Part 11 (2/2)

[Footnote 30: Both _moriente_ and _morendo_ mean literally--_dying_.]

[Footnote 31: From _smorzare_ (It.)--to extinguish.]

128. In piano music the abbreviation _Ped._ indicates that the damper pedal (the one at the right) is to be depressed, while the sign [damper release symbol] shows that it is to be released. In many modern editions this depression and release of the damper pedal are more accurately indicated by the sign [damper symbol].

The term _senza sordini_ is also occasionally found in old editions, indicating that the damper pedal is to be depressed, while _con sordini_ shows that it is to be released. These expressions are taken from a usage in music for stringed instruments, in which the term _con sordini_ means that the mute (a small clamp of metal, ivory or hardwood) is to be affixed to the bridge, this causing a modification in both power and quality of the tone. The damper on the piano does not in any way correspond to the mute thus used on stringed instruments, and the terms above explained as sometimes occurring in piano music are not to be recommended, even though Beethoven used them in this sense in all his earlier sonatas.

129. The words _una corda_ (lit.--one string) indicate that the ”soft pedal” (the one at the left) is to be depressed, while the words _tre corde_ (lit. three strings) or _tutte le corde_ (all the strings) show that the same pedal is to be released. These expressions refer to the fact that on grand pianos the ”soft pedal” when depressed moves the hammers to one side so that instead of striking three strings they strike only two (in the older pianos only one, hence _una corda_), all three strings (_tre corde_) being struck again after the release of the pedal.

130. Other terms relating either directly or indirectly to the subject of dynamics are:

_Con alcuna licenza_--with some degree of license.

_Con amore_--with tenderness.

_Con bravura_--with boldness.

_Con celerita_--with rapidity.

_Con delicato_--with delicacy.

_Con energico_--with energy.

_Con espressione_--with expression.

_Con forza_--with force.

_Con fuoco_--with fire and pa.s.sion.

_Con grand' espressione_--with great expression.

_Con grazia_--with grace.

_Con melinconia_--with melancholy. [Transcriber's Note: archaic form of ”malinconia”.]

_Con pa.s.sione_--with pa.s.sion.

_Con spirito_--with spirit.

_Con tenerezza_--with tenderness.

_Delicato_--delicately.

_Dolce_--sweetly, gently.

_Dolcissimo_--most sweetly.

_Dolce e cantabile_--gently and with singing tone.

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