Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
savonnage
English translation:
fuzzy articulation / fuzziness
French term
savonnage
| 4 +1 | fuzziness |
Charles Davis
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| 4 | sloppiness |
Gregory Lassale
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| 3 +1 | lack of clarity |
kashew
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| It's a quote from a review by a critic |
writeaway
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| savonnage |
MSI Translat (X)
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Feb 28, 2015 13:44: Sheri P changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Mar 10, 2015 08:16: Charles Davis Created KOG entry
PRO (3): Charles Davis, Yolanda Broad, Sheri P
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Proposed translations
fuzziness
Let me repeat the definition of savonner Alison quoted from the Trésor:
"a) MUS. (arg. des chanteurs). Savonner les traits ou, absol., savonner. Abuser des ports de voix, mal détacher les notes. Lorsque l'articulation laryngienne reste inconsciente et par conséquent molle, il y a confusion d'intonation d'une note à l'autre, et le chanteur glisse ses traits. On dit aussi qu'il savonne (Arger,Init. art chant, 1924, p. 126)."
It's also applied to speech:
"b) RADIO, TÉLÉV. Savonner le texte. ,,Glisser sur certains mots ou certaines syllabes au point de rendre le texte incompréhensible`` (Radio 1972)."
http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/savonner
So the "soapiness" refers to sliding or gliding or by extension eliding.
This fits the context, in which "savonnage" (of which there was none) is clearly contrasted with "précision" (of which there was plenty).
So the sense might be rendered accurately by something like "imprecision" or "imprecise articulation". But the register of "savonnage" calls for something a bit more colloquial, and I would suggest "fuzziness" or "fuzzy articulation". Fuzzy, after all, means indistinct, and that's what it really implies.
So "not a trace of fuzziness" or possibly "not a trace of fuzzy articulation".
A couple of examples from other chamber music reviews:
"9’25″; 1/4 = 150 (Allegro ma non tanto)
Very soft, somewhat “fuzzy” articulation;"
http://www.rolf-musicblog.net/?p=1080
"In Mozart's Quartet in G (K. 387) and the Beethoven C Sharp Minor (Op. 131), there was a persistent casualness to the music's inner rhythmic articulation and a pervasive fuzziness of ensemble sound. "
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/03/arts/music-alban-berg-quar...
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Note added at 2 hrs (2015-02-27 14:19:56 GMT)
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Or of course the literal "not an ounce of" would work too.
I think this is a PRO term, by the way; it's quite specialised.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2015-02-27 14:21:54 GMT)
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As the vocal definition indicates, "savonnage" could be manifested by excessive and inappropriate portamento. That could apply to the string instruments too, though not the piano.
| agree |
kashew
: In inverted commas as in the French? // In quotes it would tend to refer to the playing then? Fuzziness more of a sound engineer's term otherwise.
8 mins
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Thanks, kashew! Yes, I think so. // I see what you mean, but it's also a music critic's term, and in context, after "exécutés avec précision", I'm sure it will be taken to refer to the playing. C'd say "fuzzy" articulation to clarify, but not nec. IMO.
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| neutral |
writeaway
: This is a trio (not jazz-my bad). Personally don't see how any of this applies. There's a pianist, cellist and violinist. Why all the references to vocal technique? I think the ideas of fuzziness is in the right direction but it's not the best word.
2 hrs
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It is a bit odd, but I think the reviewer is making an analogy with vocal savonnage. I feel that we need a colloquial term used in musical circles, and fuzzy/fuzziness is suitable. There may be something better, of course.
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United States
Poker & Gaming
Native in: French (Variant: Standard-France)
Works in: English to French
sloppiness
lack of clarity
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Note added at 2 heures (2015-02-27 14:44:35 GMT)
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"It's all crystal-clear" - playing and sound quality.
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Note added at 3 heures (2015-02-27 14:48:40 GMT)
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Somewhat confused as to what is being referred to: Approximation in the playing, or, blurring of the sound.
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Note added at 3 heures (2015-02-27 15:01:49 GMT)
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Slurring of notes?!
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Note added at 3 heures (2015-02-27 15:04:32 GMT)
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We might as well mention "definition" while we are at it!
| agree |
writeaway
: I think this is in the right direction too, like fuzziness. not slurring though.
1 hr
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Thanks.
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Reference comments
Discussion
Portamento is "sliding" from one note to another, and it's a legitimate and necessary technique in its place, provided it's not overdone. Some music requires it. But deliberate portamento is one thing and imprecise, "lazy" articulation is another.
In the world of professional classical music the technical level these days is fantastically high. The reviewer is obviously referring to something that could and sometimes does occur in a trio like this. When it does, it's a matter of extremely fine distinctions which require a trained ear to hear at all. The reviewer is talking about the virtuoso passages, where individually and collectively there can be just the tiniest shade of imprecision. It takes some time for a trio or quartet to develop that perfect mutual understanding that allows them to play like one person.
"Le plus surprenant, c’est que ce dynamisme ne sacrifie jamais la précision: tous les traits virtuoses sont exécutés avec précision, pas une once de "savonnage" n’est à déplorer. Le plaisir sonore est de haute volée."
On fuzziness, I think the reactions expressed here reflect experience of amplified music. Fuzz is tonal distortion in that context. But of course that is irrelevant here. This is a review of a classical recording, and it obviously refers to the playing, not the recording. It would be very surprising indeed for a modern classical recording with a trace of fuzziness in the recorded sound to be released.
Sloppiness is the right idea, but it's a word that I couldn't imagine occurring in a review of a professional classical recording. If your playing is ever sloppy you don't get to play professionally, in fact you don't graduate from the conservatoire.
Savonnage means lack of clarity in individual articulation, and in ensemble, this being a trio. But "lack of clarity" lacks the colloquial register of "savonnage".
Fuzziness, referring to imprecise articulation/ensemble, is a term classical musicians and music reviewers use. I know this from extensive experience. I quoted a couple of examples, and there are are more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion_(music)
The violin concerto was played by Max Rostal, a fine player and, with a single reservation' a good artist. His abuse of portamento- or in the vulgar tongue his tendency. to "scoop "—again and again spoiled a phrase http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/30th-may-1947/13/musi...
scooping: An upward slur, most often defining an attack that begins below the pitch. Scooping may also occur within a vocal line, and is differentiated from the portamento by the fact that it is usually not a conscious act. Generally considered by voice teachers to be unmusical and technically detrimental. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=d7-nkpkQScMC&pg=PA340&lp...
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090320031929A...
And for anyone who can read German: savonnage/scooping/anschleifen/einseifen http://www.capriccio-kulturforum.de/was-bedeutet-wer-kennt/5...
http://www.metronimo.com/fr/argot-musical/717.htm
Savonner. — Abuser des ports de voix. (Argot des chanteurs.)
Peut-être cet argotisme moderne, désignant ces sortes de glissades de sons, dérive-t-il du savon, appelé glissant dans la langue bigorne.
A moins qu'on ait voulu faire allusion au barbier qui a l'habitude de savonner son public pour mieux le raser.
http://www.metronimo.com/fr/argot-musical/718.htm
MUS. (arg. des chanteurs). Savonner les traits ou, absol., savonner. Abuser des ports de voix, mal détacher les notes. Lorsque l'articulation laryngienne reste inconsciente et par conséquent molle, il y a confusion d'intonation d'une note à l'autre, et le chanteur glisse ses traits. On dit aussi qu'il savonne (Arger,Init. art chant, 1924, p. 126).
http://www.cnrtl.fr/lexicographie/savonner
See Writeaway's usual finds.