On 7/21/2011 11:11 PM, Ryan wrote: > Hi list, > > What are the exact meanings of the terms "attacca" and "segue"? I imagine > that common usage of these terms might have strayed from the original > meanings. I've seen "attacca segue" in plenty of Broadway shows I've > performed, but is it redundant?
Christopher has provided a great description of them. Attacca literally means "attacks" (as in "attack the next song immediately) Seque literally means "follows" (as in "play what follows as soon as possible) As Christopher said, with an attacca there is no interruption of the flow of the beat at all, someone listening might not know that you've gone into another movement (in a classical piece) or song/interlude (in a Broadway show). With a segue there often is a brief pause before the music continues. You're absolutely right that their usage has strayed from the original, but in the quote you give it makes perfect sense -- the instruction is to play what follows immediately with no pause at all and the apparent redundant use of the terms is the sort of emphatic overstatement that composers have long used to get jaded performers to actually pay attention to the instructions for a change. -- David H. Bailey dhbai...@davidbaileymusicstudio.com _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
