a good show or a good pianist?

[delark]

This is my doubt since i was little and still I prefer to play with passion rather than stressing myself with (at my point of view) useless body postures that, in my opinion, are only to satisfy the spectator.

[chomikchomik]

The good posture helps a lot in staying relaxed and using your weight properly (technique). Especially for non-proffesionalists (like me  ). But the posture only helps, it's not the most important.
There are pianist who 'gesticulate' by changing their position while playing. I think that they just understand the music so well and play with whole body (not only technacally). The exaple - Glenn Gould. I don't think he is acting. But for instance Lang Lang looks like he is pretending, he is just so unnatural. So in my oppinion there isn't one type of a 'gesticulating' pianist

[mcdiddy1]

I think we all have different ways of responding to music. Some of us express it more outwardly because of a want to communicate how we feel. Some pianist express it more inwardly and use the music as their sole tool. There are examples of both type of performers and we accept people as they are and their own personal response to music.

[omar_roy]

Trying to maintain a singular position at the piano is counter productive.  Technique is more than just how we use our hands to manipulate the keyboard.  Technique involves the whole body!  When I'm trying to articulate something very specifically, I find myself using my entire body to make my hands do what I want them to.  It makes more sense to be relaxed and fluid rather than to maintain some sort of "correct" posture.

[marius63]

With a good player all their movements are natural. There is no room for theatrics, because a good player is totally focused on the playing. Someone might label the movements as "exagerated", but all movements are their playing. So the short answer is: technique.

[mcdiddy1]

With a good player all their movements are natural. There is no room for theatrics, because a good player is totally focused on the playing. Someone might label the movements as "exagerated", but all movements are their playing. So the short answer is: technique.

With a good player all their movements should be natural but there are good players that can do theatrics. For example I know Claire De lune so well I do not need to completely focused on the music to play it because I know it so well.  I personally try not to do any exaggerated physical movements because I feel it is a distraction to the listener and too much work but I could do it very easily. I really could "ham it up" and wave my arms and sway my body and do a variety of things that is necessary to play. When you have the technique and the comfort of playing a piece you can add a great deal of theatrics. I know because I  can so I feel its a personal decision on if you want to or not.

[marius63]

Ok, great players with a double brain can do it :-)

Still I bet you sound better when you are forgetful of everything but the music. Maybe the (hypothetical) improvement is too hard to notice, but generally I would recommend the approach--just in case...

[mcdiddy1]

Ok, great players with a double brain can do it :-)

Still I bet you sound better when you are forgetful of everything but the music. Maybe the (hypothetical) improvement is too hard to notice, but generally I would recommend the approach--just in case...

Yea you are right.  I typically perform better by concentrating on the music. I would recommend that approach .

[bellywelly]

ah, chomik, finally someone that thinks lang lang's show is too exaggerated. he does seem unnatural.

unnatural/natural aside, my teacher always said you should let your whole body play, but just your fingers. breathing, arm movements etc should be took into account when playing. im not sure if the music sounds better when one is throwing their head/body/arms around with the music when playing, but, i unconsciously do that sometimes. i do that when im merely playing in my own room, by myself. it's definately not for show. if it comes naturally for you when playing, and it's not affecting your playing in a bad way, then i guess it's not a bad thing, and can be called 'technique'.

if the movements are just for show, then just forget it. it doesnt look nice when a performer exaggerates body movements to add effect to the peice (most frequetly, it does look fake)