2.7.

Displacing accents in Lalos Symphonie

Espagnole
> 3>
> > >
? 2 . >. >. >.
3

4
3 3

slightly accenting these notes, the musical line is made more sensuous and
compellingjust as the author believes Lalo intended. See the companion
Web site for a marked timpani part.
In discussing dynamic, melodic, agogic, tonal, or metric accents, it is
important to remember that they can often supplement one another. In the
Burlesque example cited below, the f was accented melodically, agogically,
and metrically. A melodically accented note can be given even greater
weight if timpanists add a dynamic accent. Indeed, by using crescendos
and decrescendos, timpanists can give greater weight to some notes than
to others. In the Burlesque (see example 2.8), crescendo from the rst
through the second beat of the third measure and decrescendo through the
rest of the phrase.

2.8. Dynamic shading to strengthen accents

Allegro vivace
?3
4 J
p P
This highlights even more the f in the third measureshaping the phrase
in a pleasing manner. Timpanists can also use staccato and legato strokes
to effectively accent one note over the other. In Richard Wagners Funeral
Music from Die Gtterdmmerung (see example 2.9), play the rst note
staccato (and slightly into the head) and the second note legato. The sec-
ond note is given an agogic accent and this kind of accent ts the phrase
better than a dynamic accent. A dynamic accent would simply stress this
note. In this musical context, stress is not the issue; rather, we want to play
the rst and second gures in a similar manner. Playing both gures as
short-long provides a sense of aesthetic beauty that is pleasing to the ear.

2.9. Effectively articulating Wagners

Funeral Music
. - . -
? c # r j


Using dynamic contrast is an integral part of phrasing. In part, dy-
namic phrasing is a function of musical style. During the Classical period,
most composers (such as Haydn and Mozart) avoided using crescendos
and decrescendos. This was in part a function of the nature of the Classi-

Musical Interpretation and the Timpanist 45