14 votes

Norwegian Wood, no consensus of rhythm and feel?

Lazy’s answer sums it up well but I would like to add that the reason there is no consensus on the notation for this song is that the song was created by a composer with no knowledge of music notation ...
John Belzaguy's user avatar
12 votes
Accepted

Norwegian Wood, no consensus of rhythm and feel?

The first image is from The Beatles, Complete Scores. The book provides transcriptions of the songs as originally recorded. They aren't original lead sheets, nor are they arrangements like the second ...
Michael Curtis's user avatar
12 votes
Accepted

What does 'sostenuto (come IVa corda di violino)' instruct a keyboard player to do?

First of all, you should be aware that this is not Galuppi's marking. I'm guessing you're reading from this IMSLP file (the passage in question appears on p 17). This is a 1920 edition, edited by ...
Andy Bonner's user avatar
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9 votes

Norwegian Wood, no consensus of rhythm and feel?

Well, they are pretty much the same thing, just differently grouped. Note that the 3/4 is taking a different base unit, so here 1/4 is what would be 1/8 in the other cases. So clearly our base is a 3-...
Lazy's user avatar
  • 20.2k
7 votes

What does 'sostenuto (come IVa corda di violino)' instruct a keyboard player to do?

That is not sosienuto, but sostenuto, with a bit clipped off during scanning. So this means you are supposed to hold the notes a bit longer. Playing higher notes on the 4th string or sul G is a ...
Lazy's user avatar
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7 votes

Means of expression in rock music

If you listen to rock, riffs are usually of the same dynamic You have somewhat of a point there. But it's not that rock riffs are played without dynamics, more that they're typically played on ...
leftaroundabout's user avatar
6 votes

Norwegian Wood, no consensus of rhythm and feel?

Having had a hard listen to Norwegian Wood, I can't put it into anything but 6/8. Reasons being - the bass plays on 1 for each bar, as does the guitar. There's a distinct 'it could be a two feel, but ...
Tim's user avatar
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5 votes
Accepted

What does "moderato" in the middle of a musical score mean?

I would certainly read it as: Start accelerating at the accelerando so that you are playing at a moderato tempo when you get to the moderato, then continue to play moderato until you reach another ...
Todd Wilcox's user avatar
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5 votes

Which of the great composers wrote expression markings in German?

Pretty much every German speaking composer from Beethoven onward wrote at least some markings in German. For example, Beethoven's song An die ferne Geliebte: "ziemlich langsam und mit Ausdruck.&...
phoog's user avatar
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4 votes
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Difference between notes and recoding of performed BWV anhang 122

As PiedPiper's answer notes, written music at this time often didn't have a lot of explicit markings for tempo, expression, etc. So a lot of that is up to the original performer, taking some cues ...
Athanasius's user avatar
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4 votes

Difference between notes and recoding of performed BWV anhang 122

When you are interpreting Baroque music you have a lot of freedom in the interpretation. Bach (Carl Philipp Emanuel who is now believed to be the composer rather than his father Johann Sebastian) didn'...
PiedPiper's user avatar
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4 votes

How do you develop the ability to express yourself via your instrument (e.g. guitar for my case)

Even people who have spent most of their lives talking find it hard to express themselves fully. So it's the same with a musical instrument. And often the music itself doesn't make it easy to inject ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 193k
4 votes

What's it called when you play the same exact melody with a different rhythm?

I would propose that this is an example of thematic development. Especially since your example comes from a soundtrack, it's pretty clear that this type of development is ultimately based in the ...
Richard's user avatar
  • 84.4k
4 votes

What's it called when you play the same exact melody with a different rhythm?

At least colloquially, this is known as rhythmic variation. A Google search at the time of this post results in the following websites and uses of the term "rhythmic variation" to mean using ...
Dekkadeci's user avatar
  • 14k
3 votes

Difference between notes and recoding of performed BWV anhang 122

The 2nd version is not wrong. Of course these embellishments are always a matter of taste. In the time of Bach performers were free how they wanted embellish the notes. The function was to keep the ...
Albrecht Hügli's user avatar
3 votes
Accepted

How do you develop the ability to express yourself via your instrument (e.g. guitar for my case)

I define expression as any sort of communicational means for advancing one's intentions. Or something. A baby cries to express hunger and/or other needs. Then there's artistic expression, which is ...
piiperi Reinstate Monica's user avatar
3 votes

How do you develop the ability to express yourself via your instrument (e.g. guitar for my case)

Dave's answer is a good one. Let me add something from the different point of view. First of all, I think you're counting on some "universal expression" that will work for everyone, but ...
Ramillies's user avatar
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3 votes

What's it called when you play the same exact melody with a different rhythm?

There's not a specific name for the technique, but it's a common tool, particularly in soundtracks, to create associations between different aspects of the story, characters, etc. Transforming ...
Aaron's user avatar
  • 87.6k
3 votes

How to express "dreaming" with other than the whole tone scale?

High pitched rolled chords played softly (usually with some pedal) are sometimes used for dream-like stuff. I've used things like grouping 5-note arpeggios in 16th notes (so the pattern migrates ...
ttw's user avatar
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3 votes
Accepted

Canceling the rubato sign

Tempo giusto. Or Non rubato.
Laurence's user avatar
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3 votes

Are there any other tempo descriptors that imply melancholy?

Here are some options. The definitions of these terms seem to overlap a lot. I don't know the nuances: con dolore: with sorrow. dolente: doleful, sorrowful. dolore: grief. doloroso: sorrowful. ...
Lars Peter Schultz's user avatar
3 votes
Accepted

How to notate a slide in vocal singing

Since that sounds a lot like a glissando (or portamento --- see here for a discussion on the difference), I would suggest the following, that is, one line connecting the two notes: Also, see this ...
Neal's user avatar
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3 votes
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How to implement the "dolce" marking?

Where along the string you pluck will vary the tone. Pluck close to the bridge, and there's more treble, nasal sound. So further away from that point will produce a more dolce sound. Perhaps even as ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 193k
2 votes

Is there a music term for a musician's overall approach to a melody

I think you've answered your own question by mentioning 'phrasing'. Yes, that's what it's called. Don't call it 'voicing'. That has another musical meaning already.
Laurence's user avatar
  • 92.7k
2 votes

Is there a music term for a musician's overall approach to a melody

'Phrasing' in music refers to the way the musician expresses emotions or ideas through their performance. This can involve dynamic changes, articulations, tempo changes/adjustments and use of ...
GoatsWearHats's user avatar
2 votes

Is there a music term for a musician's overall approach to a melody

Stressed notes would be tantamount to accentuation which is also emphatic. Tone colour, dynamic contour, and articulation are all part of phrasing. Other emphatic directions include the fermata (often ...
Guy Gastineau's user avatar
2 votes

How do you develop the ability to express yourself via your instrument (e.g. guitar for my case)

You might be stepping too far back for this. The train thing was fundamental; the train beat is common to country as well, because it was a primary form of long-distance transformation. Chuck Berry ...
Dave Jacoby's user avatar
  • 13.2k
2 votes

Canceling the rubato sign

This is, I fear largely an opinion question, so here goes: I would start out by pointing out that the definition of "rubato," at least at Dolmetsch, is (Italian, literally 'robbed') abbreviated ...
Carl Witthoft's user avatar
2 votes

How do you develop the ability to express yourself via your instrument (e.g. guitar for my case)

I fundamentally disagree with the answers that say, "First master your instrument." No-one with the possible exceptions of Liszt and Paganini ever completely mastered their instrument. ...
chasly - supports Monica's user avatar

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