Sourdine

[soor-DEEN]FrenchArticulation

Mute — the French equivalent of sordino/Dämpfer.

How Composers Use It

French composers write "avec sourdine" (with mute) and "sans sourdine" or "ôtez les sourdines" (remove mutes). The effect is the same as con sordino.

Ravel's "Pavane pour une infante défunte" — avec sourdine horns create the veiled, antique sound of the stately dance.

Sourdine is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.

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