Re: cross-hands, cross-staves

[David Nalesnik]

Hi Curt,

On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 2:30 AM, Francisco Vila <address@hidden> wrote:
> 2012/8/29 Curt <address@hidden>
>> The actual question is wondering if anyone thinks there is a
>> better/clearer way to notate the following figure.  Hands alternating, with
>> melody in the pinky.  The pattern continues throughout the piece (with
>> different notes).  Right hand stays in the same general location, right hand
>> wanders down an octave or so at times.
>
> Now to your actual question: at first sight, beaming on 16ths suggests
> same hand despite of being cross staff. In this case I would indicate
> clearly R.H. on the 16ths in upper staff. It would be more kludgy but
> also doubtless (on how to play it) to use alternate 16ths and silences
> instead of cross beaming.
>

I think the way you notate this is perfectly clear.  Distributing
notes between the staves depending on which hand the player should use
is expected in notation for the piano.  (You can find many instances
of this in Debussy's Preludes, for example).  Indicating R.H. and L.H.
shouldn't be necessary if the staff distribution makes this obvious,
whether the cross-staff notes are beamed together or not (certainly a
good idea here).

The passage itself is not hard with alternating hands and 3-4-5 on the
melody, but it's a different story with taking the accompaniment in
the left hand.  Though doable, I don't imagine that would be a
pianist's first impulse!

-David