notessuch

Notessuch is a term used in music theory and notation studies to describe notes whose exact pitch, duration, or timbral specification is intentionally underspecified in the score. In such cases, the notation signals that the performer should determine or negotiate the realization based on context, performance practice, or interpretive preference. The concept is related to and sometimes overlaps with ossia passages, cue notes, and editorial discretionary notation.

Etymology and scope: The term is a neologism formed from note and a demonstrative element, used by analysts to name a family of signs where the precise realization is not mandated. Notessuch notes may indicate a pitch class without a definite octave, allow microtonal adjustments, or mark rhythmic values with flexible timing. They frequently appear in contemporary, experimental, or improvisation-informed scores to encode the performer's agency, or in editions where editors retain interpretive options.

Usage in analysis: In analytic writing, scholars cite notessuch as evidence for the relationship between notation and performative interpretation, showing how scores guide rather than dictate musical realization. It can also be used to compare editorial practices across editions and cultures, and to illuminate how ambiguity in notation can influence ensemble coordination.

Example: In a modern chamber piece, a measure features a sequence of notes without specified octave or exact intonation, described by analysts as notessuch, inviting the performer to determine pitch height based on harmonic context and ensemble temperament.

See also: Ossia, cue notation, editorial notation, motif, leitmotif, ambiguity in notation.