Score Marking

Marking the score according to analysis can be anything from instrument cues to dynamic changes. Conductors might mark the beat style, specific uses of left hand, tempo decisions, cut-offs, or other things they find help them understand the music better and convey that to the musicians.

Examples of score marking from
Festival Te Deum
By Benjamin Britten



In this opening line of Benjamin Britten's Festival Te Deum, the conductor has added score markings to bring attention to changing meter, conducting patterns, dynamics, and articulation.



The conductor has marked beat patterns, dynamics, and breath marks
(notice the breath marks noted by the composer for the organ which also are to be observed by the conductor)



Again we have beat patterns, phrasing, and dynamics marked specifically



This shows changing meter, beat patterns, voice cuing, and dynamics



In this passage we see voice cues, a translation of Italian expression, breath (lift) marks for organ, and dynamics