h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thank you for the wonderful site and your prompt answers!
How do I play notes that have not only the legato/ slur symbol but also the staccato symbol? How can it be possible to play slurred and staccato at the same time?

Legato means smooth, with not break between the notes. On the recorder this means that you should not tongue the notes in a phrase, except for the first one. This of course is impossible between some notes such as between B and C, because you'll get a 'blip' sounding, but you should play as smoothly as possible.

Staccato means the notes should be emphasised, with small breaks between them. If you tongue each note as "tut", stopping at the end of the word, then the notes will come out staccato.

The slur symbol is sometimes used to indicate that all the notes join together in a phrase - don't take a breath in the middle of a phrase, but you might still have individual notes within the phrase which are staccato, and need to be played that way.

So slur and legato does not mean the same thing... Does the symbol for legato and slur differ?

Slur and legato do mean the same thing.

But you can get staccato notes in the middle of a long legato / slurred passage. They don't bother to stop the slur sign just before the staccato note and start it again after the staccato note. It's easier to put a slur sign over the whole thing and mark the staccato notes individually.

This makes more sense. But what puzzles me is that in two or more music pieces I have is that some notes have been connected with a legato mark, and that every note in that group = phrase?? also has the staccato mark. By the very definition of legato and staccato you can’t play notes both ways.

That is odd. I'll ask my recorder teacher about it this evening.

can't wait...

I'm in a recorder consort class. We all know how to play, but we're learning to play together, which is not as easy.

It sound so interesting, is it fun? How long have you been doing it?

Yes, it is fun. This is my second year. We're preparing for a Christmas concert next Friday, in which we will be joined by a group of viols.

Wow! Are you nervous when you perform?

Not really. I've been performing as a singer for years and years, although this is only my third concert as a recorder player.

Concert as in concert? How many people do you expect to come?

Oh, there will probably be more people performing than there are in the audience. About 10 or 15 at the most. But it's still an audience.

We'll have wine and cake after the concert.

I love that , but on the other hand in my make-believe world I have mastered a piece, but in a group like yours I wil quickly come to my senses I think!

Take heart MissMia! I thought I would never be good enough for ensemble playing (still do mostly), but about a year ago, my son (he isn't really, he's on loan to my daughter) started playing recorder for his music class at school (age 17) and asked me to join him to practice some duets.
Far from making the unholy hash of it that I was worried about, it was actually quite good fun, and our playing together was harmonious enough to provoke some slightly acid comments from his girlfriend (who is always ready with an acid comment if somebody other than her is making music).

About the legato / staccato question, my advice would be: if an arching line joins two notes, treat them as a slur. If it covers more than two, treat them as a phrase, but unless the composer has specified legato in the score, it's your call as the performer. Treat the staccato e legato sequence as a phrase made up of staccato notes, i.e. like. reading. each. word. separately. but. maintaining. the. sense. of. a. sentence.

I hope I haven't confused you further, or contradicted somebody who knows better

I'm sorry I never got the chance to ask my teacher about this at the last class, because she produced a whole lot of new music for next Friday's concert. But Kittybriton's advice sounds right to me.

Thank you ! You sound very encouraging but now I am questioning myself whether I really should continue since I have “stage fright”
It is true that performing is not the only goal of making music, I do feel a sense of accomplishment when I “mastered” piece. BUT Music is for people to enjoy and kind of silly just to do it on your own. All these years…

Maybe there is hope for my son. Did your son begin with music lessons at 17?
I have read that a "critical period" exists for the brain to develop an "ear," so to speak, for music and sound perception and that pre-school years are the optimal "learning time" for developing musical ability. I am sure one can play very well but exceptional? It is like for most people who learn a new language as an adult. You will never speak it like a native.

Both my daughters started attending music classes before they were three. But the first two years involved only listening to music, and singing and dancing. They didn't start playing until they were nearly five.

I think the critical period may be pre-school but the important thing is that the child listens to lots of music. It is quite possible that that a child could develop a good musical ear without ever playing a musical instrument. I believe I did.