Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-cjp7w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-23T11:08:52.711Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

10 - The ornaments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2011

Get access

Summary

Ornaments are adornments and embellishments of a melody; if they are used with care, they make it more pleasing, varied and flowing. These ornaments are indispensable, and can never be left out. If the composer has himself provided his melody with an abundance of them, then the performer must be very sparing and careful with his supplementary ones if he does not wish to spoil more than he improves. These ornaments are either essential or discretionary. These essential ornaments, which are really the seasoning of melody, cannot be left out and are therefore indispensable. They are represented by small notes before or between the notes themselves, or by certain signs over them; or even written out with ordinary notes, and included in the beat in various ways. If the composer has not expressed them, then it is left to the judgement of the performer to put them in. This requires a knowledge which can only be attained by long experience, and in which feeling is always a deciding factor. Since everyone feels differently, everyone must make his ornaments according to his own feeling. But since a piece that is to be played by several people at the same time is supposed to be played in a unanimous manner, it is necessary for the composer to write in everything he wants; and still it will be difficult enough for someone who has got used to embellishing every little note.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×