[CAUT] Sostenuto

[Jim Busby]

Hi Fred,

Someone asked on CAUT) if there was music that MUST be played in a manner that would force the piano into this situation. Is there? The first time I heard this in a piano it was a professor that had some piece that had very strict pedal markings, and sure enough, it seemed to be unavoidable. But I'm not a pianist like you so maybe I wasn't reading it correctly and, maybe the professor wasn't either. What say ye?

Regards,
Jim Busby

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred Sturm
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 11:30 AM
To: Ed Sutton; caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Sostenuto

On Dec 29, 2008, at 8:34 PM, Ed Sutton wrote:

> What I am trying to imagine is what possible musical effect could be  
> accomplished by releasing the sostenuto pedal while holding down the  
> damper pedal?

	Apart from the nice percussive effect (the sort of thing somebody at  
CalArts might come up with <G>)?
	If you want to change the dampers being held by the sostenuto -  
change of harmony - and retain the connection of overall tone via the  
full damper pedal, it sure would be nice. Maintaining connection of  
sound becomes a very tricky, rapid fire change of two pedals  
simultaneously/one ever so slightly before the other. You play the new  
bass octave (or whatever), lift both pedals, press the sostenuto,  
press the damper pedal, all in the time of a 16th note. Or so it goes  
in some music I play. I certainly understand the desire, if only it  
could be made to work. If your timing is off ever so little, the  
sostenuto doesn't catch the right dampers. If it could have been  
released ahead, it would be easier to do the timing.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu