Notated With a Slur, But Played Without Slur
I just got sheet music for Mack the Knife and in the 3rd bar, there is 2 eighth note C#s, then 2 eighth note Cs. Everyone in the band tongued it, and the recording sounds like it was tongued too.
Why? And why not notate it as a slurred quarter C# and a quarter C?
This is the measure:
(1)1 Comments
Sorted by latest first Latest Oldest Best
Well, it wouldn't make sense otherwise, would it? It can't be a tie since those are only between two adjacent noteheads (which need to have the same pitch and would not be used to connect two eighth notes when the first is on the beat: you'd just write a quarter), so one wants to hear four notes.
Which is what your fellows produced. Now the question is what the slur signifies: it can be a bowing instruction, or it can be a phrasing slur indicating a legato passage. A bowing instruction would typically also carry tenuto/portato bars. So it's likely a phrasing instruction.
The execution would likely not or barely tongue between second and third note, and try putting just as much tongue between the equal notes to make the attack just as distinct as the valve use between second and third notes would.
Terms of Use Privacy policy Contact About Cancellation policy © freshhoot.com2025 All Rights reserved.