Questions tagged [ornaments]
Ornaments or embellishments are musical flourishes that are not necessary to carry the overall line of the melody (or harmony), but serve instead to decorate or "ornament" that line.
61
questions
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1answer
296 views
note cancelling or what is it called?
i came across a sign on my notation where a note is being played that is G after that there is a note in between e that is open but we first play it and then hammer on it... what is it called ?
0
votes
1answer
28 views
moves in group songs in Opera [closed]
I would love to know about about moves in group songs in Opera. (For example, in Cose Fan Tutte Don Alphonso slides his last note down from an unresolved position to a resolved one as the ladies hold ...
6
votes
1answer
877 views
Strange Ornamental Symbol on Bach Piece
This is from the marvelous andante from Bach’s organ trio sonata BWV 528. What does this symbol mean on the stave of the second keyboard? I am assuming it is ornamental. Is it just a strange version ...
-2
votes
1answer
45 views
Music theory-Ornaments-TURN [closed]
Which of the given options would be correct for the turn ornament shown in the piece of music.
11
votes
4answers
2k views
Why is there so much dispute about how ornaments are supposed to be played in classical music?
It seems like almost every piece with an ornament has some argument as to how it is supposed to be played. For example, in my Alfred's edition of Fantaisie-impromptu, the footnote claims that the ...
5
votes
2answers
798 views
Weird acciaccatura (?) notation in Chopin's polonaise
I am not sure how to interpret the particular notation in Chopin's Op.53 Polonaise:
Here, we have a single (smaller font) Eb (just before the trill). I should interpret it as a grace note, but then ...
4
votes
1answer
141 views
Identifying piano notation symbol in Chopin Mazurka
I'm trying to identify what this symbol is (circled in pencil) in the sheet music for Mazurka no.4 op.17 by Chopin. It looks like two connected diamond shapes, and I can't find an explanation of it ...
2
votes
2answers
127 views
How to use Meend in Bansuri Playing
I am following tutorial to play Om Jai Jagdish Hare.
The gentleman says we can use Meend in Bansuri. He explains it is a soft way to go from one note to the next.
How would I do it.
The video ...
6
votes
2answers
126 views
Would an accidental in a mordant still be effective for the whole measure?
This is from Bach's Chromatic Fantasie and Fugue:
This would obviously be played D, C#, D. Let's say that there was a C on the same octave later in that measure. Would the C be sharp?
4
votes
1answer
331 views
Need help understanding the double sharp turn in Chopin's prelude in e minor [duplicate]
I need help understanding why the notes in this turn are B-A#-Gx-A#.
I don't understand how the double sharp affects the turn. I would assume that instead of A# being the "base note" (for lack of a ...
0
votes
2answers
73 views
Ornaments in ABRSM theory, start on the note or the note above?
I know that depending on the era you can either start on the note or note above in some ornamentation such as a turn or mordent.
For Abrsm grade 8 theory do you start on the note or the note above so ...
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vote
1answer
191 views
When would Bach start an ornament- just before the beat, or right on it? [duplicate]
In his table (see below) , all examples seem to start ON the beat, not before it.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Bach-ornamentguide.jpg
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0answers
58 views
How would J.S. Bach execute a trill sign that is written over an eighth note?
If Bach's recommendation (as found in his table of ornaments) is to play the first 6 out the possible 8 1/32nd notes for a trill sign written over a quarter note,
then should one try to achieve the ...
1
vote
1answer
103 views
Are grace notes ever notated with notes of exact duration?
I’m learning a new piece of music that has a couple of Grace notes in it which has led me to wonder if it had a unique use or were there other ways of writing the piece using, for example, a one ...
2
votes
1answer
160 views
Baroque mordent with leading “slur”?
I'm currently studying Bach's Harpsichord Concerto BWV 1052 on the piano and arrived at the second movement. In there, I noticed a mordent that I'm not all too sure how to play. Here's a picture, it's ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Two different approaches to the mordent in one piece in baroque? [duplicate]
I've got a question regarding the mordent over the two different notes with different realization in Bach's Partita No.4 Aria (as in the image). The first one starts from a note above while the second ...
