Re: 5027: NR example with bad engraving practice

[Trevor Daniels]

Simon Albrecht wrote Thursday, January 05, 2017 10:16 PM


>>> On 04.01.2017 15:01, Hans Åberg wrote:
>>>> This is just a quirk of the 4/4 [meter], also mentioned in Hindemith, 
>>>> "Elementary Training", p. 30. In other words, the note should not cross 
>>>> the 2nd and 4th metric accents, but it can cross the [3rd].
> 
> I’ve never heard of that and would assume it is a peculiarity in 
> Hindemith. Can anyone cite Gould or similar on the topic?

Well, Elaine Gould has several pages on the topic - 166-169.
That section starts:

"Note-values sustained across a beat or half-bar must expose
the beat structure of the bar:

[examples picked out are all in 4/4 time]

   8 4.~ 8 4 8 and not 8 2 4 8
   8 8 8 8~ 4. 8 and not 8 8 8 2 8

"Only very straightforward rhythms may be written across the beat
or half-bar:   4 2.  or   2.... 32  [are OK]"

"As the division of a bar becomes more complex, it is essential to
reveal more of the beats."

"When the rhythms are not part of a regular pattern, the long duration
may be divided to expose the beats or half-bar, to make the rhythm
easier to count.  In 4/4 it is the third (not the fourth) beat that should 
be exposed:

   2~ 4... 32  or even   2~ 4~ 8.. 32  "

So her essential message is reveal as many beats with ties as is
necessary to make the required rhythm clear.  There is no definite
rule.

Trevor