Articulations

[nadapez]

Hello, I am confused about the different articulations used in piano music. I made this image with the abstract of the articulations I have seen, with the names I suppose is given. Please correct me if I am wrong.



I only understand well the legato and stacatto.

I have an idea of what tenuto is, but I am not sure.

I want to understand the difference among tenuto, portato and tenuto-stacatto.

The last three articulations I have seen them in Pavana... by Ravel.

Last but not least I want to know what kind of articulation is supposed to be used when there is no indication.


Thank you a lot.

[andrewuk]

Small point: it's staccato, not stacatto.

[lelle]

Staccatissimo = shorter and sharper staccato than normal staccato. Almost like an accent in some cases.

With tenuto, tenuto staccato and portato it can vary a bit with the context. With Tenuto marks only I'd think of them as slight accents in a legato, so that the notes sound slightly separated/distinct from each other, not just bound into one gesture. Think of it maybe as three down bows instead of playing three notes in one bow on a violin, but still connected.

Tenuto staccato I'd read as the same but with shorter notes, but not too short.

Portato with the slur is also shorter notes but not staccato. There is more of a feeling of one line even if the notes are separated, but the notes are not made distinct like when you think in accents.

Don't know if that helps.

[ignomike]

I could be wrong here but isn't the tenuto marking more often intended as a marcato (half-accent), especially in more modern piano music? My understanding is that the tenuto is more at home on string instruments but the composer and context are relevant to the distinction. I would always consider the tenuto + dot sign as a semi-tenuto like you described.

[anacrusis]

^That's my understanding of it.