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My chamber trio is playing 5 Pieces for String trio, by Ibert, arr by Lynne Latham. In the 4th piece, there is a fermata over the barline at m. 50. Should the 1st violin (flute in our case) and cello take a brief pause / lift before entering bar 50, while the 2nd violin part holds for the same brief duration on the 1st tied quarter? I have never seen this notation before this occurrence. Thanks in advance!

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Hamelin's user avatar
Hamelin
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askedyesterday
bekkodavis's user avatar
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    Relatedquestion.Commentedyesterday
  • (Probably not significant, but it's interesting that the fermata don'tquite line up: the middle line's fermata is centred a fraction after the barline, while the others are a fraction before.)Commented5 hours ago
  • @gidds might be typography issue: possibly, as it is not a standard symbol, it had to be aligned manually.Commented4 hours ago

2 Answers2

2

Your interpretation is correct. It indicates a fermata-like pause — a "breath" — between the measures. Just make sure the pause is short enough that the second violin doesn't run out of breath (e.g., if that part is also being covered by flute).

answeredyesterday
Aaron's user avatar
1

It is a pause mark - fermata - but in an unusual placing. Far more often over an actual note, stating that that note lasts longer than it does normally.

But here, it's signifying the end of one phrase, and the beginning of the next. Rather like a full stop is 'read' while reading out loud.

The middle line is slightly confusing, in that there is a note which is tied over - that should be two beats long, but with the fermata, it stays sounding for linger, maybe just under three beats, That then gives the other two instruments an opportunity to finish one phrase, and then start the second.

Can't find any reference to a pause in this position in Elaine Gould's 'bible', which is odd.

answered20 hours ago
Tim's user avatar
1
  • p. 187: "For a break at the end of a bar, a pause over the barline fulfils the same function as a caesura." Several are pictured over barlines in that section but I haven't seen any with ties.Commented7 hours ago

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