Some marking doubts

[stormx]

Hi !! 

just 2 simple doubts:

When notes are under an slur mark, i know they should be played LEGATO.
When notes have stacatto marks, i know they should be played DETACHED.

What about when, in a good edition, you do not see any marks under a sequence of notes? I beleive that the "default" is to play them LEGATO as well, but probably not so much legato as to where there is an slur mark. Is this right?

On the other hand, what about when you have an slur and inmediately followed by another slur. I assume that if the editor did not make just a big slur comprising both groups of notes, it is because he wants the first note under the second slur to be played slighty detached from the last note under the first slur.Is this right?

Thanks in advance for your help

[cfortunato]

The slur marks do not only denote legato, but they also break the composition up into phrases.  So, yes, you give slight detach between phrases.  The last note of a phrase is played slightly staccato.  Personally, I sing through a piece while watching the markings, so I know what the phrasing and dynamics should sound like in my head.

If there is no slur, legato is fine, just don't exagerrate it.