Klarinet Archive - Posting 000802.txt from 2001/09

From: "David B. Niethamer" <dnietham@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Tenuto as force
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 16:11:50 -0400

on 9/23/01 9:06 PM, Bilwright@-----.net wrote:

>If a tenuto appears in a melody that has no other durational or force
>marks (no accents, no staccatos, etc), then the tenuto is solely a force
>marking with less emphasis than an accent would have in the same
>situation?

I always thought of this as Tony W did - hold the note full value. I was
surprised a few years back to discuss this with a string player and
discover that, as a bowing indication, string players are taught
(according to this *violist* anyway!) that the note is held for full
value, well sustained, and also given more emphasis at its beginning,
more in weight of the note beginning than in the "point" of the
articulation.

IIRC, this violist also said that a series of notes with tenuto markings
are usually played with changing bow direction, giving more separation
and emphasis than dots under a slur, which are "pulsed" by the bow in the
same direction.

It's this sort of attention to detail that allows string players to hold
up a rehearsal for minutes on end discussing changes in the bowing!! ;-)

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
dnietham@-----.edu
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/

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