I am
constantly reminding my students that music is not just composed of notes. Many students are conformed to a one-track
way of thinking. They look at a sheet of
music and (if they can read it) read the letters. Really good students may also include reading
the rhythm. The other musical elements
are often ignored.
However, a musical composition
started as a sonic idea in the composer’s mind.
That idea consisted of many different characteristics from the moment it
was conceived. A specific expression of emotion
was connected to the sound before it was even put down on paper. The composer tried to convey this emotion by
using dynamic, tempo, phrase, articulation and other markings. He was using a feeble collection of symbols
to describe the sound that was in his head.
As musicians we need to investigate
the pieces of music that we are practicing.
This starts by identifying and understanding each musical symbol on the
page. Next, these symbols must be
considered within the context of the music, the time in which it was written
and the composer who wrote it. Finally,
we must read between the lines by connecting the symbols on the page with our
knowledge and our own emotions. Based on
what we see and what we know of music, we must ask ourselves, “What do I feel
when playing this?” Then we must learn
to properly express that feeling through our instrument.
A truly successful performance
expresses more than just musical symbols.
Top level performances capture the emotion suggested by the music, and
convey that emotion to the audience.
This aspect of musical performance is what causes an audience to want to
listen. It also causes each performance
to be unique, since the emotion of the piece is mixing with the performers own
emotions. An audience can experience two
performances of the same piece of music (by two different performers) and receive
different interpretations. Every
performance is a unique opportunity for a new expression to be presented.
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