On Feb 15, 2006, at 11:57 AM, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz wrote:
At 11:18 AM 2/15/06 -0500, Andrew Stiller wrote:
I basically agree with David Fenton that
more than 8 or 9 different levels are impossible for the ear to
distinguish.
That can't be true. The very notion of shaping a line has to do with
changing its dynamics slightly. Sometimes other coloristic factors are
involved, but a simple volume-shaped sample is enough to demonstrate
that
we can indeed hear these relative differences.
This is only true in a crescendo or diminuendo situation, where indeed
one can hear extremely fine gradations of loudness. However, I was
talking about *discrete* levels of loudness. A player must begin any
passage at some given dynamic level, and it has been proven
scientifically, decades ago, that no more than 8 or ten such discrete
levels can be distinguished by the ear. Is that oboist playing mp or p?
You can answer with some confidence. Is the oboist playing mp, or
halfway between that and mf? Your guess is, quite literally, as good as
mine. As for crescs. and dims., there are long-established notations
for these that work just fine, thanks, including not only hairpins but
modifiers for them such as "molto" or "pocchiss." There are also, for
the extremely finicky, other long-established expressions such as "un
poco più forte." But I've never felt the need for these in my entire
career. You can write mmp or mpp as much as you like, but if you do,
IMO, you're just kidding yourself. It won't affect the actual music one
little bit.
Andrew Stiller
Kallisti Music Press
http://home.netcom.com/~kallisti/
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