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A piece of music is nothing without interpretation, it is inseparable. To interpret music is to give expression and affirm the piece’s sensitivity based on the boundaries of the composer. The task of interpreting music can be demanding at times, but it is crucial to know exactly the intention of each musical notation that the composer tries to convey. Nevertheless, as the world is constantly changing, musical notations have different meanings and interpretations over the centuries. One of the most prominent musical notations that I found interesting is the hairpins (< >). Hairpins are symbols that are widely considered as an indication of gradual changes in volume today. However, it is quite narrow to view hairpins only within this manner. Hairpins has a deeper meaning implied. It is evident from various nineteenths and early twentieth centuries scores that reveals the possibility to interpret hairpins in multiple ways. As a pianist myself, I am aware that a lot of piano works challenges the definition of hairpin that we widely considered now. To mention a few, compositions by Franz Schubert, Frédéric Chopin, and Johannes Brahms can show the possibilities of hairpins as more than just dynamic changes.

type	research exposition
date	25/06/2022
last modified	25/06/2022
status	in progress
share status	public
copyright	Czerny, Carl. Complete Theoretical and Practical Piano Forte School, from the First Rudiments to the Highest State of Cultivation Op. 500. London: R. Cocks & Co, 1839. Kim, David Hyun-Su. “The Brahmsian Hairpin.” 19th-Century Music 36, no. 1 (2012): 46–57. https://doi.org/10.1525/ncm.2012.36.1.046. Cheong, Yew Choong. “Decoding Idiosyncratic Hairpins: Dynamic Changes or ‘Notated’ Rubato?” Mahidol Music Journal. https://so04.tcithaijo.org/index.php/mmj/article/view/189241. Pulte, Diane M. “Figure 1.2 from the Messa Di Voce and Its Effectiveness as a Training Exercise for the Young Singer: Semantic Scholar.” January 1, 1970. https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=osu1129655696&disposition=inline Tenducci, Giusto Ferdinando. Instruction of Mr. Tenducci to His Scholars. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms International, 1981. Rosenblum, Sandra P. “69-70.” Essay. In Performance Practices in Classic Piano Music. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1988.
license	CC BY-NC-ND
url	https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1697395/1697394

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Hairpins, Beyond Dynamics (last edited: 2022)