Lang gestrichen

As Printed on a Score

Printed over a string part, usually at the entry it governs (“arco” then “lang gestrichen”), and extended with immer (“immer lang gestrichen”). It holds until another stroke is named — kurz gestrichen, spiccato — or the passage ends.

How Composers Use It

Asks for a generous length of bow on every note: a broad, sustained, weighty sound with full resonance between bow changes. It costs bow, so fast notes cannot all be long-bowed; keep such passages to moderate values. Bruckner uses it for broad string writing at ff. For the opposite, write kurz gestrichen; for one sweeping, heavy stroke per note, breit gestrichen.

Example

Bruckner, Symphony No. 5, second movement (Adagio), violas, m. 85: “lang gestrichen” with “arco”, at ff; six bars later the cellos are marked “immer lang gestrichen”.

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