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What does "un poco marcato il tema" mean?

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James Martin

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Apr 30, 2009, 8:02:24 AM4/30/09
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Hi there,

I have a piece by Bartok and, underneath the bass clef near the beginning of
the piece is the notation "un poco marcato il tema". Can anyone tell me what
that means?

Thanks!

James


Jon Teske

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Apr 30, 2009, 9:26:37 AM4/30/09
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"Play the theme a little more marcato." I gather that there may be
both a theme and an accompanying figure in the music (fairly common
in piano music) and Bartok wants you to put the emphasis on the theme
and presumably subdue the accompanying figure. Hopefully what is the
theme will be fairly obvious.

Jon Teske, violinist

Neil

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May 1, 2009, 4:38:02 PM5/1/09
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il tema = the theme
un poco = a little
marcato = marked (bring out)

Without overdoing it -- bring out the theme.
A little emphasizing of the theme.
I wonder what Bartok was concerned the pianist would or would not do.
How do you think you would play it otherwise?

Neil Miller, author: The Piano Lessons Book & Piano Classics Analyzed
Methods and theory for confident memorized performances
http://ThePianoLessonsBook.com

Neil

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May 1, 2009, 4:50:52 PM5/1/09
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> I have a piece by Bartok and, underneath the bass clef near the beginning of
> the piece is the notation "un poco marcato il tema". Can anyone tell me what
> that means?

Another question arises -- by " tema" is Bartok referring to the
melody voice as opposed to the other voices, or the main music of this
piece, section or movement? "Theme" usually refers to the latter – the
familiar beginning of a composition. It will be followed by second and
further subjects. Maybe "theme" in this context is what he wants
emphasized a little.

Title please?

James Martin

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May 2, 2009, 7:43:15 PM5/2/09
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Hi,

Thanks for the help. The title of the piece is "Pentatonic Tune".

J

"Neil" <nhmi...@aol.com> wrote in message
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grammatim

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May 2, 2009, 10:51:16 PM5/2/09
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I thought it must be something from early in Mikrokosmos. Have you
been working through it?

On May 2, 7:43 pm, "James Martin" <nore...@noreply.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for the help. The title of the piece is "Pentatonic Tune".
>
> J
>

> "Neil" <nhmil...@aol.com> wrote in message

James Martin

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May 3, 2009, 11:32:34 PM5/3/09
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Actually, it's my daughter's piece and she was playing it for a competition.
So she was grateful for the explanation of what the term meant.

James

"grammatim" <gram...@verizon.net> wrote in message
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Neil

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May 4, 2009, 2:24:54 PM5/4/09
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> The title of the piece is "Pentatonic Tune".

From? -- Mikrokosmos? -- if so, which Volume? (the pieces are numbered
-- that would help us locate it).

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