[collegebound]

Hey all - I'm working on Tableaux de Provence and have come across some extra markings in the music that I don't understand. In movement II, pickups to circle 2, above the music is written "a To." The "o" is not a letter o, but looks like a degrees (as in temperature) symbol. The music there is eighth notes F#, G# on beats 5 and 6 in 6/8 time. Is this some sort of fingering marking or something else?

The same marking appears in movement IV at circle 1 over a G# half note, 2 measures before circle 5 over an F# eighth note to E eighth note, and at circle 7 over the same figure an octave lower.

Thanks!

 

[saxmusicguy]

It means "a tempo" i.e. return to the original tempo that you had prior to the ritenuto that precedes it.

 

[collegebound]

Well heck. Here I was trying to analyze fingerings and completely missed that it's always following a "riten" or "cedez" a measure or two before. Thanks!

 

[saxmusicguy]

No problem. This makes a good audition piece. Movement 5 is a great technical showcase, and movement 2 is a beautiful lyrical expressive piece.