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What does a sort of square bracket over two notes mean, like in Ex. #15 in Czerny's "The Art of Finger Dexterity"?

Thanks!

CA

Do you mean op.740 no.15? I can't see any square bracket anywhere.

Yes, in my edition (Schirmer's Library) measures 20 and 24 have a sort of square bracket at the top...

I found it (in the edition by Vogrich at IMSLP), but I've never encountered this symbol before:



My best guess is that it emphasizes the slur (in contradistinction to the articulation of the other octaves).

Steven

Yes, I agree with you, that's what I would think too... Thanks for the suggestion!

In general you would play both places using a binding 4-5 fingering - as you get from black to white - and a gliding thumb.

Here the composer (or the editor) probably suggests in both cases a gliding 5-5 - as an excercise of binding in spite of using the same finger - as well as the assistance of the releasing pedal (in spite of the standard pedal indication below, therefore the square bracket). This is even needed in order to play the second note not only more quietly but also shorter than the first one as they both are "note-pairs".

Pianists do this automatically - following the "needs of the ear". Therefore, a normal grown-up probably does not even think of such "advices"

So ... it's to emphasize the slur?

Steven

It is to emphasize the analogous usage of the pedal in such cases showing the way how to support the musical need, i.e. the second note is shorter than the 1st one in spite of the standard usage of the pedal as shown below.

In my edition (Alfred's) this is displayed as a line connecting the finger numbers (the 5's).

Based on this, I think that this notation is to emphasize fingering, not phrasing.

The other use of square brackets (although it is vertical instead of horizontal) is also to indicate notes that are played by the same finger.

I can't think of any reason to emphasize the slur, but there is a good reason to call attention to the fact that the composer / editor is asking you to play both octaves with 1 5 instead of switching from 1 5 to 1 4.

There is nothing here to indicate that one note is shorter than the other - so I don't understand that last post by nickythenack.

Rich

I think I do.

Steven

Thank you Steven !!!
(The genuine sympathy between dog and cat )