How does an accent marking change the emphasis of a note?

In musical notation, an accent mark serves as a graphic instruction to provide momentary emphasis on a specific note or rhythmic detail. By indicating musical stress, these symbols signal that a note should be played with greater prominence than those surrounding it.12

Accents generally fall into two primary categories of execution:

• Dynamic accents: These are realized through a temporary increase in sonorous volume.1
• Agogic accents: These are produced by a slight extension of the note's duration.1

While accents can be implied by the meter—such as the natural emphasis placed on the first beat of a measure—explicit accent markings (such as > or —) or verbal indicators like sforzato (sfz) allow composers to override or reinforce these patterns. This deliberate use of emphasis is vital for meaningful phrasing and the articulation of rhythmic groupings.1