A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Dash

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Dargomyski, Alexander

A Dictionary of Music and Musicians
edited by George Grove

Dash by Franklin Taylor

Daublaine et Callinet

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From volume 1 of the work.

1504045A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — DashGeorge GroveFranklin Taylor

DASH. The sign of staccato, written thus (

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \new RhythmicStaff \stopStaff \stemDown \hideNotes c-! }$

), and placed under or over a note to indicate that the duration of the sound is to be as short as possible, the value of the note being completed by an interval of silence; for example—

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/4 \relative c'' { c8-!^\markup { \smaller \italic Written } d-! e-! f-! g2 \bar "||" c,32^\markup { \smaller \italic Performed } r r16 d32 r r16 e32 r r16 f32 r r16 g2 \bar "||" } }$

A round dot (symbol) is also used for a similar purpose, but with this difference, that notes marked with dots should be less staccato than those with dashes, being shortened about one half, thus—

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/4 \relative c'' { c8-.^\markup { \smaller \italic Written } d-. e-. f-. g2 \bar "||" c,16[^\markup { \smaller \italic Performed } r d16 r e16 r f16] r g2 \bar "||" } }$

This distinction, which is enforced by all the most celebrated teachers of modern times, such as Clementi, Czerny, and others, is, strange to say, often ignored by modern editors of classical compositions, and it is remarkable that in such valuable and conscientious editions of Beethoven's works as those of Von Bülow ('Instructive Ausgabe'; Cotta, Stuttgart), Pauer (Augener & Co. London), and others, only one sign should have been employed for the two effects. That Beethoven himself considered the distinction of importance is proved by various corrections by his hand of the orchestral parts of the 7th symphony, still extant, and also by a letter written in 1825 to Carl Holz, in which he expressly insists that '

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \new RhythmicStaff \stopStaff \stemDown c-! c-! c-! }$

and

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \new RhythmicStaff \stopStaff \stemDown c-. c-. c-. }$

is not a matter of indifference.' See Nottebohm's 'Beethoveniana,' No. xxv, in which extracts are given from several of Beethoven's works, with the signs of staccato as originally marked by himself. And there can be no doubt that every effort ought to be made, at any rate in the case of Beethoven, to ascertain what were the intentions of the composer on a point so essential to correct phrasing.

[ F. T. ]