The markings that have been discussed relate either to "dynamic" (e.g. "mf" or "dim.), or to tempo (e.g. "Allegro", rit.").
They also indicate either a state ("mf", "Allegro") or a continuous change ("dim.", "rit."). Both "mf" and "Allegro" could apply to a whole piece lasting, say, half an hour, but "dim. and "rit." could not sensibly do so. There is a third classification that one might consider: does the mark apply to the whole ensemble, or can it apply to just some of it? Clearly, in conventional music tempo markings (whether immediate or gradual) must apply to the whole ensemble, whereas dynamic markings of either sort can apply to just some of the instruments. For this reason it is natural that, whereas dynamic marks are shown separately for each instrument, tempo markings (of both sorts) should appear just once in a score (normally above the top stave). This is one reason I favour marking "rit." etc. by using \tempo: it automatically puts the mark once in the score and once in each individual extracted part. The situation is slightly confused because the distinction is not so clear in music written for one instrument (typically piano). It is not unreasonable to have "rit. e dim." in a piece of solo music. However even in a piano piece, one occasionally gets differential dynamics between one "voice" and another. But one would not usually find, say, "rit." in the right hand and "accel." in the left (except in Nancarrow's music!) David > > From: Kieren MacMillan <kieren_macmil...@sympatico.ca> > > To: Noeck <noeck.marb...@gmx.de> > > Cc: Lilypond-User Mailing List <lilypond-user@gnu.org> > > Subject: Re: Aligning a tempo marking with a note > > Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2015 18:24:58 -0500 > > > > Hi Joram, > > > > > Well, they are closer than cresc and rit for example. > > > > Definitely! =) > > > > > marks like 'Allegro' are valid for a whole piece or at least large parts > > > of it > > > > Not really… A metronome marking is only valid until the next time the tempo > > changes in any way. That change could be immediate and extreme (e.g., > > “Molto Lento”) or immediate and not-so-extereme (e.g., “Poco meno mosso”) > > or gradual (e.g., “poco accel.”). The tempo is then reset, either > > explicitly (e.g., “Allegro”) or by reference (e.g., “A tempo”). > > > > > A similar thing (not fully equivalent) is this: bar numbers and > > > rehearsal marks. Both can be used to identify a point in time, the > > > latter are for larger chunks, the former more fine grained. > > > > I agree that the analogy is not fully equivalent. > > > > Cheers, > > Kieren. > > ________________________________ > > > > Kieren MacMillan, composer > > ‣ website: www.kierenmacmillan.info > > ‣ email: i...@kierenmacmillan.info > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > lilypond-user mailing list > lilypond-user@gnu.org > https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/lilypond-user _______________________________________________ lilypond-user mailing list lilypond-user@gnu.org https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/lilypond-user