Tenuto
Tenuto ( Italian for “held”, abbreviation: ten. ) Is one of the four most common types of articulation in general music, alongside legato , portato and staccato . If a note is to be played "tenuto" (held), the note value should be sustained under all circumstances, meaning the exact opposite of a staccato point. Nevertheless, the tenuto sign can also have other meanings that do not relate to the sustaining of the note, but rather to the way the note is performed or the rhythmic articulation of the note, so notes are sometimes provided with a tenuto line that should be given a slight accent for which an ordinary accent or even Marcato mark could do too much of a good thing.
Furthermore, tenutos under a bow also exist in music literature, which mean that the notes in question are played separately, i.e. quasi portato, but should nevertheless be viewed as a musical unit. Such a type of phrasing is particularly useful for string instruments, as this indicates to them that the notes under a slur should be played in one line, but with noticeable pauses or a slight separation between the individual notes. In general, the tenuto sign and its execution is therefore much less clear than is the case with other articulations, such as the staccato point.
Here, especially from the Impressionist piano literature onwards , notes and chords to be emphasized from the overall sound are often also provided with a tenuto stroke due to the small number of common names. The type of emphasis that is sought varies from composer to composer. As a rule, this means either a rhythmic delay similar to rubato or a slight increase in volume.
The tenuto stroke, like all articulations, is generally written on the side of the notehead opposite the stem. As an alternative to the tenuto dash, the full word “tenuto” or the abbreviation “ten.” Can be used and written over the relevant passages.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Tom Gerou and Linda Lusk: Essential Dictionary of Music Notation. The most practical and concise source for music notation . Alfred Books, Los Angeles 1996, ISBN 0-88284-730-9 , p. 40.