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Method of emphasising certain notes and chords.

In order to stress or emphasise a certain note or chord, besides
the marks of expression > and sf, chords of 2, 3, and 4 notes
can be inserted into the melodic progression by the instruments
of the string quartet, each playing a single note; short notes in
the wood-wind may also be used as well as a chain of three or


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four grace notes, in the form of a scale, either in strings or woodwind.
These unstressed notes (anacrusis), generally written very
small, form a kind of upward glide, the downward direction being
less common. As a rule they are connected to the main note by
a slur. In the strings they should not lead up to chords of three
or four notes, as this would be awkward for the bow.

    Examples:

  • No. 254. The Tsar's Bride 142 — Anacrusis in the strings.
  • * No. 255. Shéhérazade, 2nd movement C — Short pizz. chords.
  • * " " " P — Short wind chords (cf. Ex. 19).