Pianist here who knows next to nothing about non-pitched percussion symphonic scoring. Copying New World Symphony triangle part. Critical edition has the triangle symbol (photo) in a couple of places. Other scores do not. What does it mean? Is there a name for it? I can’t find it in Dorico → Unpitched Percussion. Is it understood by the player w/o it, etc. Just seeking general understanding about it and how to notate it if it’s needed.
The part is for both Triangle and Cymbals. I’d guess that’s just telling you the triangle is to play.
2 Likes
I wondered about that; however, in the 3rd movement, there is only the triangle part playing, and this symbol reappears in this same movement the next time the triangle plays but does not appear any more after that when the triangle plays. Just curious about it.
I would suspect that the publisher put these in the same way that Dorico does instrument change labels: once the player has picked up the triangle, there’s no need to continue marking each entrance with the symbol, because he just keeps playing the instrument he has. You would only need another symbol if he switches to cymbals.
If the part doesn’t use a symbol for cymbals, or if it’s less consistent than that, then I don’t know. 
(And here I thought is was a tiny metronome.)
4 Likes