As anyone who has seen a score of a Mahler Symphony knows, the music is simply littered with German directives. In the interest of finally enlightening musicians as to what the composer really means, someone wrote the following glossary of all common phrases (this was anonymously posted on the Chicago Symphony musician's bulletin board recently): Langsam = Slowly Schleppend = Slowly Dampfer auf = Slowly Mit Dampfer = Slowly Allmahlich in das Hauptzeitmass ubergehen = do not look at conductor Im Anfang sehr gemaechlich = in intense inner torment Alle Betonunger sehr zart = with more intense inner torment Getheilt = out of tune Von hier an sehr allmaehlicher aber stetiger Steigerung bis zum Zeichen = From this point on, the spit valves should be emptied with ever-increasing emotion Hier ist ein frisches belebtes Zeitmass eingetreten = Slowly Hapttempto = Slowly Noch ein wenig bechleunigend = slowing down with a sense of speeding up immer noch zuruckhaltend = with steadily decreasing competence sehr gemaechlich = With indescribably horrific inner torment Etwas bewegter, aber immer noch ruhig = Somewhat louder, though more inaudible than before Gemaechlich = Intermission Ganz unmerklich etwas zuruckhaltend = Slowly Etwas gemaechlicher als zuvor = Slowly Zurueckhaltend = Gesundheit Von hier ab unmerklich breiter werden = As if wild animals were gnawing on your liver Ohne cresc. = Without toothpaste Immer noch zurueckhaltend = slowly Allmaehlich etwas lebhafter = Screaming in agony Ohne Nachschlag = Without milk Kraeftig bewegt = Slowly Alle = Second violins tacet Mit dem Holze zu streichen = like a hole in the head mit Parodie = Viola solo sehr einfach und schlicht = Slowly Daempfer ab = eyes closed Den ersten Ton scharf herausgegeben = Do not play until buzzer sounds Am Griffbrett = As if in tune Aeusserst zart aber ausdrucksvoll = Fadiantly joyful despite the itching Wieder zurueckhaltend = Increasingly decreasing Noch breiter als vorher = Better late than never Nicht eilen - No eels Allmaelich (unmerklich) etwas zuruckhaltend - Much faster (slower) than conductor Lang gestrichen = Heads Up Lang gezogen = Heads down Die ^ werden allmaehlich staerker und staerker bis zum fp = In the event of a water landing, your seat cushion can be used as flotation device --Nick *********************************************** The CLASSICAL mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's HDMail High Deliverability Mailer for reliable, lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html