The Webster’s Style Manual describes the proper use of punctuation this way:
“Punctuation marks are used in the English language system to help clarify the structure and meaning of sentences. To some degree they achieve this end by corresponding to create elements of spoken language such as pitch, volume, pause and stress. To an even greater degree, however, punctuation marks serve to clarify structure and meaning by virtue of the fact that they conventionally accompany certain grammatical elements in a sentence, no matter how those elements might be spoken.”
Like stress and pause in the spoken and written word, the careful choice of breathing places will ensure a clear conveyance of the musical meaning.
As a flutist, there are two things to consider. We must weigh the musical reasons for a breathe against the technical needs of the flutist. A good case in point would be the opening solo of the Afternoon of a Faun. Impressive as it may be to play in the solo in one breathe, causing ourselves undo stress to accomplish this technical feat might lessen the impact of a the musical statement. Sometimes it can be just as effective to take more short or “catch” breathes to convey the musical phrase.
This is where the idea of punctuation comes in. I have always marked my breathes with different distinct symbols. The reason I am so specific with my marks is that I have analyzed the music and used my musical punctuation to clarify the direction of the phrase. Breathes in and of themselves need not bring the music to a grinding halt depending on the way we take the breathe. Making these distinctions visible helps me to express the music in the way I have planned.
For a true, full-bodied inhale, I have used a V. If I need to take in air, but know that the phrase continues and the technical considerations of needing air outweigh the musical considerations of the phrase continuing, I mark the breathe with a V with a forward pointing arrow cutting through it. I will play the preceding note to the breathe without tapering, perhaps making a crescendo into the breathe. This gives the listener the impression that a breathe has not interrupted the line. Further a symbol like this (V) means a catch breathe, one that doesn’t entirely fill the lungs but gets in just enough air to get me to the next V. For me, the comma does not indicate a breathe, rather it indicates a musical hesitation or pause more like a comma in a sentence that gives a reader a pause without losing the idea of the sentence. I might diminuendo or ritard slightly to indicate a comma but I would not actually take a breathe.
The idea is to imitate an actor orating beautifully written sentences of prose or verse. Like words, music needs forward motion and direction. But it also requires pause and stress to show the structure and meaning. This is where our role as interpreters takes over and we carefully plan the breathing (and non-breathing) places to best convey the music.
