Isn't a tenuto marking redundant?












4















If a tenuto mark means to "hold for the entire value of the note" as it's often defined, isn't this redundant? Aren't we expected to hold notes for their entire value anyway? So what is a tenuto mark truly telling us to do differently?






piano articulation







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  • 2





    This seems like a duplicate of music.stackexchange.com/questions/31365/… and music.stackexchange.com/questions/17204/….

    – Dekkadeci
    9 hours ago






  • 2





    I'll add that the tenuto marking does disambiguate and emphasize that the note should be played for its full length and not be treated as simile with the articulations of notes in similar motives. I once transcribed some of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches from the original sheet music, and I saw several sections where orchestras had interpreted the articulations as similar to earlier sections with articulation markings, despite the lack of articulation markings on these later sections' notes and the lack of simile indications.

    – Dekkadeci
    9 hours ago








  • 1





    On bowed strings/woodwind/brass the performer can change the speed of attack used for tenuto accents. But if you're performing on a piano you don't have as much control over the speed of attack - perhaps all you can change is the length and volume.

    – Brian THOMAS
    3 hours ago











  • @Dekkadeci there is overlap but the answers here IMHO are more detailed and easier to understand than the answers there. I wonder if we can mark those others as "the duplicate" :-)

    – Carl Witthoft
    1 hour ago
















4















If a tenuto mark means to "hold for the entire value of the note" as it's often defined, isn't this redundant? Aren't we expected to hold notes for their entire value anyway? So what is a tenuto mark truly telling us to do differently?






piano articulation







share|improve this question







New contributor




PianoGirl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2





    This seems like a duplicate of music.stackexchange.com/questions/31365/… and music.stackexchange.com/questions/17204/….

    – Dekkadeci
    9 hours ago






  • 2





    I'll add that the tenuto marking does disambiguate and emphasize that the note should be played for its full length and not be treated as simile with the articulations of notes in similar motives. I once transcribed some of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches from the original sheet music, and I saw several sections where orchestras had interpreted the articulations as similar to earlier sections with articulation markings, despite the lack of articulation markings on these later sections' notes and the lack of simile indications.

    – Dekkadeci
    9 hours ago








  • 1





    On bowed strings/woodwind/brass the performer can change the speed of attack used for tenuto accents. But if you're performing on a piano you don't have as much control over the speed of attack - perhaps all you can change is the length and volume.

    – Brian THOMAS
    3 hours ago











  • @Dekkadeci there is overlap but the answers here IMHO are more detailed and easier to understand than the answers there. I wonder if we can mark those others as "the duplicate" :-)

    – Carl Witthoft
    1 hour ago














4












4








4








If a tenuto mark means to "hold for the entire value of the note" as it's often defined, isn't this redundant? Aren't we expected to hold notes for their entire value anyway? So what is a tenuto mark truly telling us to do differently?






piano articulation







share|improve this question







New contributor




PianoGirl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












If a tenuto mark means to "hold for the entire value of the note" as it's often defined, isn't this redundant? Aren't we expected to hold notes for their entire value anyway? So what is a tenuto mark truly telling us to do differently?






piano articulation




piano articulation






share|improve this question







New contributor




PianoGirl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question







New contributor




PianoGirl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question






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asked 10 hours ago









PianoGirlPianoGirl

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New contributor





PianoGirl is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






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Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 2





    This seems like a duplicate of music.stackexchange.com/questions/31365/… and music.stackexchange.com/questions/17204/….

    – Dekkadeci
    9 hours ago






  • 2





    I'll add that the tenuto marking does disambiguate and emphasize that the note should be played for its full length and not be treated as simile with the articulations of notes in similar motives. I once transcribed some of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches from the original sheet music, and I saw several sections where orchestras had interpreted the articulations as similar to earlier sections with articulation markings, despite the lack of articulation markings on these later sections' notes and the lack of simile indications.

    – Dekkadeci
    9 hours ago








  • 1





    On bowed strings/woodwind/brass the performer can change the speed of attack used for tenuto accents. But if you're performing on a piano you don't have as much control over the speed of attack - perhaps all you can change is the length and volume.

