ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that inclusion or exclusion of bass lines has a major influence on many aspects of continuo style: quite apart from determining the degree to which the organ part is independent of the vocal lines, the number of parts played and the prominence of those parts. It suggests that there are several main reasons for believing that contemporary organists did follow both right- and left-hand parts quite closely when accompanying this repertory. Restoration organ books are more than just short scores, and doubled vocal parts are often adapted in organ parts. Working on the basis of this evidence, it seems probable that both right- and left-hand parts in organ books were included in accompaniments of Restoration sacred music. The London organ books seem to suggest that accompaniment of some solo sections was less strongly based on doubling and was more independent than were ensemble verses and choruses.
