Viertelruhet

Viertelruhet is a term used in German-language musical notation to denote the quarter rest, the symbol that indicates silence for the duration of one quarter note. In common time and other simple meters, a Viertelruhet lasts for one beat. It serves to control rhythm and phrasing by allowing a performer to omit sounding for a single beat while other voices may continue.

Notationally, the Viertelruhet is a standard rest symbol placed on a staff to mark a pause. It applies to any instrument or voice and to all voices in a score. Rests are combined to fill measures according to the meter; for example, two consecutive Viertelruhet symbols fill two beats in a 4/4 bar, and multiple quarter rests can be used alongside notes to realize complex rhythms. The quarter rest is one of a set of rest symbols that correspond to note values, such as eighth rests or half rests, which are used to depict longer or shorter silences.

History and usage: Rests have been a part of Western musical notation since the Renaissance and were standardized as part of staff notation. The Viertelruhet, like other rests, helps performers align silences with the tempo and meter of a composition. In German-language theory, the term Viertelruhet is commonly understood as the quarter rest; equivalent terms exist in other languages, corresponding to the same rhythmic value.