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In a music sheet, how could I write down "play this line OR this line, as you like".

The reason is that if the player is skilled, they will choose to play the first line, but if not, they will prefer the second one.

Is there any defined way to write that? Any specific symbols? A convention?

Cedric
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  • This is a completely off-topic comment, but since you seem so keen on not misgendering the player you can always use "they" which is the most common gender-neutral pronoun. It's just friendly advice. – Francisco José Letterio Mar 29 '18 at 14:14

2 Answers2

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That is called an "Ossia", it is a musical term for "alternatively". Which means the player can either play the alternative passage or the original passage. The Ossia is frequently used in Liszt's pieces. The Urtext for Balakirev's Islamey also contains many alternative passages.

Here is an example of an Ossia notation in Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No.6 in Db Major.

enter image description here

An Ossia passage could sometimes be notated only for one clef like in the example. Although I'm not sure if you could change the use of the sustain pedal in the alternative passage, it's better to ask a professional or a teacher. Or someone who might know.

Isaac Yang Hao Tung
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    While the accepted answer is correct, this is the better answer since it actually shows what an ossia looks like. – SQB Dec 08 '16 at 09:23
  • The ossia is usually a simplified version of the original, in that it contains fewer notes, so will be easier to play, without losing much substance. Although sometimes it's just a slight variation. As such, the pedalling will be exactly the same - assuming the player can pedal correctly, it will work just as well as the original. – Tim Dec 08 '16 at 10:17
  • So we can't change pedal instructions in the Ossia passage? – Isaac Yang Hao Tung Dec 08 '16 at 12:13
  • it's also used in Holst's music quite a bit... (e.g. St Paul's Suite) – dalearn Dec 08 '16 at 13:59
  • I saw quite a few in his St.Paul's Suite. – Isaac Yang Hao Tung Dec 08 '16 at 14:09
  • @IsaacYangHaoTung you can do what you want, as long as you make it sound right. Keeping the pedal instructions will help you to make it sound right, but it is not necessary. – Cedric Dec 08 '16 at 17:27
  • @Tim , an ossia might sometime have exactly the same note, but one (or more) octave higher/lower, as for some instruments, it may be easier (like cello, to avoid high thumb positions). – Cedric Dec 08 '16 at 17:30
  • You can change pedal instructions whenever you want They are not necessarily obligatory, but are like fingerings, to hopefully make it go as well as it can. Seasoned players will know when and how to pedal, and that may vary with each performance. If the pedalling works in the original it will still be valid in an ossia. Ears are usually good judges! – Tim Dec 08 '16 at 17:36
  • @Tim, one question about the Ossias' in this passage. In the bars at the bottom of the page, there is an Ossia passage for the Treble clef, but exactly which one.? – Isaac Yang Hao Tung Dec 09 '16 at 02:23
  • If you look very carefully at the notes involved, there are clues. Work it out!! There's a 50/50 without looking. – Tim Dec 09 '16 at 08:17
  • @IsaacYangHaoTung the thing at the bottom of the page isn't an ossia, it's tagged 2da volta, and in fact this exact instance has been asked about before, here – AakashM Dec 09 '16 at 10:47
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This is called an Ossia. It's an extra line of music that floats over the music.

MattPutnam
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