• Tongue-slur combinations.
• Articulation as colour.

The Baroque player did not tongue every note. They paired them.

Baroque sources describe articulation in pairs — not the modern too-too-too-too of every note tongued the same way, but alternating syllables: too-ru, did-ll, te-re. The first syllable of each pair is forward; the second is back. The result is a natural lift on the off-beat, an inequality of articulation that makes the music dance instead of march.

Too-ru — the basic Baroque pair

Too on the strong eighth, ru (with the tongue near the palate but not stopping the air) on the weak eighth. The ru is lighter; the air carries it.

Did-ll — double-tongue precursor

The di and ll syllables alternate two distinct tongue positions. Useful when too-ru is too forward for fast passages.

Apply: a Baroque allegro passage

The opening of a Telemann sonata movement, ornamented with paired articulation throughout. The same notes played with modern even-tongued toos sound stilted; with too-ru, they dance.

Now play these

Telemann: Sonata in C major, TWV 41:C5

The Allegro movements live or die by paired articulation.

Telemann: Sonata in F major, TWV 41:F2

F major Allegro — ideal practice ground for too-ru.

Bach: Sonata BWV 1033

Apply did-ll to the fast movements.

When you can play the same passage three times — with too, too-ru, and did-ll — and a listener hears three different kinds of music, move on to Lesson 37.