Are you stronger at Sight Reading or Memorisation?

[toby1]

Hi All,

I had an interesting conversation with my teacher this week. I told him that I was always much better at memorizing pieces than doing sight reading. He told me that with him it was more the other way around, that he can sight read reasonably well but that he struggles to memorize pieces.

So what are you stronger at, and do you think the two are mutually exclusive or can you have both skills to a high level?

Also if you know of any completely free graded pieces for sight reading online I would be interested.

regards,

Toby1

[p2u_]

So what are you stronger at, and do you think the two are mutually exclusive or can you have both skills to a high level?

I'm extremely good at memorizing, especially if I lift (and drop) my fingers in a Zen fashion (3 repetitions and it's locked forever). I'm a lousy sight-reader, however. I'm sure I could improve if I wanted to, but I'm probably too lazy to do what it takes.

The combination is rare, but Sviatoslav Richter, for example, was VERY strong in both.

Paul