Adding Interest to Repetitious Piece

[alzado]

Several months ago I was rather "stung" by criticism that my playing of Myra Hess's transcription of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" was repetitious and even boring.

After some thought, and as I take this piece up again, I have to admit -- yes, it is HIGHLY repetitious.  For all that my playing might be imperfect, some of this repetition is just the piece itself.

One problem might be that Myra identifies different sections as "tenore" (tenor) or "soprano," etc.  And yet while the chorus and orchestra had a very different sound in these sections, Myra just has the piano.  This just may be a difficulty in the very nature of transcribing pieces into the language of solo piano.

The main melody line is just repeated again and again.  I try to use dynamics and some tempo variation to relieve the repetition somewhat.  I prefer to avoid leaving out material, which would be another tactic.

One can also be sure to play all those little itty-bitty notes that she writes in at certain sections.  I believe they are supposed to be elective, but I know in her own recording she plays them all.

Any ideas?

[pianistimo]

maybe starting out really softly, going through various gradations of dynamics the first time - then the second,  bring out the bass line for a while (with other instruments playing the middle section as a sort of fugue) , then adding second, third, and finally the top voice with melody again.  if i were playing it for a wedding, adding some other instruments and possibly voice would add enough distractions to repeat a few times (doing all the above on piano).  for audiences that are involved in weddings, etc. i wouldn't change the tempo.  just a sort of walking, easy pace - that calms them.

[stevie]

tis all about colours

[g_s_223]

No arrangement is definitive. Why not review it against the original score? Change it maybe in places? Pencil the instrumentation into your part and try to realize those colours. Write the text of the chorale (and/or a translation) over the chorale parts, and try to convey its meaning as if you were a singer in Bach's congregation.

[rc]

You could try adding your own ornamentation, it's baroque afterall.

I was pleased with the difference ornamentation can make when I'm learning inventions. My favorite example is bar 10 from 2pt invention 11 in Gm - mordent, turn then a "trill with prefix from below and termination" . Completely transformed the phrase, much more interesting while still being true to the melody. Bach said so himself.

The possibilities are limitless.

[crazy for ivan moravec]

i don't know if you'd like this idea...

yeah, sometimes it's difficult to make repetitive pieces interesting.

but besides exhausting all the coloring possibilities, articulations, etc..
try to play it in a straighforward manner, almost strictly baroque. then suddenly, in a beautiful passage somewhere, you can play it emotionally/romantic, making that moment a place to really express yourself. of course, you would still like to do it "in context" (can't explain). sometimes, it may not suit some pieces, but just try to find that spot/passage, anyway.

people will be shocked of the eccentricity, at the same time they might like it because it's beautifully being human, they will remember that part because you caught them off-guarded, then they will conclude your performance not to be boring.

SOMETIMES, it can be boring to be too intellectual... BUT ONLY SOMETIMES because i honestly prefer to base my interpretations on my reasoning/knowledge, musical or non-musical. so showing some obvious traits of being a human pianist can be refreshing. i feel like we're trying to get rid of our being humans and try to perfect every performance. but actually, it's quite interesting to hear our excesses (like being too emotional), once in a while that is.

maybe that's why i love the old school pianists, e.g. rubinstein, cortot, etc. Ivan Moravec for me is just a perfected version of them all (in my opinion).

try it.. take the risk.