At 8:31 PM -0700 5/26/10, dershem wrote:
On 5/26/2010 7:55 PM, John Howell wrote:
At 8:15 PM -0500 5/26/10, Patrick Sheehan wrote:
Da Capos and D.S.'s should be outlawed. Why not just write it out again?
Less confusion, I say.
You may certainly say so. And Adrian Drove on the Sibelius List (who
does mostly jazz) would absolutely agree. But back in the day when every
note was hand-copied, usually at the last minute (because the music was
written for specific performances), shortcuts were obviously important,
and publishers have ALWAYS tried to use fewer pieces of paper.
(Obviously, because they've been used since the 13th century!!!)
Therefore, we have to know how to interpret them in the music of
different countries from different times.
With computer engraving the situation has changed, but one trades
shortcuts for more page turns, not always the best tradeoff.
John
But sometimes you have to be practical. If you have a relatively
long piece (say, for example AABA format), and you repeat from the
top to just before B in the D.S. (Let's say 32 bars), and a
relatively short Coda (say 10 bars), but to just write that out
would force an extra page, and probably a page turn, you would
likely try to avoid adding that page.
There are always arguments on either side. Use what works best and
causes the fewest potential problems.
Of course. Various repeat signs and repeat markings are one tool
that can be used or not used. The bottom line is always music that
can be sightread. Nested repeats are always going to be full of
traps, but when music had to be printed on Quickstep size paper for
marching there wasn't always much choice.
John
--
John R. Howell, Assoc. Prof. of Music
Virginia Tech Department of Music
College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences
Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240
Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034
(mailto:[email protected])
http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html
"We never play anything the same way once." Shelly Manne's definition
of jazz musicians.
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