Release chord on last beat of measure?

[hahad]

Hey everyone,

Consider this hypothetical piece of music. It has two measures and is 4/4 time. The treble clef has four single note quarter measure beats per measure. The bass clef has one chord that is a whole beat for the entire measure. When playing this piece when should one lift up on the chord? I have been told to lift up on the chord right when you are pressing down the last key in the treble clef measure. Is this correct? Thanks.

[will]

Depends.  How do you want it to sound?
You may have been told to lift the LH as the RH plays the last note of its measure to give plenty of time to prepare for the next chord.

[JPRitchie]

Formally, assuming a standard piece of sheet music and no modifying marks or notations, the chord should be very close to four beats in duration.
Regards,
Jim Ritchie

[ramseytheii]

You can experiment with this.  I recommend subdiving in many different ways, and lifting the chord according to a strict rhythm.  For example, on the third sixteenth note of the last beat.  Or, on the second eigth-note triplet.  I find that relating all my motions to an underlying rhythm of the piece, always helps.

Walter Ramsey

[jlh]

The piece has only 2 measures?  Is this a Webern serial work I'm not aware of?

[pianonut]

i agree with ramseytheii.  the last beat of the sixteenth note of the beat will give you plenty of time.  probably what your teacher was trying to teach you was how to play at the end of a phrase.  in very beginning lessons, the beat is silent longer (to give time to structure ending of phrase without losing the beat).  then, as you become a better player, you eliminate the last sixteenth note between all notes, and replace it with sixteenth note rest at the end of phrases (which still keeps the rhythm going -without stopping).