Dolce marcato

As Printed on a Score

Printed beside the dynamic on the voice that carries the tune, often in a piano part, abbreviated dolce marc. It lasts for the phrase and lapses when the line ends or another direction appears.

Abbreviations: dolce marc.

How Composers Use It

Dolce marcato looks contradictory but is precise: keep the tone sweet and unforced while giving each note enough definition to stand out from its surroundings. It is the right marking for a melody that must project through an accompaniment at a soft dynamic, where marcato alone would make it hard and dolce alone would let it sink. Amy Beach uses it often in her song accompaniments.

Example

Beach, “Fairy Lullaby” (3 Shakespeare Songs, Op. 37), piano, m. 41: “dolce marcato.”, after a sempre pp, with “poco rit.” two bars later.

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