Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Brahms Op118-2 notation - how to play this?

Brahms Intermezzo Opus 118 No. 2.

'm stumped as to how to play the notes marked staccato in the excerpt here. Does the dot belong to the upstem crotchet or the down-stem quaver in the triplet group?

http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/BRahms_79_2_notation.jpg

If it belongs to the quaver, then holding the crotchet for its full duration makes the dot meaningless. If it belongs to the crotchet, why bother putting it in? What did the composer have in mind?

There's probably a simple answer but it eludes me!

The quarter note with the staccato would mean a shorter quarter note. It would last longer than one of the triplet notes, but shorter than a full quarter. Hope that helps?!

I wonder why the dots aren't in the first measure, as well. Editorial mistake, or Brahms' intention? Perhaps he wanted a little bit more emphasis on the downward steps of the dotted quarters - thus the dots?

It's a portato indication.

The notes he uses it on are all falling 2nds. (Which are to be brought out.)

Of course, Kreisler is exactly correct. I usually play these notes with more emphasis than portato calls for, almost marcato.

... and I play them a little more pronounced on the repeat than on the first time through.

Regards,

Mentally erase all the other notes around them, keeping only the quarter notes, the staccato dots, the slur, and the diminuendo - and then this part of the notation makes sense.

Kriesler points to “portato” (Italian: to carry) ...
which is effectively almost a legato to the dotted notes .

However, as rightly indicated by Mattardo ... what is good for the goose, should be good for the gander ... why no similar dots to the opening measure? ... a publication blunder?

Or did Brahms run out of ink?

Kreisler already gave a probable answer; the potatoes all occur on falling seconds. Uniform doesn't always equal correct.

The two note figure with the decrescendo or rubato mark, is a form of "sigh" if you will. The first two notes do not have the marks because they are rising in energy and to be played legato. Portato doesn't really mean to carry in the musical context. It is a gap in time between notes. The amount of gap is at the discretion of the interpreter. There is not really a direct relation between the volume or accent of the note, and the length of the note with portato. In this case the notes would be accented or louder to create the sense of a single "voice" producing those notes, separate from the other "voices."

Brahms is marking the two-note slur.

The opening measure does not contain the falling two-note motive.

Thanks for the enlightenment chaps,

Some of you are playing all three notes of the triplet ...
even giving it a marcato bash ...
with respect however, my gut-feel doesn’t buy the “sigh”.

But “exposed” notes (peak of note patterns) automatically gain prominence in attack ... why the need to show the “dots” at all? ... the LH falling 2nds are all “exposed” (top of the pile),

PS In the 8m triplet passage, the dotted approach at m6 and 7 is less defined ... my reading picks up the natural accent given to a sharp fall between chords with very different intervals (big and small).

Are the potatoes mashed or French fried?