# Help! Why are some of these notes small?



## jewelbox81

I'm currently working on an arrangement of Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre and I'm looking at this score from IMSLP for inspiration. I came across some grace-note sized notes in the string section and I'm not sure what they mean. They only occur in the pizzicato sections. Here's an example:








My first thought is that they are only to be played by a smaller section, but I couldn't find any info to confirm that and there's no annotation indicating it. I wondered also if they might mean muted pizzicato...

Can anyone help?


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## Vasks

Yes, the cues notes are to be played if there is no harp.


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## jewelbox81

Ahh! Thank you so much Vasks.


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## pianozach

jewelbox81 said:


> I'm currently working on an arrangement of Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre and I'm looking at this score from IMSLP for inspiration. I came across some grace-note sized notes in the string section and I'm not sure what they mean. They only occur in the pizzicato sections. Here's an example:
> View attachment 146180
> 
> 
> My first thought is that they are only to be played by a smaller section, but I couldn't find any info to confirm that and there's no annotation indicating it. I wondered also if they might mean muted pizzicato...
> 
> Can anyone help?


I like this piece more and more. Catchy. Short.


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