It's happened to all of us. You're working on a piece by Bach and suddenly you see an ornament sign that you've never seen before and you have no idea what it means! What's a musician to do?!

If you've ever thought, "I should really look up what that ornament means," but then you weren't sure where to look, or you just never got around to it (and then felt ashamed about that later), this handy reference chart is for you!

The realization of these ornament signs all come from either Bach's own writings on the subject or ornament charts by other composers from the late Baroque period. So you can trust the information you find the in this chart and apply it to your own Bach pieces with confidence!

Answers

If you're not sure where to look for information, this chart has answers!

Timesaver

Spend your practice time practicing instead of looking up information.

Reliable

You can trust the information in this chart because it comes from reliable original sources, including from Bach himself.

About Me

Hi! I'm Dr. Alice Chuaqui Baldwin and I'm a harpsichordist and educator with a passion for helping other musicians discover early music and historical performance practice! I have a doctorate in harpsichord from Indiana University and I minored in Music History and Literature.

I run a YouTube channel called "Exploring Early Music" where I share my passion with the world! Click here to check that out!

I've worked as a continuo player in various locations throughout North America and Europe, including serving as a continuo artist at the Oregon Bach Festival from 2014-16. I've been on the continuo team for the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, and currently I perform with the period ensemble Innominatum, based out of Rochester, NY.