Piano Forum

Edit: Since photobucket is following its weird policies and blocking access to the photos, I have  uploaded the photos to another site, and they are also available as attachments in the pianostreet itself.



Greetings, dear members of pianostreet.

I currently face a difficulty in understanding one indication of articulation, which is perhaps the first and default manner in articulation.

I have been learning two instruments, the electric guitar, and Piano. Never had I questioned such an indication during my electric guitar training, as all I was always asked to do was to either play each note one after another with no intervention or with staccato, and legato has quite a different meaning in the genre I practiced.

During the course to learn the elementary steps in learning piano, in Master Ferdinand Beyer's book, until Legato is introduced, there is no specific indication in the pieces, much like Master Beethoven's Ecossaise. However, from the moment legato is introduced in the book onward, legato becomes the most used indication used in the rest of the pieces. Legato is gone in the following pieces, only if it's not possible to be performed, for instance, when one key must be played with the same finger.

I have always seen legato and slur in most of the pieces I have ever encountered.

Therefore, I somehow perceived an implication, which is perhaps a false one, that the first manner of indication, which shows no indication of legato, like the first three bars of Eccosaise, and the three notes accompanying the slurred notes in Badineire, and Master Beyer's studies before the introduction of legato, is only seen when performing Legato (Or other indications of articulations, with which I'm not familiar) is not possible, or perhaps the manner of articulation is entrusted to the performer. However, I doubted the validity of such assumptions, which led me to make this post, and ask you kind readers several questions.





Eccosaise:  (First attached file, if the site wouldn't display the picture)




Should each note be played with a short intervention before the next note? (I will explain the reason of such wording later)







Badineire: (Second attached file, if the site wouldn't display the picture)



Are the next three notes after the slurred notes supposed to be likewise played with a short intervention?




How should such notes with no indication be performed?


Lastly, what is the different between Slur and Legato in piano (And if you do possess a vast knowledge, aid me in regard to this definition in guitar too, if you would be so kind.)?




When I cast a look upon a score of a much higher grade by Master Liszt, I also made a similar conjecture, for it seems not possible to play the shown chords in a legato style, unlike the notes in the bassline.


A consolation: (Third attached file, should the site refuse to show the photos)




My instructor told me it would be acceptable, should I play them a style close to Legato, as long as it wouldn't turn into staccato. Yet I wished to know about this subject more specifically.

Would you enlighten me with better descriptions for playing the indications I spoke of?


Thank you for spending the time to read my questions.