Piano Slurs

[Ron Ofir]

What do slurs in a piano score mean? Are they marking notes to be played legato, or marking a phrase?

Best Regards,
Ron Ofir.

[reith]

Both usually, though interpretation may be needed; also it may depend on the complexity of the music where the composer wants to show how the relevant notes are phrased although some notes (under the slur) may be staccato etc. But generally a slur indicates phrasing and would be played legato.

However, let's see what others think....

[chckn8r]

Originally Posted by reith

Both usually, though interpretation may be needed; also it may depend on the complexity of the music where the composer wants to show how the relevant notes are phrased although some notes (under the slur) may be staccato etc. But generally a slur indicates phrasing and would be played legato.

However, let's see what others think....

Yes, that's essentially it.

In my experience as a pianist, if you do see staccato under a slur / phrase, it typically means that those notes are more marccato or lazy stacatto - more separated than sharp staccato (don't know if I'm explaining it properly...) otherwise, the phrase mark would end and you'd see staccato markings by itself.

D

[Ron Ofir]

Just to be sure, in a violin score, when I see a slur it means legato, right? Or is it also a phrase mark? Also, how can one mark pull-offs/hammer-ons in a violin score? Are those just up to the performer's will?

[reith]

String phrasing is a bit different. The notes beneath a slur are to be played legato in the same bowstroke.

You will find groups of notes marked staccato (or something) beneath a slur. This tells the player to use the articulation given but all under the same bowstroke.

Composers and editors are not always conscientious though so long phrases may require a change of bow direction. If you want to denote that the phrase starts on an up or down bowstroke, the usual marks are put over the first note - an upside-down, squared off U for a downstroke and V for an upstroke. Good string players can make the change of direction seamless.

If no slurs are shown the player plays detaché, each note separately bowed.

Don't be surprised to see two slurs together, a longer one covering several shorter ones beneath: these to be played legato within the larger phrase.

[Ron Ofir]

Don't be surprised to see two slurs together, a longer one covering several shorter ones beneath: these to be played legato within the larger phrase.

Do players need to differentiate between different phrases?

[chckn8r]

Originally Posted by Ron Ofir

Just to be sure, in a violin score, when I see a slur it means legato, right? Or is it also a phrase mark? Also, how can one mark pull-offs/hammer-ons in a violin score? Are those just up to the performer's will?

What are you trying to achieve with the hammer-ons/pull-offs? Is it a trill or something different. If it's a trill, then just denote it as that.

Unless the violin is an electric violin that's being run through compression and / or overdrive/distortion, you're not going to get enough sustain on the string to get a good sound going. Also, the player won't be able to get a significant amount of volume from the hammer-on to really warrant it.

String instruments have almost no sustain once the energy to vibrate the string is gone - look at the sound of pizzicato or when the player stops bowing - the sound stops almost immediately. A hammer-on/pull-off can be done, but you're not going to get anything that's loud or accurate (hammer-ons work on guitars in a large part because of the string sustain and the frets)

So you're probably going to be bowing anyway to get the sustain - so mark it as a trill.

Needless to say, a HO and PU are usually notated as a phrase mark between the two notes - sometimes H / H.O. and P / P.O. are put above the phrase to drive it home.

Cheers, D

[Ron Ofir]

Ah, ok. Thanks!