Notation Question & Forum Idea
Before I ask my question I notice that there isn't a sub-forum which relates specifically to Musical Notation discussion as in certain features of music notation sans reference to MuseScore or other software. This might actually be a good idea, or to have a sticky post which deals with things of that nature in the General discussion so that MuseScore forum users don't go to another forum to ask questions about the art of notation: no offense to other forums ;)
Anyway, to get to my question: I was perusing Scriabin and found these little markings that look like brackets, and I wanted to know if anyone for sure knew what they meant? At first I was thinking maybe they were stress symbols for particular notes of a chord, but I'm not satisfied with guessing:
These are snippets from Scriabin's Op. 6 Sonata 1
Comments
"General Discussion" in specifically intended fo these types of subjects, so I'd say you're in the right place, even if lots of the discussion here really is MuseScore-specific.
My guess is the notation in your example is design to be a "heads up" that the notes overlap and that perhaps they should be taken with the opposite hands. Logically, the notes belond to the voices they are shown with, but practically, it would be easier to play if you trade them.
In reply to "General Discussion" in by Marc Sabatella
Okay, cool. If this is the case I think it might be decent to have the General Discussion forum have the description include "music notation in general" rather than just "Discussing score writing software and MuseScore" or something of the sort to remove doubts.
At first your guess was agreeable, but it seems that the notes don't really overlap in some instances: e.g. in the same score there are passages of only one clef being utilized and of no chord, yet this symbol is still being used.
Edit: wait a minute, you might be right. Maybe the up-bracket is right-hand and the down-bracket is left-hand, and it's not necessary that they overlap to signify such a thing. If this is the case it is a simple way of signifying hand change without using R.H. and L.H., especially for chords. Then again you'd think the composer would just note which hand within the proper clef. I'm reminded of Rachmaninoff: many chords overlap but he doesn't seem to do this sort of thing to notate it.
In reply to Okay, cool. If this is the by worldwideweary
That is correct. It represents LH and RH.
The way why he did it is probably because of some kind of voice leading principles.
Definitely in his late style the voice leading is extraordinarily extreme, such as 7th sonata.
(Sonatas 6-10 are all the most beautiful and extravagant pieces! )
Maybe you could check
www.notat.io
In reply to Maybe you could by edizioneo
Thanks for the reinforcement and link. I've never been to those forums.