Is there any reason to use the symbol c and ¢ instead of 4/4 and 2/2? Did it at one time convey some slight difference, or was it just a convention to save some pen strokes?
[ Sorry, just had to correct the post title spelling. 
- Mod ]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_signature is probably a good explanation - though I have not read it critically and then done the research to double check!
The historical conventions aside, I am mostly wondering if there is a time when c is appropriate but not 4/4 or the other way around. The wiki article does cover the basics, but I was wondering if there were any oddball things missed. For example the entry on A# mentions Bb but misses some of the fine details.
Yep, I’d say when that’s what the composer specified! So editors/publishers shouldn’t change Beethoven’s common time for the first movement of the ‘Waldstein’ sonata to 4/4 or cut time for same of the ‘Hammerklavier’ to 2/2 (just hypothetical examples when I can’t think why anyone would!) even though you’d treat them just the same (assuming you could play them at all!) either way…
I just opened up 2 different books that both had Soldier’s joy. One listed it as 4/4 and the other as C. The former seems to use both 4/4 and C while the latter seems to only use C. Doubt that I’d be able to find the original composer, and after looking at a few of the surviving Beethoven manuscripts I’m not convinced it would be helpful to do so.
The reason I wonder is every once in awhile I find a misprint or discrepancy and I like to know if there is a reason behind differences, if it is a mistake, or if it is just a style thing.
Six and half a dozen for a trad tune like Soldier’s Joy, though you could also make out a good case for 2/2! 