Da capo
A direction meaning from the head, instructing the player to return to the beginning of the piece and play it again.
Da capo is usually abbreviated as D.C. and often qualified, so da capo al fine means return to the start and play until the word fine, while da capo al coda means return and then jump to the coda when directed. It is a compact way for a composer to write a three-part form with a repeated first section without printing the music twice. Reading it correctly depends on spotting the other landmarks in the score, which is why players mark their parts in pencil.
Example: A piece printed with a da capo al fine direction at its end is played through twice, stopping at the word fine on the second pass.
See also
Related
- PageDal segno
- PageRepeat sign
- PageCoda
- PageAccidental
- PageBar
- PageBend notation
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley