Playing a chopin Mazurka and it has a little footnote about playing in a bebung style - just wondering if anyone could tell me what this means and describe how to play it!

thanks!

flutey xx

As far as I am aware it means a type of finger vibrato.... This might have been possible on the instrument that Chopin played on at the time.

In the Baroque Bebung is the technical word for putting additional pressure on a note after it has already been depressed in order to achieve vibrato. The only keyboard instrument on which this is possible is the Clavichord and the result is a raised vibrato.

It is never possible to achive this effect on either the piano or harpsichord.

By the Classical period bebung was not used in this sense as the popularity of the Clavichord was waning and composers like Schubert and Beethoven were writing for the pianoforte where the tone cannot be changed once the note has been depressed. However, the term bebung began to mean the repeated playing of a note to extend it's vibration. The opening of Beethoven's Waldstein sonata could therefore be described as being in a bebung style.

I think the 19th century meaning was the repetition of a note when it has no harmonic or melodic significance.

Of course, that makes sense!

Flutey toot, which Mazurka was it?

It's the one in Bb major, op7, no 1. One of my pupils is doing it as a Grade 7 piece next month. I hadn't discovered what it meant (on my "to do" list), so thanks for the explanation. Another edition I sometimes use doesn't mention it though!

Its on the Grade 7 list -Bb - same one JohnS mentioned. Hmmmm ok so theres not much we can do in the way of bebung then? I just like saying the word! BEBUNG!

Quite the contrary. I didn't know which Mazurka you meant but have just looked at my own copy.

The bebung as a form of repeated emphasis is found in bars 1,4,5,6,9,10,13,16,17,18 etc. etc. The accent should be on the initial beat with the repeated note in the 4th semiquaver being without emphasis like a graceful echo!

The allusion to the Baroque bebung is repeatedly found in Chopins use of the upper mordant in bars 8, 11, 20 and then throughout in the same manner.

The clavichord was, and is, known for it's grace, charm and subtle effects. I think these should be the aim when playing this little piece, described by some as being superficial and mundane. I think it is a charming little piece and it's good at grade 7 people are playing proper music!

flutey toot - i hope this helps