Knowing the music?

[paulmoony]

I heard the other day that you have to be able to play without
having trouble with finger techniques, but also knowing the music
you're playing and understand the composer's feeling, why they composed this music etc.

Why do you want to do that when you can just practise and
express your own feelings? and if you have to do it,
where can you find the information about those composers?

[rc]

I heard the other day that you have to be able to play without
having trouble with finger techniques, but also knowing the music
you're playing and understand the composer's feeling, why they composed this music etc.

Why do you want to do that when you can just practise and
express your own feelings? and if you have to do it,
where can you find the information about those composers?

Knowing the music structurally will help with memorization and unity. If you know how it all fits together to make a whole, you will play it that way.

Understanding the composer, the era and its aesthetic, and all that outside stuff will help you have an appreciation for the beauty of the music, which will come out in the playing. Also certain performance practices might be useful to know of, though these are often highly debatable.

If you're playing a composers work, naturally you will express yourself through it. If the performer is numb to the work, or if a performer understands a lot about the background and can really get into the mood of the work, it shows. But you're still playing someone elses notes, so you have to work within that frame, it would be silly to try and make a slow melancholy piece sound bright and happy. Instead, choose pieces that reflect something you enjoy and express within those confines.

Or you could improvise and compose your own works, I think this would be a great thing to get into, whether or not we create timeless masterpieces, it would be very enjoyable.

Where to find info? books are best, get a library card or hit some used book stores. New books can get pretty expensive, but it is nice to always have the book around in case you want to re-read something. You can also google up some info on the net, but internet sites don't compare to a good book, they're usually more skimming the surface.

[lostinidlewonder]

Ok imagine this.

You play amazingly a piece of music and get a standing ovation. Then someone comes up to you and asks you to explain what the music was about. Do you just shrug your shoulders and say, "The music stands alone." or do you reveal some insight into who the composer was, who they dedicated the piece to, what human emotion is expressed through story. I could never play a concert without giving people some insight into what the piece means. People might as well just listen to CDs then.

[leahcim]

If they gave me a standing ovation I'd need to learn sign language.