    – Brian THOMAS
    3 hours ago











  • @Dekkadeci there is overlap but the answers here IMHO are more detailed and easier to understand than the answers there. I wonder if we can mark those others as "the duplicate" :-)

    – Carl Witthoft
    1 hour ago














  • 2





    This seems like a duplicate of music.stackexchange.com/questions/31365/… and music.stackexchange.com/questions/17204/….

    – Dekkadeci
    9 hours ago






  • 2





    I'll add that the tenuto marking does disambiguate and emphasize that the note should be played for its full length and not be treated as simile with the articulations of notes in similar motives. I once transcribed some of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches from the original sheet music, and I saw several sections where orchestras had interpreted the articulations as similar to earlier sections with articulation markings, despite the lack of articulation markings on these later sections' notes and the lack of simile indications.

    – Dekkadeci
    9 hours ago








  • 1





    On bowed strings/woodwind/brass the performer can change the speed of attack used for tenuto accents. But if you're performing on a piano you don't have as much control over the speed of attack - perhaps all you can change is the length and volume.

    – Brian THOMAS
    3 hours ago











  • @Dekkadeci there is overlap but the answers here IMHO are more detailed and easier to understand than the answers there. I wonder if we can mark those others as "the duplicate" :-)

    – Carl Witthoft
    1 hour ago








2




2





This seems like a duplicate of music.stackexchange.com/questions/31365/… and music.stackexchange.com/questions/17204/….

– Dekkadeci
9 hours ago





This seems like a duplicate of music.stackexchange.com/questions/31365/… and music.stackexchange.com/questions/17204/….

– Dekkadeci
9 hours ago




2




2





I'll add that the tenuto marking does disambiguate and emphasize that the note should be played for its full length and not be treated as simile with the articulations of notes in similar motives. I once transcribed some of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches from the original sheet music, and I saw several sections where orchestras had interpreted the articulations as similar to earlier sections with articulation markings, despite the lack of articulation markings on these later sections' notes and the lack of simile indications.

– Dekkadeci
9 hours ago







I'll add that the tenuto marking does disambiguate and emphasize that the note should be played for its full length and not be treated as simile with the articulations of notes in similar motives. I once transcribed some of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches from the original sheet music, and I saw several sections where orchestras had interpreted the articulations as similar to earlier sections with articulation markings, despite the lack of articulation markings on these later sections' notes and the lack of simile indications.

– Dekkadeci
9 hours ago






1




1





On bowed strings/woodwind/brass the performer can change the speed of attack used for tenuto accents. But if you're performing on a piano you don't have as much control over the speed of attack - perhaps all you can change is the length and volume.

– Brian THOMAS
3 hours ago





On bowed strings/woodwind/brass the performer can change the speed of attack used for tenuto accents. But if you're performing on a piano you don't have as much control over the speed of attack - perhaps all you can change is the length and volume.

– Brian THOMAS
3 hours ago













@Dekkadeci there is overlap but the answers here IMHO are more detailed and easier to understand than the answers there. I wonder if we can mark those others as "the duplicate" :-)

– Carl Witthoft
1 hour ago





@Dekkadeci there is overlap but the answers here IMHO are more detailed and easier to understand than the answers there. I wonder if we can mark those others as "the duplicate" :-)

– Carl Witthoft
1 hour ago










2 Answers
2






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oldest

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6














There is more to a tenuto marking than that. It can mean slightly different things in different contexts. For example, if there is just one note in a phrase with a tenuto marking, then it would suggest that that note is more emphasised than the others. If you had a row of the same notes, all with tenuto markings, then you would probably play each one with a slight emphasise and therefore making them sound more separated than fully legato. If you had a row of staccato notes and then one that wasn't, you might put a tenuto marking on that one as a precaution. I hope that shows that the tenuto marking is not redundant.






share|improve this answer































    6














    Tenuto markings often show that a note has extra weight to it. Notes with these markings would not have a sharp/edgy beginning like an accented note, but they are often slightly louder than the notes without tenuto markings. They are also useful in helping to communicate the mood of a piece, as they are more often used in slower, heavier, more somber pieces than in pieces that are quick, light, and cheerful.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 1





      +1 for the comment about the attack of the note. A Tenuto accent requires more than just a change to its performed length.

