Posted by Rick Denney on February 21, 2003 at 15:06:15:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: 8va heros posted by David L. Allen on February 21, 2003 at 11:56:34:
I'm thinking 8va means ottava, possibly in addition to another word, that together (now no longer guessing) simply means "at the octave."
I'm just repeating what I read in Gardner Read, who I assume to be authoritative just because he published a highly regarded book on the subject and I didn't. As with written language, anyone who actually knows the rules will be constantly frustrated by what he reads.
Mr. Read did not approve of "8vb", but then I sometimes end sentences in prepositions and start them with contractions. I'll let his advice stand on its own.
But I have been confused by the use of "8vb" when it was placed above the staff of notes written around the middle of the staff, so that context wasn't obvious. I found that it sounded best played where it was written. Consequently, whatever the rules are, I wish everyone would agree on them.
Rick "the messenger" Denney