5
votes
2answers
750 views
What does the plus (+) ornament mean?
I am learning a baroque piece on the recorder. Some notes have an unusual ornamentation symbol. How is a note with a plus sign over it played? It was suggested to play it as a mordent. Is that correct?...
8
votes
3answers
341 views
Unplayable turn in Beethoven sonata
Beethoven's piano sonata Op. 2 No. 3, first movement,
bars 179-180 (Henle edition).
The turn decorating each eighth note can be played literally.
Except for the one on bar 179's A sharp, because ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
How to perform these ornaments?
How do you play the "opppsite" acciaccatura?
And what does it mean by Glissafter?
0
votes
2answers
192 views
Weird 16th notes (I think) in score, not sure how to count them / not sure of their value
I found this weird grouping of notes in a song I'm trying to learn and I want to understand why they are played the way they are. I can listen to the song and replicate it but I don't understand why ...
3
votes
2answers
84 views
Appoggiaturas not spelled out
Why are many simple appoggiaturas not spelled out?
E.g., a quarter with an 8th note appoggiatura which would give the same as two 8th notes.
One could notate many passages using appoggiaturas but ...
5
votes
2answers
238 views
Horizontal bar in trill fingering
I'm looking at the Henle edition of Bach's WTC, specifically at d-moll Fugue (BWV 851), and in the second measure I see a trill:
(This is András Schiff's fingering).
What is that horizontal bar over ...
4
votes
2answers
534 views
Difference between a mordent and an appoggiatura in Chopin's Waltz in A minor (op. posth.)
The following are bars 34 and 35 of Chopin's Waltz in A minor (op. posth.)
If I understand the notation correctly, the mordent in bar 34 should be played C#, D, C#. Why is it denoted differently than ...
6
votes
1answer
4k views
Grace notes: when are they played on the beat, and when are they played off?
Since my performance experience is mostly in music after 1850, and since my instrument very rarely has any grace notes, I've been mixed up for some time on how to play grace notes in different musical ...
9
votes
2answers
619 views
Reinforcing meter when dealing with alternating 1/8 and 1/16 notes and rests
Below is an excerpt from a not very known piece (in 4/4 time) that prominently features abuses ornament notes:
In an attempt to simplify the piece (which is full of similar ornamentation) while ...
3
votes
1answer
414 views
What's the difference between the two arpeggio symbols (default and upwards)?
What is the difference between the symbol in the upper-left corner (with no arrow) and the one next to it (with an upwards arrow)? Aren't the two the same?
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votes
5answers
3k views
How to play this trill in Mozart's Piano Sonata 14 (K457)
How does one play this trill in this Mozart Sonata? Does it mean we play 3 notes (Eb, F, Eb) before the last two notes of the second bar? Or how many trills does one have to play?
2
votes
4answers
196 views
What are these small notated notes?
Does the size of the notes have any meaning or is this only for space purposes?
6
votes
2answers
512 views
J.S. Bach: Prelude #1 for well tempered clavier: mordent
In a book with this piece given to me there is a mordent in tact 34:
on the other hand when I downloaded the piece from the Internet, the mordent at this place was missing:
So, did it exist in the ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Appoggiatura and acciaccatura
Can you write the appoggiatura and acciaccatura after a note? I have always seen it before a note.
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vote
0answers
76 views
Background music for Kids, looking for suggestions on instruments and ornaments
This piece of music is intended to be played seamlessly in an endless loop. The piece has easy to follow and memorable melodies with a bit of irreverence at the beginning and at the end but with a ...
2
votes
1answer
324 views
Upper turn Nocturne
Hi guys,
Anyone know the exact notes to play for this upper turn that is circled in red ?
6
votes
1answer
716 views
Piano notation for trilling just one note in a chord?
I have a piano chord (specifically a triad), and I want to trill the note at the top.
Is there any way to express this using musical notation? Also, if there is notation for this, how would I do it ...
1
vote
1answer
294 views
How long is an appoggiatura in triple time?
I am currently playing in a baroque group.
