Martellato

What it means

Martellato means “hammered” and calls for a sharp, hard attack. On string instruments it designates a bow stroke: the bow stays on the string but is set with a short, forceful pressure and relieved again immediately, so that the note begins with a clearly audible onset and stays short. Between the notes a pause arises, because the bow remains in place without sounding.

On keyboard instruments the term means a hard attack led from the arm, in which every note is set individually.

Martellato differs from marcato through its sharpness and brevity — there the full note duration is retained, here the note is cut off. It differs from ordinary staccato through the forceful, accented attack.

In the notation

The word stands in italics above the staff and applies to the section marked. In string parts, wedges or accents additionally appear above the notes, occasionally together with staccato dots. The manner of playing has no sign of its own that is generally binding; the designations and their assignment differ between schools and editions.

Musical use

The manner of playing is used in energetic, forceful sections: in unison passages, in powerful accompanying figures, in themes with a sharp profile. For string players it belongs among the basic strokes and is executed mainly in the upper half of the bow. In orchestral music it serves to give a voice the power to assert itself.

On the piano, martellato is played with a firm wrist and an attack from the arm. For string players it corresponds to martelé. The notes should sound hammered and distinctly separated, without becoming hard.

Performance practice

Apply the pressure before the note and relieve it immediately afterward, instead of pressing during the note — this produces the characteristic beginning. Let the bow remain on the string between the notes. Take care that the note still sounds despite the sharpness and is not crushed. And practise slowly with deliberate pauses between the notes before increasing the tempo.