italian musical term

[Hector Pascal]

Un po' ubriaco

I am planning to use this descriptive indication in my composition, and was wondering if my spelling is ok? I've tried my best with the online dictionaries...

Thanks in advance,
HP

[Michel R E]

are you writing this for an Italian audience/performers?

in my opinion it is best to keep "complex" descriptive indications in the language of the performers or the most likely performers.

[David Ward]

Un po' ubriaco Somewhat drunk? I think that might need further explanation in another language, preferably the language of the performers, as Michel suggests (depending on context etc etc).

Unless you are a fluent Italian speaker, idiomatic Italian and musical Italian are not always quite the same. I use English except for the more familiar Italian musical terms, plus the occasional direction in French (sons étouffés) or German (flz for flatterzunge) where these are widely used.

[boldest06]

What do you mean 'Un po' ubriaco'?
dazed? stunned? bewildered?euphoric? timeless?

[Hector Pascal]

Yes, I agree context plays a part. In the case of my usage, it is in the context of music that depicts someone who is feeling a bit drunk (ie: too much alcohol)... Also, in terms of context, the publisher house style favours Italian descriptors.

About the spelling, it would appear that it is ok.

Thanks everyone, as always,
HP

[Ian Stewart]

I agree with both David Ward and boldest06. I once had to tell another dance accompanist how to play for an exercise and I said imagine someone drunk trying to walk home as if they were sober. The description really failed and he played it badly and out of time - I have never used that instruction since.

Sometimes I use angular, which the musicians I work with instinctively understand. I use detaché on saxophone and keyboard parts because there really isn't an equivalent, and as these players will also work with string players, they know what it means.