Bartók pizzicato
A pizzicato in which the string is plucked so forcefully that it snaps back against the fingerboard.
What it means
In a Bartók pizzicato, the string of a bowed instrument is pulled straight up and then released, rather than plucked sideways as in ordinary pizzicato. As it snaps back, it audibly strikes the fingerboard, producing a sharp, percussive slap in addition to the pitch itself.
In the notation
It is usually notated with a small circle above or below the note, with a short vertical line extending from it; the marking “snap pizzicato” is also sometimes added as a footnote in the score.
Musical use
The name comes from composer Béla Bartók, who used the technique in several of his string quartets and gave it particular prominence, though similar effects had occasionally been notated before him. In 20th-century and contemporary music, the Bartók pizzicato is a favored coloristic device for percussive, rhythmically pointed passages.
It should be distinguished from ordinary pizzicato, where the string is plucked sideways with no fingerboard slap, and from col legno playing, where the percussive effect comes from the wood of the bow rather than a plucked string.
Performance practice
Pull the string clearly upward before releasing it, rather than sideways; only this produces the characteristic slap against the fingerboard. Adjust the force according to the desired volume, since pulling too hard can damage the string.