Mettez les sourdines

As Printed on a Score

Printed in the rests before a muted passage, over string or brass parts, as the cue to fit the mutes; the entry itself may then carry sourdines or avec sourdines. Cancelled by ôtez (or enlevez) les sourdines. The singular, mettez la sourdine, is the same instruction for one player or part.

Also spelled: Mettez la sourdine

How Composers Use It

An imperative like this is a practical cue rather than a sound: it tells players when to act, so put it where they have time — several bars of rest for strings, more for brass. Use it when the muted entry follows closely after open playing; after a long rest a plain sourdines at the entry is enough. Keep plural and singular consistent across the parts.

Example

Boulanger, D’un matin de printemps, first violins, m. 97: “mettez la sourdine”; the second violins and violas receive the same instruction at m. 96.

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