Staccatissimo

What it means

Staccatissimo is the superlative form of staccato and calls for an extremely short detaching of the notes. The note sounds only for a moment; by far the greater part of the note value becomes a rest. The effect is sharp and dry.

Compared with ordinary staccato, in which roughly half the value sounds, the shortening here is distinctly stronger. What is meant is brevity alone: staccatissimo calls for no accent. Whoever additionally accents the notes confuses the marking with martellato or with a combination of wedge and dot.

The notation, however, is historically inconsistent, and in older music the same sign can simply mean staccato.

In the notation

The common sign is a vertical wedge or a small stroke above or below the notehead, in some editions also a small teardrop or a triangle. It stands on the side away from the stem. Because the wedge sign has meant different things in different periods, a look at the edition's preface is worthwhile with older music.

Musical use

The manner of playing appears in fast, light sections in which every note is to work as a point, as well as in sharply profiled accompanying figures. In orchestral music it serves to make notes audible within the full sound without their lingering. In slow movements it is rare, because the resulting rests would become very long there.

It is notated with wedges or strokes above the notes. The notes are set off extremely short and sharp, shorter than with normal staccato. On the piano a quick impulse from the wrist helps, with string players a short, firm bow stroke.

Performance practice

Shorten the note without accenting it — that is the actual difficulty, for short notes easily become hard. Take care that every note still sounds and does not remain a mere noise. Keep the brevity even over the whole passage. And check the pedal on the piano: it immediately cancels the effect.