Ad Libitum?

[allchopin]

Does this mean that you are free to play whatever you want here, or simply improvise similar to a theme of the piece?  For instance, at the end of Hungarian Rhapsody #2, could I stick in a little 'Chopsticks' before the ending cadenza?

[jonathandodd]

It depends really, it should be clear from context which meaning of the word is meant. More often than not, ad lib . simply implies that you can vary the rhythm and tempo at will. Less commonly, it means that you can play a passage or not, (usually actually a part, eg violin ad lib. written in chamber music would mean that the violin part is optional). It occaisionally, but very rarely, indicates for you to make up your own stuff in the middle of a piece.

Jon

BTW, I love ur quote thing at the bottom...I was just *compelled* to play it to find out what it was!

[allchopin]

Thought it was gonna be Chopin didnt you?

How do you differentiate bet/w when you make up your own and when the part written is optional? And what if it is written in a rest?

[johnreef]

In Liszt's 2nd Rhapsody, I believe the interpretation of the direction is "play a cadenza if you want to." In another instance, Schumann's "The Poet Speaks," ad libitum is used to denote the style the recitative passage should be played (i.e. freely).

John