The question has arisen as to how long an appoggiatura should be in triple or compound meters.
According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
3
votes
2answers
710 views
Ornament Symbol for Triplet
I am writing a piece of music that has a lot of triplets used as ornaments. Is there a symbol like this:
that will be played as as a triplet on the note?
Example: note is G. With symbol over it, ...
5
votes
3answers
630 views
Interpretation of Bach's ornaments
In some of Bach's works, this ornament, which contains twelve 32nd notes, seems to start once the above three 16th note have stopped, basically playing them during the rest...
At least that's the way ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Beethovens pathetique 2nd movement
Need help with the notation in Beethovens Pathetique 2nd movement. Bars 20 and 21.How are these played? What notes are played forthe ornamentation.
Bar 20:
Bar 21:
2
votes
2answers
333 views
Mordants: Auxiliary note is a note that has been modified by an accidental earlier in the measure. What do I play? [duplicate]
I was under the impression that whenever you see a mordant or a trill, the auxiliary note is the next note up in the key signature.
But I'm a bit confused on how to proceed here. This is measure 57 ...
0
votes
3answers
831 views
How to play the turns in Muzio Clementi's Sonatina Op. 36 No. 4
I'm learning Muzio Clementi's Sonatina Opus 36, Number 4. In Andante con espressione, there are a number of turns as played in this video (it will take you to the correct time in the video). I had ...
7
votes
6answers
2k views
What is the point in writing an appoggiatura?
An appoggiatura is a small grace note written to suspend the resolution of a chord. It takes half of the actual note's value, usually. So, why write that when it could be written out with ordinary ...
12
votes
5answers
2k views
What does a mordent written to the left of a note mean?
In this arrangement of Wachet Auf, there are quite a few mordents sprinkled around, as well as trills and grace notes. I understand most of them, but in the middle of this excerpt,
right before the ...
1
vote
1answer
409 views
Trills in Bach with historical information
This is an old question, but I have issues with playing the tr's in Bach's wtc. His autograph instruction for embellishments (he gave to his son) indicated a trillo to be played without the ending ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
What does an apostrophe on top of a note mean?
In my music (Trombone/Baritone), I see an apostrophe on top of a few notes. What does this mean?
4
votes
3answers
917 views
Ornaments in J. S. Bach's 4th prelude
Inverted mordents and turns are frequently used in the prelude No.4 of J.S. Bach in C-sharp minor. In what follows I assume the key of the piece is known.
My first question is related to the normal ...
1
vote
1answer
195 views
Grace note in Bar 20 of Chopin's Op. 10 No. 3
What is the correct interpretation of the ornament in bar 20 of Chopin's Etude Op. 10 No. 3 — that is, the final full bar below:
The recordings I've heard generally repeat the G# but not all of them ...
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7answers
6k views
How do you practice trills on piano?
The title says it all: my trills on piano are really terrible, unless they are 1-2 or 2-3.
Anything involving the 5th finger is especially awful.
I have the same feeling of frustration of when I ...
1
vote
1answer
91 views
How are fingerings on ornamented notes to be interpreted?
Do fingerings refer to the "main" note or the first note of the ornament realization?
Suppose I have a trilled B over which the editor has put a 3.
Does it mean that I play it 3-2, the C with the 3 ...
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votes
2answers
6k views
Bach: How is this mordent to be realized? Why do people play it like a trill?
So, the old Invention No. 1 by JSB:
http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/7/72/IMSLP63611-PMLP03267-Bach_Oeves_Complets_Peters_Liv_7_BWV_772-786_2748.pdf
The B on the 4th beat of the 1st ...
8
votes
4answers
14k views
Help with interpreting notation in Chopin's nocturne op. 9 no. 2
What are the following notations in Chopin's nocturne op. 9 no. 2:
Tilde sign with accidentals:
tr~~~
Striked note's flag:
Small notes. (I know what mean single small notes right before a normal ...
3
votes
2answers
697 views
Notation for a turn with a half step
From what I've read, turns only seem to use the notes in the key, so if I'm in C Major, what would be the notation for a turn with G-A-G-F#-G ?
