Re: Piano pedalling in (conductor) scores

[Peter Toye]

Lilypond-user-request,

Best regards,

Peter

mailto:lilypond@ptoye.com

www.ptoye.com

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Monday, May 30, 2022, 2:40:08 PM, lilypond-user-request@gnu.org wrote:

> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 30 May 2022 15:07:48 +0200
> From: David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>
> To: Kieren MacMillan <kieren@kierenmacmillan.info>
> Cc: Simon Bailey <binabik@gmail.com>,  Lilypond-User Mailing List
>         <lilypond-user@gnu.org>
> Subject: Re: Piano pedalling in (conductor) scores
> Message-ID: <87sforuq1n.fsf@fencepost.gnu.org">87sforuq1n.fsf@fencepost.gnu.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

> Kieren MacMillan <kieren@kierenmacmillan.info> writes:

> > Hi Simon,
> > > when preparing a conductor's score that also includes a piano (as an
> > > ensemble, not soloist) part, do you also include the pedalling
> > > information for the piano?
> >
> > IMO, a conductor’s score should contain essentially all the
> > information in the performers’ parts, although possibly in a slightly
> > different presentation (e.g., different clef, combined staves,
> > shorthand, etc.)

> I disagree.  There is no point in cluttering the conductor's part with
> stuff like fingerings (only relevant to the player) and bowing
> directions (section leader material).

> > > How useful is that information for a conductor?
> >
> > Very! For example, let’s say the piano part says “senza ped.” and the
> > conductor’s score has no marking — the conductor would likely assume
> > the part would be played with pedal (ad lib.), and there might be
> > confusion in rehearsal when the conductor hears no pedal.

> Pedalling is musically relevant to some degree (but often applied by the
> player at will) but it really depends on whether we are talking about
> information mandated by the composer or editorial suggestions.  If the
> latter, there seems little point in giving the conductor the information
> necessary to enforce the editor's rather than the composer's vision of
> execution.

> -- 
> David Kastrup

I agree with Kieren here. If the conductor doesn't know what the performer sees, they're going to have to stop the rehearsal to clear it up. Norman del Mar mentions this about the harmonium part of Strauss's 'Ariadne auf Naxos' which apparently contains copious detailed instructions about what stops to use where, all of which is missing from the score.