how to apply dim. /cresc. ?

[bonnerik]

i know the meaning of the word, and i do apply it in my playing (been reading music now for 3 week). but i just want to learn everything right as early as i can, so thats why im here. when i see a dim. in a measure, i play lighter and lighter and lighter, but when do i stop ? at the end of the measure, at the next p, f or whatever indicates volume ?

any help appreciated

[chopincrazy23]

i know the meaning of the word, and i do apply it in my playing (been reading music now for 3 week). but i just want to learn everything right as early as i can, so thats why im here. when i see a dim. in a measure, i play lighter and lighter and lighter, but when do i stop ? at the end of the measure, at the next p, f or whatever indicates volume ?

any help appreciated

Sometimes there are brackets in the music that indicate where to start and stop. If there isn't any, I usually wait till the next marking that tells me to do otherwise.

[j_menz]

Sometimes there are brackets in the music that indicate where to start and stop. If there isn't any, I usually wait till the next marking that tells me to do otherwise.

That's generally correct.

One aside - the "next marking" may be either the target volume of the dim/cresc or a sudden shift away from it. It will usually be apparent from the context.

[bonnerik]

which brackets are you talking about ?

also got another question, about FP, does it mean you play everyother note hard and every other note soft untill you get another instruction ?

[chopincrazy23]

which brackets are you talking about ?

also got another question, about FP, does it mean you play everyother note hard and every other note soft untill you get another instruction ?

The brackets look like this <  > in the music. If you want an example of one you could type in Liszt: Un sospiro and look at the very first measure of music, it will have it. To answer your other question, FP means to hit the note forte then immediately play the following notes piano.

[bonnerik]

ok thanks alot for the help, its clear to me now.

[bonnerik]

actually i just thought about something. sometimes they use cresc and sometime the opening hairclip symbol, i want to know why they would choose one over the other ? im trying to figure out a part in fur elise where first you have a measure marked p, then a few measures after you have a cresc, then next marking in a measure after that is dim. e rit. then, the measure after that is supposed to be played piano. how would i come at this ?

[chopincrazy23]

actually i just thought about something. sometimes they use cresc and sometime the opening hairclip symbol, i want to know why they would choose one over the other ? im trying to figure out a part in fur elise where first you have a measure marked p, then a few measures after you have a cresc, then next marking in a measure after that is dim. e rit. then, the measure after that is supposed to be played piano. how would i come at this ?

I am pretty sure that if composers write the "hair clip" crescendo it's to show a short crescendo and/or decrescendo lasting a measure or two. If they write out the word crescendo, it expands throughout multiple measures until the next dynamic marking.
For your second question I don't really understand what your asking, can you tell me the measure your talking about so I can look at it?

[bonnerik]

its the 10th measure and onward of section c of the song, the section where you tap the A note and play chords. so the hairclips are more temporary?

also, in the same section on about the 15th measure, you have a dim. e rit, but there is no "a tempo" marking after (only like 10 measures after, and you have a "rall" in the measure just before, so its referring to that instead i think).

so depending on what comes after and how long after a crescendo or dim marking, you have to adapt how fast the cresc/dim becomes harder/softer ?

thanks for helping

[kalirren]

Crescendo hairpins indicate both the start and end of a crescendo.  So by the end of the hairpin you should be finished with the dynamic change.  In contrast, the marking "cresc." generally applies until the next marking, or may have no definite end.

[chopincrazy23]

its the 10th measure and onward of section c of the song, the section where you tap the A note and play chords. so the hairclips are more temporary?

also, in the same section on about the 15th measure, you have a dim. e rit, but there is no "a tempo" marking after (only like 10 measures after, and you have a "rall" in the measure just before, so its referring to that instead i think).

so depending on what comes after and how long after a crescendo or dim marking, you have to adapt how fast the cresc/dim becomes harder/softer ?

thanks for helping

I think the markings that your are talking about are the editor of your edition's marking, because I am looking at the Urtext edition of this piece and there aren't any markings except for pianissimo. So it's more of your choice to follow the your editor's suggestions or not.
I am thinking that the dim. e rit. is suggesting to slow down to the beginning tempo, but it's hard to understand since i'm looking at a different edition.

[bonnerik]

hmm. there is nothing before the dim . rit. that suggests that the speed has been sped up. its just before the two chords that are before the part where you play a minor arpeggio in triplets

[chopincrazy23]

hmm. there is nothing before the dim . rit. that suggests that the speed has been sped up. its just before the two chords that are before the part where you play a minor arpeggio in triplets

Oh now I see where you are in the piece. I think it's suggesting to slow down and play softer in the measure leading up to the two chords, and then when it reaches the two chords you should return to your regular speed.

[bonnerik]

its how ive played it. im just wondering why there isnt an "a tempo" mark, maybe you know ?

thanks

[chopincrazy23]

its how ive played it. im just wondering why there isnt an "a tempo" mark, maybe you know ?

thanks

I don't really know why the editor didn't put in "a tempo," maybe because there wasn't a set tempo for the beginning. What I mean by that is in the beginning it says "Poco moto" which isn't a really a set metronome tempo.

[bonnerik]

ok i see. i never thought reading music could be this interpretive.

thanks for the help