Mezzopiano

Figure 1. Mezzopiano.

Mezzopiano (from Italian mezzo, "medium" and piano, &# 34;soft") is a term used in musical notation to indicate a certain degree of sound intensity, that is, a dynamic nuance. The intensity indicated is moderately soft, being above piano and below mezzoforte.

Description

This indication belongs to the category known as degree dynamics, which is constructed by contrasting the concepts of soft and strong, which is expressed by the Italian words piano and forte respectively. There are at least eight gradations or indications of dynamics, starting from the softest sound to the loudest sound. For example, pianissimo, piano, forte, fortissimo, etc. Likewise, the different degrees of intensity can be qualified by other terms such as piu, meno, etc. These are the indications directly related to the term piano:

Name	Abbreviation	Meaning
Pianississimo		weaker.
Pianissimo		Very weak.
Piano		Weak.
Mezzopiano		Mediumly weak. Literally, it's half soft that piano.
Piano forte		Weak and then strong.
Forte piano		Strong and then weak.
Meno piano		Less weak.
Più piano		weaker.
Piano subito		Suddenly weak.

The execution of musical dynamics is relative and is usually subjective. It depends on the style or historical period to which the work belongs, since there are certain aesthetic conventions; but it also depends on the personal consideration and emotional condition of the interpreter. Nuances such as forte or piano do not have a precise meaning since they are relative indications and will depend on the graduation of dynamics used in a certain work. When in a composition the shade of greatest intensity is fortissimo (fff), forte (f) will be a shade intermediate intensity. Likewise, it will be necessary to take into account the acoustics of the space where the piece is going to be performed. In a large concert hall, nuances should be exaggerated, while a small venue will require the opposite.

Graphic representation

This dynamic nuance can be represented in scores or scores by means of special indications that are usually placed below the staff, specifically under the note where said dynamic begins. To indicate this sound intensity there are several possibilities:

• The term Mezzopiano. In most cases these names are in Italian, although it is also possible to find indications in other languages especially in compositions of recent times.
• The abbreviation of the term . It takes the previous term and is represented abbreviated with the letters in bold and cheesy.

Figure 2. Notation sample.

The piece continues to be played at the marked intensity from that point forward until a new indication of dynamics appears.

History and examples

The use of these nuances is generalized from Classicism, second half of the 18th century, with the purpose that the interpreter achieve a performance closer to the composer's idea. In the second third of the XVIII century, when the indication of dynamics was still something exceptional, it only affected the phrase or motif in question. But from the end of the 18th century to the present day, the interpreter has to maintain it until a new dynamic indicator appears.