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Alfred Schnittke's Piano Sonata No.3

What is that tablature symbol in the second bar of Alfred Schnittke's piano sonata no.3 ?

Sanjai S
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My guess is it's an F♯ note in the bass, which lasts the whole bar - equivalent to four minims - a breve.

Breve translated means short - even though it's the longest duration note in use now. There was a much longer one, 2 or sometimes 3 times as long as the breve, called funnily enough, the longa. Makes me wonder about sustain on notes in days gone by...

Tim
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  • Is it really a guess? – phoog Jul 03 '21 at 08:14
  • Thanks a lot, as I use musescore it's different in design also I know a breve but I never used before, thanks for your answer – Sanjai S Jul 03 '21 at 08:18
  • @phoog - at time of writing - yes! Since found it in my 'bible' - can't see it in Dolmetsch though. Very little need for a breve these days, write a slower tempo instead ! – Tim Jul 03 '21 at 08:21
  • @SanjaiS, Tim: oh, I see. I'd forgotten about the modern form of breve formed by adding vertical lines to the whole note (the form that I found when I searched Dolmetsch online). The form seen here was in use through the 19th century at least, probably to the middle of the 20th. I suppose musescore has a way of using that form if you really want to. – phoog Jul 03 '21 at 08:33
  • Also see the Wikipedia redirect https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Breve_(music). – phoog Jul 03 '21 at 08:40
  • @phoog - knowing what some sign is called already makes looking things up much easier! It's when you don't know the name, it's hard. – Tim Jul 03 '21 at 08:47
  • Of course. But even knowing the name I was unable to find it in Dolmetsch online, though I didn't try for more than a minute or two. – phoog Jul 03 '21 at 08:51
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    @phoog - so only a breve search, then? – Tim Jul 03 '21 at 08:52
  • It's a breve. I've seen two longer notes; a longa which (as mentioned) is 2 or 3 times a breve and a maxima which is 2 or three times a longa. Thus using the usual (if one assumes breves and demisemihemidemisemiquavers are not too unusual) gives a range of 2048 is note lengths. – ttw Jul 03 '21 at 15:49