In a general sense articulation is understood as the combining or separation of sounds. Since phrasing is also defined by reference to the same actions, the question arises, what is the difference between these actions? Hugo Riemann states that articulation is “something purely technical, mechanical,” whilst phrasing is “something ideal, perceptionable (perceptionelles).”Footnote 1

Phrasing is understood as a particular segmentation of the musical fabric. Just as in written language, individual sentences are separated by punctuation marks, so in musical language the beginning and end of a phrase must be clearly recognisable. This must be registered by appropriate signs and heard in the process of performance. Articulation is the factor of expression, according to whose laws the individual parts of a phrase, that is, the tones themselves, are combined or separated.

Phrasing is good when the musical idea, though composed of equally or distinctly articulated parts, is perceived as a closed, concentrated unity. Articulation is good when the idea is declared in a way appropriate to its content and each tone is matched by a certain combining or separating attack (manner of touch), as is necessary only for the occasion. “Just as phrasing establishes the course of ideas, articulation determines the ways of expressing the melody through the use of legato and staccato.”Footnote 2

One should be aware that there is no phrasing without articulation. In fact, intonation gives birth to phrasing, and this, in turn, generates its own articulation. First comes understanding, then expression—this is a further example of binary character.

For the purpose of phrasing, articulatory slurs are very important. There are three types:

  1. 1.

    legato slurs indicate the general nature of the connectivity of performance, without marking the contours of the phrases;

  2. 2.

    slurs of phrasing embrace and denote a phrase as a particular unit of the whole, whether or not the phrase contains pauses;

  3. 3.

    structural slurs emphasise a certain segmentation of the tones, a periodical quality, which can be attributed to melodic and rhythmic factors.

Articulatory techniques are to be used with particular sensitivity and precision. One needs to use the tongue when playing wind instruments and when articulating consonants and vowels in vocal music; and one needs to regulate the dynamics of the movement of the bow when playing string instruments, and the nature of the touché (from the French, toucher, to touch) when playing the piano. The slightest deviation from the articulatory stroke dictated by the intonation obscures the desired meaningfulness of expression. The famous “barely,” which is so important in all arts, very clearly demonstrates its importance in musical articulation. An understanding of its rules helps to inject the idea into the acts of sound expression.

If, starting from the very first, seemingly only technical, acts, the ability to seek and find meaning in them is developed through training, this skill will accompany the musician throughout their life. But if the performer is accustomed to ignoring meaning in the first acts of playing, it will not be easy for them to penetrate the meaning of those tasks which they will encounter at the next stages of their training. What would a work mean outside vibrant rhythm, outside dynamics, outside colour? Alas, how often do we hear playing devoid of any articulatory purpose, senseless and clumsy in its very foundation, that is, in the seizing and letting go of the tone.Footnote 3