Playable BooksREADING EDITIONS
McKay, Creative Orchestration

George Frederick McKay · section 85 of 111

Punctuation

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An accented point or important entrance can be intensified or highlighted by reinforcing it briefly with additional design. This will be referred to as punctuation. This effect is somewhat related to the heterophonic unison, but is more briefly applied, and the punctuating factor has little consecutive meaning. The point of punctuation is merely a touch of emphasis, but the tonal effect gives extra strength and variety to an orchestral idea. Strik-

from SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major, “Spring” (Kalmus) — measure 250 — Fl. (1., cresc.), Ob. (1., cresc.), Cl. (cresc.), Fg. (cresc.), Cor. (a 2, cres
Fig. 229 · Play this example in the reader ▶

ing suddenness can bring a feeling of pleasant surprise. The two examples below show this principle in action.

Allegro pesante — Timp. (f, accented roll figures); Unison strings (ff) (4/4)
Fig. 230 · Play this example in the reader ▶
Flutes (staccato repeated chords); Strings (4/4) — punctuation of the string figure
Fig. 231 · Play this example in the reader ▶