Re: Beaming rules in 2.13.4

[Hans Aberg]

On 29 Sep 2009, at 21:46, Neil Puttock wrote:

> > In referring to Stone (p. 113), he indicates that for ternary  
> > measures (e.g.
> > 3/4), it would be "customary to combine one pair of equals (if  
> > there is one)
> > and leave the remaining beat-unit separate."  He then illustrates,  
> > showing
> > that for a measure of all 8th notes, the preferred beaming would be  
> > a8[ a a
> > a] a8[ a].
>
> Really, this makes no sense; any musician coming across such beaming
> would assume there's special emphasis being placed on the beaming
> division (e.g., for stress or phrasing purposes).

This exactly what I thought. I looked into BWV 1002 Sarabande, Edition  
Breitkopf Nr 6520 scored for flute with the original violin part on  
another parallel staff. Then it suggests that the beaming is used to  
bring out articulation - the violin sometimes plays two voices, and  
the beaming is such that the two parts follow each other. For example,  
in a measure where six eighth notes are beamed 4+2, in parallel, the  
violin plays a pattern a4. a8 a4. In other places, they are just all  
beamed together in one group.

  Hans