Espressivo/Volume Swell?

• Sep 25, 2016 - 20:03

In Schumann's Piano Quartet (Scherzo Movt.) score, I encountered an esoteric articulation which looks like a crescendo and a decrescendo.
SPQ1.png
SPQ2.png
Both are parts for the pianoforte

In Musescore 1.x, this is called 'espressivo' in the palette, while in Musescore 2.x, this is renamed as 'Volume Swell'.

How is this meant to be played on the piano? Is this articulation still used today? What is its exact name?


Comments

In reply to by Shoichi

I see, thank you.

'in nineteenth-century German non-vocal music the < > sign can represent a stress or accent as opposed to a crescendo followed by a decrescendo music. In such a case, the marking apparently indicates a kind of "warm", not too powerful, accent with implication of vibrato where appropriate'
- http://www.dolmetsch.com/musicalsymbols.htm

I find this definition the most accurate for the piece above.

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