As the fetching Mrs B and I are on a short vacation this weekend, this is a best of the Tales repeat post. I will time this post and tweets for the Tales classical music weekend.
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I think most of you know, that in the written music score, two notes that are the same that are connected by a curved line are called a tie. That curved line connecting those notes means that you play those two notes as one note, holding it for the timed value of the two notes.
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #3 in C minor, movement 1[part 2], Allegro con brio:
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I think most of you know, that in the written music score, two notes that are the same that are connected by a curved line are called a tie. That curved line connecting those notes means that you play those two notes as one note, holding it for the timed value of the two notes.
But many of you may not know that a curved line connecting two notes that are not the same [ex. c,d] means that not only are the two notes connected in a legato like fashion, it also means the second note is to be played softer than the first, resulting in a loud-soft sound.
In piano, this technique is called drop-lift. When a pianist sees two different notes connected by a curved line, it means he/she will drop down on the first note and lift up in a rolling fashion on the second note [with the result that the second note will be played much softer than the first note]. Just like when you have a curved line over many different notes which means you play the notes legato [connected]-you are also playing the two notes legato, but with a changing dynamic of the two notes. The first note being louder and the second note softer.
This technique is many times written at the end of a phrase in a classical music piece. You may not think this means much, but this technique really adds to the beauty of the piece. Along with rubato and ornaments [such as trills, and turns], the drop-lift technique [as it is called for the piano] helps make classical music sound beautiful.
That contrasting dynamic sound between two notes is really pleasing to the ear. Sometimes the contrast is subtle and sometimes it is pronounced.
This loud-soft technique of two different connected notes is also true for the other instruments of the orchestra. I don't know what the technique is called for the different instruments or even if there is a name associated with the technique in instruments other than the piano. I only know that in piano this is called drop-lift.
You can see demonstration of this technique in the following two videos of Beethoven's dramatic piano concerto in C minor, one of my very favorite piano concertos. [the first movement is long & therefore it took two videos]
In the first video watch and listen for the technique I discussed played by the orchestra in the 2:02-2:03 mark and 2:04-2:05 mark. Then for the piano in the 4:09-4:10 mark and in succession at the 5:16-5:17, 5:18-5:19 and 5:20-5:21 marks. Once again listen closely at the orchestra at 5:35-5:36 and 5:37-5:38.
In the second video listen closely for the drop lift technique [loud-soft] of the piano at 53-54 and 56-57 and also at 3:02-3:03 and 3:04-3:05...and to the orchestra at 3:20-3:21 and 3:22-3:23. In each of those instances without even seeing the score, you know Beethoven has connected two different notes with a curved line above them, as you hear the loud-soft sound of the two notes.
See if you can tell how the contrast in sound adds to the beauty of the piece.
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #3 in C minor, movement 1 [part 1], allegro con brio:
In piano, this technique is called drop-lift. When a pianist sees two different notes connected by a curved line, it means he/she will drop down on the first note and lift up in a rolling fashion on the second note [with the result that the second note will be played much softer than the first note]. Just like when you have a curved line over many different notes which means you play the notes legato [connected]-you are also playing the two notes legato, but with a changing dynamic of the two notes. The first note being louder and the second note softer.
This technique is many times written at the end of a phrase in a classical music piece. You may not think this means much, but this technique really adds to the beauty of the piece. Along with rubato and ornaments [such as trills, and turns], the drop-lift technique [as it is called for the piano] helps make classical music sound beautiful.
That contrasting dynamic sound between two notes is really pleasing to the ear. Sometimes the contrast is subtle and sometimes it is pronounced.
This loud-soft technique of two different connected notes is also true for the other instruments of the orchestra. I don't know what the technique is called for the different instruments or even if there is a name associated with the technique in instruments other than the piano. I only know that in piano this is called drop-lift.
You can see demonstration of this technique in the following two videos of Beethoven's dramatic piano concerto in C minor, one of my very favorite piano concertos. [the first movement is long & therefore it took two videos]
In the first video watch and listen for the technique I discussed played by the orchestra in the 2:02-2:03 mark and 2:04-2:05 mark. Then for the piano in the 4:09-4:10 mark and in succession at the 5:16-5:17, 5:18-5:19 and 5:20-5:21 marks. Once again listen closely at the orchestra at 5:35-5:36 and 5:37-5:38.
In the second video listen closely for the drop lift technique [loud-soft] of the piano at 53-54 and 56-57 and also at 3:02-3:03 and 3:04-3:05...and to the orchestra at 3:20-3:21 and 3:22-3:23. In each of those instances without even seeing the score, you know Beethoven has connected two different notes with a curved line above them, as you hear the loud-soft sound of the two notes.
See if you can tell how the contrast in sound adds to the beauty of the piece.
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #3 in C minor, movement 1 [part 1], allegro con brio:
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #3 in C minor, movement 1[part 2], Allegro con brio:
