How loud?

[tunneller]

Consider an octave tremolo in the right-hand. Seems to me that if I hit the upper note with exactly the same momentum as the lower note, then the sound from the right-hand note rings loudest. So that if I do a "well-balanced" tremolo, then I hear a lot of the upper note and less of the lower note.

Is that how I'm supposed to play it (i.e. was that how the composer intended the sound)? Or should I compensate for the higher notes by playing them a little more softly so that they sound the same level to me, even though there are no marks to that effect in the score.

Thanks, T.
p.s. Of course, this could all be in my ears - too much head-banging music as a teenager

[rsp1]

Not knowing the piece or the composer or the context, it would be impossible to verify whether or not it was intended.  That said, It probably is, at least to some extent.  The main thing is how it balances with what is going on in the L.H.

Pianos can differ in the brightness of the upper register.  But, the nature of the beast is that the upper note is getting reinforced not only each time that you play it (particularly with the damper pedal engaged, but also each time you play the lower note because the upper note is the second harmonic of the lower note.  Also, each time you play the upper note, that harmonic on the lower string will be reinforced.  So everything is working to bring that upper note out.

Again, the main thing is to listen to how it fits with everything else that is going on.

[stevebob]

I think it's an interesting question, and I admit I never gave any thought to it.  But now that I am , does anybody have any thoughts about the dynamic considerations in tremoli where the alternations are not an octave apart?  Or where they are not between single notes at all?

[rsp1]

Consider what the purpose of a tremolo is.  It gives a sense of motion and intensity to a note(s) that is essentially sustained.  The string version is a rapid repetition of the individual note.  The piano version requires that at least 2 different notes are used.  With the piano, the damper pedal is often in play.  In any case it should have the effect of a single continuous sound (and in fact is one of the few ways to cause a note to maintain a certain volume over a period of time or to allow cresc. and dim. during a note.)

Since the tremolo most frequently occurs in the accompaniment, it needs to be in balance to whatever else is going on.