A competition where the pianists learn a new aleatoric piece?

[sevencircles]

I have always wanted to have a pianocompetition where wordclass pianists will learn and perform  an eatoric solopiece during a couple of months and then perform it live.

The sheetmusic only contains the notes and the performer have complete freedom to play it in any way he/she wants without changing any notes of course. The piece shouldn´t have been performed or recorded by anyone before. Not as a midifile or computer recording either.

Wha do you think about the idea? Have there been such competitions already?

[m1469]

Oh, that's cool sounding.  Do you mean not even a time signature? 

[sevencircles]

Oh, that's cool sounding.  Do you mean not even a time signature? 

Timesignatures and possible a key too, tonal music with a modern touch is great 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

That would be a pretty cool idea!

Except, how would you decide a winner?

[sevencircles]

That would be a pretty cool idea!

Except, how would you decide a winner?

The composer would decide that 

[thorn]

That would be a pretty cool idea!

Except, how would you decide a winner?

The same way they decide a winner at any other piano competition; the performance that best matches their pre-conceived ideas of how it should sound.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

The same way they decide a winner at any other piano competition; the performance that best matches their pre-conceived ideas of how it should sound.

Isn't that a little unfair?  How in the world are you supposed to know how it should sound?  I mean, it's just the notes, and that's all.  I think that it's entirely subject to interpretation. 

[sevencircles]

Isn't that a little unfair?  How in the world are you supposed to know how it should sound?  I mean, it's just the notes, and that's all.  I think that it's entirely subject to interpretation. 

The interpretation that sounds best in your ears is simply the best to you. It´s a matter of taste. I don´t think it´s unfair if it´s the composer that picks the winner.

[j_menz]

I don´t think it´s unfair if it´s the composer that picks the winner.

The composer may have a prior expectation of how it should be played left over from the composition process. To fulfil your mission, anyone except the composer or someone who has played it themselves could be the judge. Public acclaim (loudest applause/ voting ??) would be fairest.

[p2u_]

I have always wanted to have a pianocompetition where wordclass pianists will learn and perform  an eatoric solopiece during a couple of months and then perform it live.

The sheetmusic only contains the notes and the performer have complete freedom to play it in any way he/she wants without changing any notes of course. The piece shouldn´t have been performed or recorded by anyone before. Not as a midifile or computer recording either.

What do you think about the idea? Have there been such competitions already?

Actually, yes, the Queen Elisabeth competition in Brussels has such a requirement; except for their chosen concerto, finalists also have to play a concerto (with the orchestra) nobody but the Belgian composer has ever seen or heard. They don't have "a couple of months"; only a couple of days to prepare, starting from the day they were declared finalists. The Belgian composer (every competition another one) determines the prize for the pianist who performed his work best.

Paul

[thorn]

Isn't that a little unfair?  How in the world are you supposed to know how it should sound?  I mean, it's just the notes, and that's all.  I think that it's entirely subject to interpretation. 

Exactly. EXACTLY.

The thing is, this statement spans the entire piano repertoire. With the exception of composers that lived into the recording age, or students thereof (such as Perlemuter), we have no idea how a composer wanted their work to sound. There is not a single thing you can read that will enable you to play a piece of music exactly as the composer meant it to sound; that is like being able to replicate a work of art just through reading about it- only at least in art you have a tangible genuine article to work from.

I believe all music should be approached as if you don't have a clue how it should sound. Because most of the time you don't, don't kid yourselves!

[sevencircles]

The composer may have a prior expectation of how it should be played left over from the composition process. To fulfil your mission, anyone except the composer or someone who has played it themselves could be the judge. Public acclaim (loudest applause/ voting ??) would be fairest.

Voting would be ok.

The reason I started this thread is that I have composed a couple of pieces (2 that are complete)

There are key- and timesignatures and not very many notes, it´s not new complexity pieces or anything.

An online contest would propably be the best solution.

Perhaps someone here have got pieces as well?

[jmanpno]

Well, all good music does follow some basic rules.  It must be said.

Thank you Bach for the foundation!

[fleetfingers]

Voting would be ok.

The reason I started this thread is that I have composed a couple of pieces (2 that are complete)

There are key- and timesignatures and not very many notes, it´s not new complexity pieces or anything.

An online contest would propably be the best solution.

Perhaps someone here have got pieces as well?

Great idea! I love to hear different interpretations of the same piece. I have wondered if we could find a simple piece that no one has heard or played before and whoever wants to learn it can post their interpretation - all in the same thread. Why don't you post your composition here, we will learn it, and you pick which one is best?  

[sevencircles]

Great idea! I love to hear different interpretations of the same piece. I have wondered if we could find a simple piece that no one has heard or played before and whoever wants to learn it can post their interpretation - all in the same thread. Why don't you post your composition here, we will learn it, and you pick which one is best?  

I couldn´t upload the file as a midifile on youtube for some reason. 

Anyone know a good site where I can upload both the pdf documents and the midifiles?

[jamesplayspiano]

What a neat idea! I find it particularly intriguing to consider that, if the composer were to choose the winner, it might be the person who came closest to the composer's original interpretation, but it also might NOT be. That is, the composer could have a particular interpretation in mind, but then along comes someone who takes it into a completely different direction, and the composer could end up thinking, "whoa- I like THAT version even better than what I had in mind!" This extent of flexibility wouldn't be possible with a typical classical piece. Sure, there are differing interpretations of the Moonlight Sonata, but there aren't many (serious versions) that would leave you utterly shocked in surprise at the direction it went. But this type of thing... who knows where it would go?

[sevencircles]

What a neat idea! I find it particularly intriguing to consider that, if the composer were to choose the winner, it might be the person who came closest to the composer's original interpretation, but it also might NOT be. That is, the composer could have a particular interpretation in mind, but then along comes someone who takes it into a completely different direction, and the composer could end up thinking, "whoa- I like THAT version even better than what I had in mind!" This extent of flexibility wouldn't be possible with a typical classical piece. Sure, there are differing interpretations of the Moonlight Sonata, but there aren't many (serious versions) that would leave you utterly shocked in surprise at the direction it went. But this type of thing... who knows where it would go?

Exactly, I think it´s a very interesting idea actually. It´s propably a good idea to have pieces with relatively few notes and not very difficult fingerings though. It will simply take too much time to learn to play them well.