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Accent? Decrescendo?
Author(s): Konrad Wolff
Source: American Music Teacher, Vol. 38, No. 3 (January 1989), pp. 14-17, 63
Published by: Music Teachers National Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/43549523
Accessed: 21-11-2017 19:44 UTC
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Accent? Decrescendo ?
by Konrad Wolff
14 JANUARY 1989
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Example 1: Beethoven Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 31,
No. 3, finale, m. 3
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Example 7: Schubert Impromptu in C Minor, Op. 90,
No. 1, mm. 80-81; copied from autograph manuscript
Example 8: Schubert Impromptu in C Minor, Op. 90, The noted German pianist Detlef
No. 1, mm. 80-81; Bärenreiter edition Kraus, in his monograph on Brahms's
piano music, wrote that Brahms, whose
knowledge of music history was
immense, used the rhombus sign on
single notes. He cites as examples the
Intermezzo Op. 76, No. 3 (measures 12
and 27), the Intermezzo Op. 116, No. 4
(measures 44 and 46) and the Inter-
mezzo Op. 118, No. 6 (measures 37 and
38). Kraus defines the signs as "the
Example 9: Schubert Impromptu in C Minor, Op. 90,
pulled-together crescendo-decrescendo
No. 1, mm. 92-93; copied from autograph manuscript sign ."3
A crescendo incorporates and symbo-
lizes the idea of prolonged effort, and a
certain amount of time is needed not
only to maintain but to increase the
volume of a note after it is sounded. By
contrast, a decrescendo is in many
cases a simple and immediate relaxation
Exa at the end of a phrase, as soon as the
No. 1, mm. 92-93; Bärenreiter edition high point is reached. This takes no
time at all, and so one finds long
crescendo forks followed by brief
decrescendo forks, especially in the
music of Schubert, who was fond of
this type of phrasing.
For the more sustained, deliberate
and structural forms of decrescendo -
Example 11: Schubert Impromptu in C Minor, Op. 90, especially where the music gradually
No. 1, m. 110; copied from autograph manuscript fades away at the end of a piece - the
use of words is more frequent than the
use of a decrescendo sign. It is in these
cases that certain composers, especially
Schubert, frequently followed the word
"decrescendo" by "diminuendo" a few
measures later to add a slight diminu-
tion of speed to that of volume. One
example occurs in measures 212
(decrescendo) and 216 (diminuendo) of
the finale of the Sonata in B-flat Major,
Op. Post. Christa Landon and Walther
Example 12: Schubert Impromptu in G-flat Major, Op. Dürr explain this meaning of
90, No. 3, mm. 25-26; copied from autograph manu-
diminuendo in the preface to the New
script
Schubert Urtext edition published by
Bärenreiter.4
16 JANUARY 1989
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This facsimile of the autograph manu-
script of Beethoven 's Bagatelle in G Major,
Op. 126, No. 1, mm. 21-23, contains the
special ' 'rhombus ' ' dynamic symbol not
found in most modern editions.
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Accent? Decrescendo? composer's meaning.
Continued from page 1 7 Finally, as mentioned in some recent
studies on the music of Schubert and
for the music in both passages isChopin, almostthe composers' genuine accent
identical. (See Example 16.) Further marks are subject to many different
examples may be found in the interpretations and do not necessarily
Mazurkas. The principle is always call every time for dynamic emphasis. If
the same. an agogic stress is required, as happens
How can performers know whether, especially in Chopin mazurkas and
in a printed edition, the hook they see waltzes, the signs actually are very simi-
is an accent mark or a decrescendo lar to the decrescendo signs referred
to earlier.
sign? No universal, accurate prescription
- only general and not altogether Performers, as well as all editors of
A COMPLETE HOME
trustworthy guidelines - may be given. Urtext editions, have much to learn
Performers must be suspicious if before all the questions raised by these STUDY COURSE
what looks like an accent mark occurs ambiguous hooks can be answered.
after a crescendo. Normally, such a note AMT IN PIANO TUNING
would not be emphasized, or the
AND REPAIR
emphasis would be enough to warrant NOTES
a sforzato. Schubert's accents are inher- 1. J. L. Dussek, Sonata in A Minor, Op. 18,
ent to the inflections of his melodies No. 2, contained in The London Pianoforte
and usually occur precisely where there School, vol. 6 (New York: Garland, 1985). Siřit* far frpp brncljttre
has been no previous swelling of 2. Ludwig van Beethoven, Bagatelles, Op.
126, facsimile ed. by S. Brandenburg (Bonn:"PIANO TUNING PAYS "
sound, as in the Impromptu in B-flat
Beethovenhaus, 1984).
Major, Op. 142, No. 3, Variation 2, 3. Detlef Kraus, Johannes Brahms als
measure 2. (See Example 17.) One must Klavierkomponist (Wilhelmshaven: Edition
also remember that it is normal for a Heinrichshofen, 1986), 103f.
decrescendo sign to be shorter than the 4. Neue Schubert Ausgabe , vol. 5 (Kassel: AMERICAN SCHOOL
Bärenreiter-Verlag).
crescendo sign that precedes it. In 5. Fryderyk Chopin, Complete Works, vol. •f PIANO TUNING
some cases of doubt there are parallel 11 (Warsaw: Instytut Fryderyka Chopina, 17050 Telfer Dr., Dept 4
passages available for elucidation of the1962). Morgan Hill, CA 95037.
PIANO INSTRUCTORS!
INTRODUCTORY OFFER
Example 16: Chopin
Barcarolle, Op. 60, m. 91;
: copied from autograph $39.95 plus $3.50 s/h.(Reg. $49.95)
manuscript
Call (801) 292-6331 or write to:
Example 1 7: Schubert
A HTO ACADEMY TELECINE
Impromptu in B-flat Major,
Mim PRODUCTIONS
Op. 142, No. 3, Variation 2,
m. 2; copied from autograph 61 1 lacey way . north salt lake. Utah . 84054
manuscript
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