Wonderful question when you stop to think of how many thousands of the little beasties are roaming the musical universe!
I spent a glorious hour this morning going over just the first 8 bars of the Menuetto of Beethoven's Op. 10, No. 2 D Major Sonata with a young adult student whose ear is keen though his technical ability is limited by insufficient time at the piano. Nevertheless, there it was in its full mystery:
the designation dolce as if to alert the player to ambiguity lying in ambush; the dash staccatos indicating some of that ambiguity poking its ugly nose out; the note values and articulation markings
adding to the confusion.
Nothing straightforward about it, though I have never heard it played in its full mysterious glory. To be honest, I don't think I have ever played it in its full mysterious glory. Something else to look forward to!
