# What notes should be actually played in this bar?



## Gladwyn (2 mo ago)

This is viola part score of last part in scheherazade 4th movement.
I think that out pult "only" play G5 note using artificial harmonics while in plut "only" play G4 with natural harmonics, but someone says that G3 and C4 note also have to be played with additional division. Which is correct way? Do we need to play only small note or also need to play big one and squared one?


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

Your interpretation is correct. The note marked with an asterisk is not meant to be played as such. It is there to clarify the pitch of the touch 4th harmonic below. It should ideally be placed in brackets and with a smaller notehead (as it is), and/or a footnote that says 'sounding note' but even without explanation, the convention as written is well understood and is standard practice. Only two notes will sound, the first divisi plays a touch 4th harmonic and the second divisi plays the natural harmonic. The G octave harmonic sounds at the pitch it is written and therefore needs no extra clarification.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

mikeh375 said:


> Your interpretation is correct. The note marked with an asterisk is not meant to be played as such. It is there to clarify the pitch of the touch 4th harmonic below. It should ideally be placed in brackets and with a smaller notehead or a footnote that says 'sounding note' but even without explanation, the convention is well understood and is standard practice. Only two notes will sound, the first divisi plays a touch 4th harmonic and the second divisi plays the natural harmonic. The G octave harmonic sounds at the pitch it is written and therefore needs no extra clarification.


My interpretation also. Brackets or a smaller notehead for the sounding note would be appropriate.


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## Enthalpy (Apr 15, 2020)

No doubt for a violinist nor violist when reading these notes. Varied conventions exist, the chosen one is clear.

Both heard notes are natural harmonics of the G string: the 4th one, on top, uses a fourth interval, while the 2nd one, at bottom, uses an octave. They sound an octave apart.

It takes two sets of instruments to play these two notes, when these notes use the same string. Good professional violinists can play harmonics as double stops; this is soon extremely difficult or impossible, depending on the speed and intervals, and I recommend only violinist should write such combinations. Hear in Paganini, Roman Kim and others.

Formally, one viola should be able to play both notes - just inferred from a violin's possibilities. The octave would be played on the G string with finger 4 at G, the double octave as an artificial harmonic on the C string with fingers 1 at G and 4 at C. I see no decent reason for that stunt. Playing divided is the right way.


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