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Ambiguous 8va in Outdoor Overture

Posted: Fri May 09, 2025 3:10 pm
by AtomicClock
In Copland's Outdoor Overture, the trombone 1 part occasionally is written 8va. In this instance (bar 239):
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the 8va is written over fifth-line A. But according to the score, the part is not octave-shifted until a beat later:
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Do we read 8va as indicating the note underneath, or the note(s) to the right? Or is this just sloppy typesetting?

Re: Ambiguous 8va in Outdoor Overture

Posted: Fri May 09, 2025 3:20 pm
by AtomicClock
It's correct in the 2nd part:
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Re: Ambiguous 8va in Outdoor Overture

Posted: Sat May 10, 2025 5:06 pm
by robcat2075
As a general rule, the score is always right... until it isn't.