Dotted minim (half) rest?

[David Ward]

I don't usually use dotted minim (half) rests in 4/4, but do people agree that such a rest is clearest here? (I want the pedal to be released for the final silent beat.)

[John Ruggero]

I would use a half-rest quarter-rest quarter-rest and place the pedal termination under the second quarter-rest rather than slightly before it.

[David Ward]

Thank you.

[hautbois baryton]

I agree with John; the dotted half rest feels confusing here.

[Anders Hedelin]

Here (in 4/4), it feels more adequate to show the middle of the measure. (Notes don't have to, but rests do.)

[MichelRE]

out of curiosity, is there a comma missing after the first word "Rain"? it's unusual to see twice the same word without a comma between them.

[David Ward]

out of curiosity, is there a comma missing after the first word "Rain"? it's unusual to see twice the same word without a comma between them.

I am following (as far as possible) the poet's (general lack of) punctuation. The line “Rain rain rain” is a recurring one.

The poem has been written for me to set for performance (if all goes to plan) at an art song festival in the autumn. To confuse matters, when I choose to repeat a word not repeated in the poem itself, I am using the expected comma. This may seem inconsistent but, following my standard practice, the poem is to be printed at the beginning of the score exactly as presented by the poet. I am hoping all will be clear!

[MichelRE]

out of curiosity, is there a comma missing after the first word "Rain"? it's unusual to see twice the same word without a comma between them.
I am following (as far as possible) the poet's (general lack of) punctuation. The line “Rain rain rain” is a recurring one.

Ah perfect. I was just asking since i thought it MIGHT have been an oversight. (the sort of mini brain-fart that happens to me quite often, actually)

[John Ruggero]

You are very welcome, David. If there had been a fermata over the dotted half notes in the other parts, I think I would be tempted to use a dotted half rest in this situation to avoid placing the fermata over the first quarter rest and thus not lined up with the others. Beethoven used half rests in 3/4 time for such situations, which I find preferable to placing the fermata half way between two quarter rests, or over the second quarter rest.