What are Dynamics Why should I use dynamics

What are Dynamics? Why should I use dynamics, and how do I use them? By Katherine Ehlers

What Musicians See on Music

Basics Just another Element • Basic definition of dynamics is making a piece of music vary in volume from soft to loud or loud to soft – Dynamics use symbols and Italian words to indicate the sound level – Dynamics add musical contrast and expression to the music • Gives flexibility and range to music through volume • Execution: stylistically and functionally – Ex. The difference between staccato and legato or speed

What is the Point of Dynamics? – Dynamics dependent on tempo marks and the general mood of the piece of music – Accents • Sudden changes in dynamics may be notated by adding the word subito (Italian for suddenly) as a prefix or suffix to the new dynamic notation • Accented notes (notes to emphasize or play louder compared to surrounding notes) – Ex. One particularly noteworthy use of forzando is in the second movement of Joseph Haydn's Surprise Symphony – http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=d_6 mr. Lc_m. Ew – Notated sforzando, sforzato, forzando or forzato (abbreviated sfz or fz) referring to "forcing" – Gradual changes • Crescendo (cresc. ) referring to “gradually becoming louder” – For greater changes in dynamics, cresc. molto and dim. molto are often used, where the molto means much • Diminuendo (dim. ) means “gradually becoming softer” – For slow changes cresc. poco and dim. poco are used, where poco a poco translates as little by little – Ex. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's fantasy overture, Romeo and Julie – http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ps. FHjn. Iaa. FU

What is the difference between an ensembles dynamics to solo dynamics? • Dynamics will sound different from an ensemble to solo pieces – Some dynamics are hard to distinguish the difference between their volumes • Dynamics are relative and do not refer to specific volume levels • Interpretation of dynamic levels are left mostly to the performer or ensemble – Performers use dynamics to be sensitive not to just the melody, but the harmony and bass line – All parts need to be heard and equally balanced out – Most music in the baroque and classical period stay between forte and piano – In romantic and modern pieces dynamics have large contrast • Beethoven was the marker for the transition from classical to romantic period • In these time periods the composer wanted to reach the highest point of passion in the piece and would fade to another extreme dynamic – – Ex. Holst’s The Planets goes to forte fortissimo (FFF) http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=AGGl. L 1 wex. Qk Ex. Tchaikovsky uses (ppppp) in his Pathetique Symphony http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=w. HAfv. UFt. CIY

So, how are dynamics written? • Music Notation – Dynamics are written into the music by the composer or arranger • the ones composers use for dynamics are written with Italian words or with special symbols – Sometimes performer will add their own dynamics or just play them as they see fit

Why are dynamics Italian? • European music was first written down in Italy – Italy was the center of musical learning – many musicians came to study the state of the art practices, they carried those advanced practices back to their own countries

So… Why is it called Piano? • The keyboard instruments that were common before the piano was invented (the organ, the harpsichord, the clavichord) – one bad thing they shared is that they were lousy for dynamics • The Piano changed that… – It was able to change dynamic instantly – Soft-loud in Italian, is (of course) piano forte. So we’re really calling the piano by its first name: the soft (quiet). – Pianos have changed over the centuries, and the modern piano is different in some ways than the original piano forte

So, what did we learn? 1. The symbols and Italian words to look for in music notation. 2. Applying dynamics to give expression to the music 3. History lesson: 1. Italy is where music was 1 st written in Europe 2. Most of the musicians went to study music in Italy 3. Piano was the 1 st keyboard instrument to meet the demands of dynamic range

Why should I use dynamics, and how do I use them?

Work Cited • "Haydn Symphony No 94 G Major "Surprise" "Mit Dem Paukenschlag" Bernstein Wiener Philarmoniker. " You. Tube, 11 Dec. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. • "Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Romeo and Juliet - Fantasy Overture. " You. Tube, 03 Sept. 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. • "Holst-Planets Suite-Mars-Proms 2009. " You. Tube, 26 July 2009. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. • "TCHAIKOVSKY - Symphony No 6 (Pathetique) - Herbert Von Karajan & Wiener Phil. "You. Tube, 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.