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An older revision of Wikipedia article on Spiccato has an image showing what looks like a staccatissimo, with the caption "Notation for spiccato."

spiccato

I question that—it may be that strings can use spiccato to play staccatissimo, but that doesn't mean that staccatissimo = spiccato. Is Wikipedia correct? Is there any symbol used to indicate that a specific note should be played spiccato?

Andrew T.
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Isaac
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2 Answers2

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Spiccato, like most specific bowing techniques, is not often indicated explicitly in scores. The staccatissimo mark on that page does indeed often get translated as spiccato when given to a string player, but there are plenty of situations in which a regular staccato is interpreted as spiccato as well. Staccatissimo in Mozart, especially on repeated notes, is usually performed spiccato; Staccato dots in Bach, however, are often performed in the same way. I can certainly think of some situations where I've used spiccato even in situations with no markings at all, for example during a fast, repeated-note passage in music with a very light affect.

In other words, spiccato is more like a tool in a string player's interpretive tool chest--one that is very often effective for staccatissimo-marked passages. Of course, if the composer wishes to ensure that interpretive choice, they can add a written indication to that effect. That's the only explicit spiccato indication I've ever seen: either marked "spiccato" or "bouncing bow" or something to that effect.

Pat Muchmore
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As always, I recommend the Dolmetsch page, which in fact does not list a symbol for spiccato / sautille. I think all the sheet music I've seen writes out the word over (or leading) the notes in question.

Carl Witthoft
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