piu piano

[radmila]

Is piu piano softer or louder from piano? And same questionn for meno piano.

[pianowolfi]

piu piano is softer than piano, meno piano is louder.

[m]

piu piano is softer than piano, meno piano is louder.

Ironically, piu means more, and meno--less.
If we had piu forte, that would mean louder 

[a-sharp]

I could be wrong, but I would take those to mean

Piu Piano - more piano [softer] - than just prior

and

meno piano - less piano - less softer/quieter then just prior

In essence, not puttting in an an absolute scale, but relative to where it is written in the music

Of course - it would help to see it in context...

[radmila]

Thanks for your replies. I thought the same since I know the actual meaning of the words. But very often in the music where it says piu piano I feel that the music should go louder than the piano secton. Who knows!
Well, thanks for your input...

[a-sharp]

Okay, now I'm bugged - what is the piece? Totally curious now ~

[jlh]

To review...

piu piano = softer
meno piano = louder

piu forte = louder
meno forte = softer

 

[a-sharp]

LOL

right 

[m]

Well, it is quite exciting to see that such a seemingly simple matter got such a resonance and welth of responses 

Please keep the ideas coming 

On the other hand, it seems appropriate to discuss in this very fine thread some different deriviations on the subject, as well.
For example, what do you think about transcription such terms as piu cresc, or meno dim., etc., etc.. 

Sincerely, M 

[a-sharp]

Well - in the end - it's really up to you to interpret the way you want to anyway - right? So - I'm still curious what this piece is. For me, that might make a difference. With some composers/pieces one might take much more liberty than with others ....

[radmila]

In Debussy's Reverie in m. 51 is says piu p and I would by all means perform it louder than the previous measure which has the same melody in piano (only p) but octave higher. M. 51 is in the lower octaves with embelishment and it definitely sounds as a confirmation of a previous measure. That is why softer piu piano does not make sense to me.

[counterpoint]

radmila, if you don't follow the composer's will, that's your personal decision 

But "piu piano" does really mean "more piano = even softer"

[jlh]

radmila, if you don't follow the composer's will, that's your personal decision 

But "piu piano" does really mean "more piano = even softer"

sometimes it helps to do a complete literal translation of the terms in question for clarity of meaning.  Such as:

piu = more
piano = soft
piu piano = more soft (or even softer)

piu = more
forte = loud
piu forte = more loud (or even louder)

etc...