Let's consider the piano version of Moldau/Vltava from Smetana, the first two measures for example: [!["Moldau" mm. 1–2 with staccato, accented eighth-note chords circled][1]][1] What should be the duration of the blue circled notes, as expressed in units of an eighth note: Should it be *less* than an eighth note, or *equal* to an eighth note? Is it staccato or something else? If this is *less* than an eighth note, then would that mean the right-hand circled notes do not "fill" the rest of the measure? (and if so, why isn't there some sort of silence added to the score?) [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/US5jE.png