A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Tie
TIE. A curved line uniting two notes of the same pitch, whereby they form a single note which is sustained for the value of both. The tie is also called the Bind, and by some writers the Ligature, although this term properly refers to certain slurred groups of notes which occur in ancient music. [Ligature, vol. ii. p. 136.] It has already been described under the former heading, but to what was there stated it may be added, that ties are occasionally met with in pianoforte music where the note is actually repeated. [See Bind, vol. i. p. 242.] To effect this repetition properly some skill and care are required; the finger which strikes the first of the two tied notes is drawn inwards, and the following finger falls over it as closely and rapidly as possible, so as to take its place before the key has had time to rise to its full distance, and therefore before the damper has quite fallen. Thus there is no actual silence between the two sounds, the repetition takes place before the first sound has ceased, and an effect is produced which resembles the old effect of Bebung as nearly as the modern pianoforte can imitate it. [See vol. i. p. 160.] The particular occasions on which this effect is required are not indicated by any specific sign, since an experienced performer can always judge from the nature of the passage. As a rule, it may be said that whenever two tied notes are written for which a single longer note might have been substituted repetition is indicated—for the use of the tie proper is to express a note-value which cannot be represented by a single note, e.g. five quavers. Thus Ex. 1, which is an instance in point, might, if no repetition had been required, have been written in quavers, as in Ex. 2.
![{ \relative f''' { \mark \markup \small "Ex. 1." \time 6/8 \key d \major
<fis fis,>16 fis-3([ fis-2)] \repeat unfold 4 { fis[( fis]) } fis \bar "||" } }](http://upload.wikimedia.org/score/r/j/rjtiooxopph23wdhdf2n002kovnaaaa/rjtiooxo.png)
![{ \relative f''' { \mark \markup \small "Ex. 2." \time 6/8 \key d \major
<fis fis,>16 fis8[ fis fis fis fis] fis16 \bar "||" } }](http://upload.wikimedia.org/score/n/v/nvwp88xo2oeeb5nrdo53su6mvin77rs/nvwp88xo.png)
Another instance of the employment of this close repetition sometimes occurs when an unaccented note is tied to an accented one, as in Ex. 3. Here the rhythm would be entirely lost if the tied notes were sustained instead of repeated
![{ \relative g'' { \mark \markup \small "Ex. 3." \time 3/4 \partial 4. \key des \major
<< { ges8[ ges! r16 ges] | ges4 } \\ { c,8[ g s16 aes] | beses4 } >>
r8 <f' aes,>8^( q[-.) r16 <ees ges,>]^( |
q4-.) r8 <des f,>_( <c f,>_.[) r16 <bes f>] } }](http://upload.wikimedia.org/score/j/6/j6omj2ojapuqdig0b8ru4vb7du0lkq2/j6omj2oj.png)
In the same sense it seems quite possible that the subject of the scherzo of Beethoven's Sonata for piano and violoncello, op. 69, and other similar phrases, may have been intended to be played with repetition; and in support of this view it may be mentioned that an edition exists of the Sonata Pastorale, op. 28, by Cipriani Potter, who had opportunities of hearing Beethoven and becoming acquainted with his intentions, in which the analogous passage in the first movement is printed with what is evidently meant for a sign of separation between the tied notes, thus—
