A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Tedesca, Alla

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A Dictionary of Music and Musicians
edited by George Grove

Tedesca, Alla by George Grove

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3914534A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — Tedesca, AllaGeorge GroveGeorge Grove

TEDESCA, ALLA (Italian), 'in the German style.' 'Tedesca' and 'Deutsch' are both derived from an ancient term which appears in mediæval Latin as Theotisca. Beethoven employs it twice in his published works—in the first movement of op. 79, the Sonatina in G,—

${ \relative g'' { \key g \major \time 3/4 \tempo "Presto alla tedesca." g4-. b-. g-. | d'2$ c8[ b8] | a8 g fis g b g$ | fis4( e) } }$

and again in the fifth movement of the B♭ quartet (op. 130)—

${ \relative d'' { \key g \major \time 3/8 \tempo "Alla danza tedesca. Allegro assai." d8( b d16) r | g,4. | a16( b c8 e16) r | g,8( fis4) } }$

[App. p.798 "add that in one of the sketches for this movement (in B♭) it is inscribed 'Allemande Allegro.'"] In a Bagatelle, No. 3 of op. 119, he uses the term in French—'A l'allemande,' but in this case the piece has more affinity to the presto of the sonatina than to the slower movement of the dance. All three are in G. The term 'tedesca,' says Bülow, has reference to waltz rhythm, and invites changes of time.—[See Teutsche.]

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