RE: Ossia - Documentation Recommendation

[Mark Stephen Mrotek]

Mr. Palmer,

 

Thank you for your response.

 

Yes, compositions with various instruments involved in polytonality would have different key signatures. These cases would not be considered an example of an “ossia.” As I stated below an ossia is an alternative to an original passage. Both the original and the ossia would be for the same instrument. I cannot think of an example (my experience is with the piano) in which the ossia is in a different key than the rest of the composition.

 

Mark Stephen Mrotek

 

From: Ralph Palmer [mailto:address@hidden
Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2013 5:56 PM
To: Mark Stephen Mrotek
Cc: Eluze; lilypond-user Mailinglist
Subject: Re: Ossia - Documentation Recommendation

 

On Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 7:28 PM, Mark Stephen Mrotek <address@hidden> wrote:

Eluze,

An "ossia" is an alternative passage which may be played instead of the
original passage. As such it should (must?) have the same key signature.

 

Certainly not "must". There are pieces (e.g., in the Bartok violin duets) where instruments play at the same time in different keys, so why not an ossia in a separate key?

 

Ralph

 

--
Ralph Palmer
Brattleboro, VT
USA
address@hidden