Finding a way through baroque, classics and romantics

[reubenpeterpaul]

Hello pianostreet'ers!

I have picked up the piano again after a ~13 year hiatus (15 yo - 28 yo).  In the past 6 weeks or so I've relearned Beethoven's Bagatelle for Piano in A minor, WoO 59 and learned Debussy's Bergamasque Suite #3, and the Prelude from Bach's WTC I #1 (C Maj).  Currently I'm 10-12 bars (memorized) into Mozart's Fantasia in D Min K. 397.

So... to get to the questions.  I like many others in this forum am listening to a lot of piano solos and reading some old music theory books and I was wondering:

• How does one begin to analyze sheet music?
• Does it make any sense to cherry pick piano pieces from different era's or should I try to focus on an era to benefit the most?

 

Thanks in advance!

[sonatainfsharp]

Oh my gosh, I started analyzing sheet music (with Beethoven Symphonies and random theory books) twenty-four years ago, so I don't remember how I started.

But definitely look at all eras that you can, including the most modern you can find (give Leo Ornstein a try and figure that out--www.poonhill.com--it's actually not at all difficult to understand once you get the concept).

[stevebob]

I think that analyzing musical scores might mean different things to different people, depending on the intent of the analysis and the degree of detail involved.  An understanding of musical form is basic to recognizing music's structural elements, and fairly solid grasp of music theory is needed to examine the devices employed within a composition.

If you're studying a typical sonata, for example, it might be useful to be familiar with sonata-allegro form (and to identify the exposition, development and recapitulation sections that characterize it).  Many musicians find that studying patterns is beneficial to memorization; they may be linear (e.g., intervals comprising melodies), vertical (chords and voicings) or both (harmonic progressions and cadences).  And plenty of people playing classical music get by without formal knowledge of any of those things; their knowledge of “theory” may extend to knowing the key signature of a given piece, if that.

Regarding the other question of whether it makes most sense to learn music from various eras or to concentrate on one in particular, it’s commonly advised that studying pieces representing a broad range of periods and styles is fundamental to well-rounded musicianship.  I believe that’s very sound advice for the serious student, but it’s nevertheless common for professionals to specialize in a genre they find most congenial.

The adult amateur is also likely to gravitate to a favorite era or a particular composer; considering the importance of maintaining motivation in the pursuit of musical practice for one’s own pleasure, I think that makes sense.  I believe in keeping an open mind (and open ears!), but I only learn music that I love.

[reubenpeterpaul]

Thanks for the advice @sonatainfsharp and @stevebob.  I have a basic understanding of the major and minor scales, intervals, chords and progressions (in theory) and when playing I can usually tell which chord I'm using.

What I don't know how to do is understand the bigger picture like @stevebob described as musical form.  Do you have any theory books to suggest?  Ultimately I would like to not only recognize the "musical devices" being used but apply them in my own compositions or (re-)arrangements.