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Triplets in 6/8

Posted: 21 Mar 2018, 22:56
by Mason
I am notating a Nocturne in the style of Chopin.
The piece is in 6/8 and has several instances of triplet rhythms.
Tempo is :4d = 50

1. From a technical standpoint, are all of the examples notated correctly?
2. Are all of the rhythms clear or do you have suggestions on how to notate the rhythms more clearly?

Thanks.

Re: Triplets in 6/8

Posted: 22 Mar 2018, 07:19
by OCTO
For the first 3 measures I woul just write one 16 (no triplets, just 16th rest + 16note), it is to close to be percepted.
For m4-7 I would write grace notes instead of 16-tuplet note.
In m8 I would write just 3 eights.
This is just my opinion as a performer, your notation looks to complex for the human performance.
But it really depends on the rest of the musical material, if your LH plays only triplets, than my comment above would not fit. If there is no other reference to triplets, than it will be to "odd" notated.

Yet, from the perspective of pure notation, it is just perfectly correct notation.

Re: Triplets in 6/8

Posted: 22 Mar 2018, 11:59
by Mason
Thanks, OCTO.
I will certainly try some of your suggestions when I get the chance.

The left hand plays on the main beats and pulses. It never plays triplets.
The melody is notated like this to show the rubato.

Re: Triplets in 6/8

Posted: 22 Mar 2018, 12:04
by OCTO
I think that you can leave to the performer to play rubato.There is a great tendency in the new music to notate everything, leaving to the performer nothing except exact execution. I admire Brahms, he just write p or f, and it works beautifully, yet VERY hard to perform.

You can post a screenshot of your first measure if you want more feedback.

Re: Triplets in 6/8

Posted: 23 Mar 2018, 19:08
by Schonbergian
OCTO wrote: 22 Mar 2018, 12:04 I think that you can leave to the performer to play rubato.There is a great tendency in the new music to notate everything, leaving to the performer nothing except exact execution. I admire Brahms, he just write p or f, and it works beautifully, yet VERY hard to perform.

You can post a screenshot of your first measure if you want more feedback.
I could not agree more, and also find Brahms the perfect example.

I believe this stems from the gramophone and the concept of one perfect ideal performance enshrined for all eternity--as the first composers to push this view (Stravinsky) were from exactly the same period.

Re: Triplets in 6/8

Posted: 24 Mar 2018, 20:25
by John Ruggero
Schonbergian wrote: 23 Mar 2018, 19:08 I believe this stems from the gramophone and the concept of one perfect ideal performance enshrined for all eternity--as the first composers to push this view (Stravinsky) were from exactly the same period.
I consider this view to be the kiss of death for art, since it converts human beings into robots spitting out the same performance over and over forever. Only an inhumane age could have come up with this.