I chose this exam piece to demonstrate my solution to the problem of + ornaments.
This sign indicates that a trill or similar embellishment may be added to the performance of the note below it.
In this piece there are two issues, the length of the grace note and the nature of the + ornament.
It is my opinion that the grace note should be a crotchet long, leaving a quaver's length, only, for the principal note. This is counter intuitive and may seem very strange at first. Played delicately it is a very nice effect, do not labour the grace note then, "fall" off it onto the principal note. (For notes which sound for 3 parts rather than 2 parts the division should be in the ratio 2:1 . Otherwise, divide the time available about equally between the auxiliary note and the principle note.)
This leaves very little time to embellish what is left of the principal note. A simple upper mordent will suffice.
The notes marked with the " ' " sign should be rather short. It is best if the temptation to accent them is resisted.
Contrast my interpretation of this piece with the "Ungarisch Gavotte", an altogether more energetic piece.
In the demonstration I play the first line twice. First with the grace notes, only, and then with the mordents added. The mordent on E requires the very sharp false fingering Ø 1234 for the F. Do not worry about this. Very wide ornaments are part of good baroque style. If you do not labour it, it will pass naturally.
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