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Ways of playing
Obbligato
An essential part or decorative line written above the melody. This was particularly used in Baroque music as a decoration above a vocal solo line. Listen to an excerpt with a baritone soloist accompanied by a continuo of organ and bassoon with an obbligato played by a solo oboe.
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Counter melody
Usually an instrumental line which moves and complements a main melody in another part. Listen to an excerpt from a 20th-century concerto for violin. In this slow movement the low strings of the orchestra play a counter melody to the main solo part.
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Cadenza
A brilliant solo passage in a concerto in which the soloist shows off how well he or she plays the solo instrument. This section is unaccompanied and usually comes after the recapitulation in a movement in sonata form. Listen to an excerpt from a Mozart concerto for piano.
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Double stopping
Playing two notes at the same time on an orchestral string instrument such as a violin or viola. Listen to an excerpt played by a solo violin accompanied by a full symphony orchestra in the final movement from a violin concerto by Brahms. This is the start of the last movement, a rondo, and you will hear the main theme, the first episode, and the main theme again.
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Flutter tonguing
Very fast articulation of the tongue when creating sound on a wind instrument.
Arco
With the bow, ie playing a violin or other string instrument. Listen to an excerpt from the Baroque period and notice the contrast in dynamics between loud and soft.
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Glissando
Sliding from one note to another, taking in all the notes in between where possible. Listen to this example from Indian music played on a sitar.
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Pizzicato
Plucking strings. Listen to an excerpt of plucking strings on an orchestral string instruments in a movement from a symphony by Tchaikovsky.
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Col legno
In string playing, using the back or wood of the bow. Listen to an excerpt from a 20th-century work, 'Mars, the Bringer of War' by the English composer Holst. The warlike effect on the strings at the beginning of the excerpt is col legno. Notice also the ostinato rhythm and that the music has five beats in a bar.
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Con sordino
Muted - creating around half the sound normally expected on an instrument. Listen first of all to a muted trumpet.
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Tremolando
The rapid repetition of a single note or two notes to give an atmosphere of suspense. Often used by string instruments where the effect is also one of an inverted pedal.
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Now listen to a new example and prepare to listen carefully. There is a lot happening in this music! This excerpt is from a piece of music from the 20th century, and opens with a French horn playing arpeggios in a fanfare style and having a musical conversation with a tenor voice during a crescendo. Strings can be heard playing tremolando in the accompaniment and as the music reaches a climax, the horn melody is heard in repetition, while the music fades with a diminuendo towards the end of the excerpt.
Vibrato
A rapid but minute fluctuation in pitch to give an expressive quality to a note. Listen to an excerpt played by a solo cello playing a famous piece for that instrument, 'The Swan'. Notice the minute fluctuations of the notes in the solo part while this is accompanied by a harp playing arpeggios.
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