      – Brian THOMAS
      3 hours ago











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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    6














    There is more to a tenuto marking than that. It can mean slightly different things in different contexts. For example, if there is just one note in a phrase with a tenuto marking, then it would suggest that that note is more emphasised than the others. If you had a row of the same notes, all with tenuto markings, then you would probably play each one with a slight emphasise and therefore making them sound more separated than fully legato. If you had a row of staccato notes and then one that wasn't, you might put a tenuto marking on that one as a precaution. I hope that shows that the tenuto marking is not redundant.






    share|improve this answer




























      6














      There is more to a tenuto marking than that. It can mean slightly different things in different contexts. For example, if there is just one note in a phrase with a tenuto marking, then it would suggest that that note is more emphasised than the others. If you had a row of the same notes, all with tenuto markings, then you would probably play each one with a slight emphasise and therefore making them sound more separated than fully legato. If you had a row of staccato notes and then one that wasn't, you might put a tenuto marking on that one as a precaution. I hope that shows that the tenuto marking is not redundant.






      share|improve this answer


























        6












        6








        6







        There is more to a tenuto marking than that. It can mean slightly different things in different contexts. For example, if there is just one note in a phrase with a tenuto marking, then it would suggest that that note is more emphasised than the others. If you had a row of the same notes, all with tenuto markings, then you would probably play each one with a slight emphasise and therefore making them sound more separated than fully legato. If you had a row of staccato notes and then one that wasn't, you might put a tenuto marking on that one as a precaution. I hope that shows that the tenuto marking is not redundant.






        share|improve this answer













        There is more to a tenuto marking than that. It can mean slightly different things in different contexts. For example, if there is just one note in a phrase with a tenuto marking, then it would suggest that that note is more emphasised than the others. If you had a row of the same notes, all with tenuto markings, then you would probably play each one with a slight emphasise and therefore making them sound more separated than fully legato. If you had a row of staccato notes and then one that wasn't, you might put a tenuto marking on that one as a precaution. I hope that shows that the tenuto marking is not redundant.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 8 hours ago









        JomiddnzJomiddnz

        2,13949




        2,13949























            6














            Tenuto markings often show that a note has extra weight to it. Notes with these markings would not have a sharp/edgy beginning like an accented note, but they are often slightly louder than the notes without tenuto markings. They are also useful in helping to communicate the mood of a piece, as they are more often used in slower, heavier, more somber pieces than in pieces that are quick, light, and cheerful.






            share|improve this answer



















            • 1





              +1 for the comment about the attack of the note. A Tenuto accent requires more than just a change to its performed length.

              – Brian THOMAS
              3 hours ago
















            6














            Tenuto markings often show that a note has extra weight to it. Notes with these markings would not have a sharp/edgy beginning like an accented note, but they are often slightly louder than the notes without tenuto markings. They are also useful in helping to communicate the mood of a piece, as they are more often used in slower, heavier, more somber pieces than in pieces that are quick, light, and cheerful.






            share|improve this answer



















            • 1





              +1 for the comment about the attack of the note. A Tenuto accent requires more than just a change to its performed length.

              – Brian THOMAS
              3 hours ago














            6












            6








            6







            Tenuto markings often show that a note has extra weight to it. Notes with these markings would not have a sharp/edgy beginning like an accented note, but they are often slightly louder than the notes without tenuto markings. They are also useful in helping to communicate the mood of a piece, as they are more often used in slower, heavier, more somber pieces than in pieces that are quick, light, and cheerful.






            share|improve this answer













            Tenuto markings often show that a note has extra weight to it. Notes with these markings would not have a sharp/edgy beginning like an accented note, but they are often slightly louder than the notes without tenuto markings. They are also useful in helping to communicate the mood of a piece, as they are more often used in slower, heavier, more somber pieces than in pieces that are quick, light, and cheerful.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 3 hours ago









            Heather S.Heather S.

            3,3401318




            3,3401318








            • 1





              +1 for the comment about the attack of the note. A Tenuto accent requires more than just a change to its performed length.

              – Brian THOMAS
              3 hours ago














            • 1





              +1 for the comment about the attack of the note. A Tenuto accent requires more than just a change to its performed length.

              – Brian THOMAS
              3 hours ago








            1




            1





            +1 for the comment about the attack of the note. A Tenuto accent requires more than just a change to its performed length.

            – Brian THOMAS
            3 hours ago





            +1 for the comment about the attack of the note. A Tenuto accent requires more than just a change to its performed length.

            – Brian THOMAS
            3 hours ago










            PianoGirl is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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