marcato

Marcato is a musical articulation marking derived from Italian, meaning marked or emphasized. It indicates that the note or phrase should be played with a strong, emphatic attack and a distinct, separated sound. In notation, marcato is usually shown with a wedge-shaped symbol (an inverted V) placed above or below the note, but it may also appear as the text marcato or the abbreviation marc. Some editions use a combination such as marcato-staccato to request both emphasis and separation.

Performance: The marcato mark signals more emphasis than a standard dynamic accent, but it does not necessarily prescribe a longer or shorter duration; it focuses on attack and projection. The exact effect depends on tempo, instrument, and musical context. On strings and winds, it yields a clearly articulated onset; on piano, it calls for a strong, decisive attack. In ensembles, marcato can shape phrasing by stressing particular notes or syllables within a motif; over a phrase, several notes marked marcato can create a pointed, emphatic contour.

Relation to other marks: marcato differs from legato (smooth connectedness) and from staccato (short and detached). It can be used in combination with other articulations; for example marcato staccato (marcato with a brief separation) or with tenuto markings for sustained emphasis.

Origin and usage: The term is Italian and widely used in Western classical notation from the common practice period to modern scores. It remains a standard expression mark in many genres, including jazz and contemporary music, where performers interpret the mark within stylistic conventions.