Grundbass

Grundbass, or ground bass in English, is a musical technique in which a specific bass line or harmonic progression repeats for an extended period, providing the structural foundation of a piece. The repeating bass, usually performed by the bass voice or continuo, underpins variations in the upper voices and melodies.

Construction and function: A ground bass may consist of a short four- or eight-bar pattern or a longer sequence. The bass line persists while the upper parts present new material, and the accompanying harmonies above it guide the progression and modulations. This device often appears in forms such as the passacaglia and the chaconne, where a set harmonic framework is varied over the repeated bass.

Historical context: Ground bass is a hallmark of Baroque music but appears in earlier and later works as well. It was a common technique in instrumental and vocal music, used to create unity and formal coherence across sections. Notable composers associated with the practice include Johann Pachelbel, who popularized a well-known eight-bar ground bass in Canon in D, as well as later Baroque figures such as Dieter Purcell, Johann Sebastian Bach, and George Frideric Handel in various works. The pattern's influence extends beyond the Baroque, reappearing in neo-Baroque and minimalist contexts.

Terminology: The term Grundbass is the German designation for this concept; in English sources it is typically called ground bass or ostinato bass. It is closely related to basso ostinato, referring to a persistent bass pattern underpinning the music, regardless of the language of the source.