body movement!

[musical_fingers]

As performers most people and myself tend to dramatically move our body around as we play with the music...some pianists do this a bit over the top, do yo think some people actually choreograph their "body movements" on purpose just to show off? hehe!

[Antnee]

      So the question is do somepeople show off with their extra movements? Absolutely! In fact I'm willing to bet that 99% of the pianists out there use unecessary movements sometimes. And the majority of them I find to occur when the music isn't all that great. Now this isn't totally consisntent, but it happens often enough. Usually, a musically lacking performance include acrobatics at the bench. This is how some make up for it I guess.

    You should only move your body when it needs to be moved. Ultimataley, using more muscle or energy or body parts than needed, can distract you and the listener from your playing, and really doesn't add much to a performance. But, it is important to be realxed and not sit like a statue either.

[chopiabin]

I saw this lady (I can't remember her name) perform Beethoven's fourth concerto, and she was moving around really violently and crazily and her facial expressions were so  ridiculous that I started laughing in the middle of her performance.  

[Krai]

^ agree, it can be very distracting.  I think a little bit of "getting into the keys" is good, but swaying and head movements aren't really necessary.  

People used to video tape me just to show me how ridiculous I looked, and I said "Hey man, I'm just feeling the music".  All the teachers I've had have had to stand behind the bench and hold me down as I play.  And I've discouvered that the same sound (and even better) can be made without the big spectacle.  

[Tash]

yeah i find extreme body movements distracting. there was a point when i thought it was necessary to do so because it looked more fafa and proffessional and like you're really into the piece, but then discovered that i played better if i just sat still and moved only when necessary. people who choreograph movements are morons as it is in my opinion just a way to grab the audience's attention and make you seem like you're really into the piece, but it really annoys the hell out of me now

[super_ardua]

As performers most people and myself tend to dramatically move our body around as we play with the music...some pianists do this a bit over the top, do yo think some people actually choreograph their "body movements" on purpose just to show off? hehe!

Lang Lang probably does....otherwise he would be quite a great pianist if he improved his interpretartion.

Some of the best pianists I have seen only lean backwards and forwards,  and that is to increase weight on the keys.

[Sketchee]

A few people told me they could tell by the look on my face if I made a mistake during a performance.  I've worked on either trying to not react to mistakes or at least smile so I don't look so terrified!  The last piece I performed was Un Sospiro.  With all the hand crossings I thought I looked ridiculous enough without adding any extra movement.

One of my friends who graduated a few years ago but still does performances at my college is a great performer.  He makes his movements seem both expressive and natural at the piano.  More importantly, his playing sounds very emotional and clean.  I've asked my teacher (who also taught my afforementioned friend) to help me get that level of expression so we've gone back to some simple Waltzes to work on that...

Anyway, just your music to sound good.  A lot of that extra movement can be a waste of energy.  If you do add extra music, try to do it naturally and in a way that enhances the sound of the music.  I'm sure someone else can give better tips on how exactly to do that

[anda]

i dont' think one should worry about "body movements" - some are needed for specific purposes! and if you don't think at all "oh, i should stand still" or "oh, a big body move back and forth wuld look pretty here", then you won't move more than necessary.

in music it's very very important that everything is natural - including body movements (imho)

[kempff]

Brendel does lots of body movements and facial expressions. They are quite distracting. On the other hand, Kempff is the best to watch. He just looks at the audience or the ceiling.

[Fasolatido]

This girl at my school, she's always looking at the ceiling and looknig around the room like she's looking at something. it dosnt look horrible but i always wonder what the hell shes looking at.

[piano88]

I hate pianists who move around or grimace.....it's so unneccessary! Horowitz once said that he only cared about what the fingers did.....his face wasn't making the music! Moving around excessively can distract from the music and actually restrict what can be done!
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[fowler]

I can understand body movement in a lot of advanced pieces, Rachmaninoff for example, his prelude in G minor made me look funny in front of my friends, who laughed because I was all over the place in their eyes, not weird to me though. Pieces with dramatic chordal movements, jumps etc.. will often need dramatic body movements I would say. You couldn't just sit there without moving a part of your body besides your hands.

What I dont understand is the over the top looking graceful hand movements when they are not used to play notes at a particular time. Like that amazing women there is a link to on this forum somewhere playing a Rachmaninoff etude and other pieces, video clips that is. I think theres no need for that, but then again I cant hold it against anyone that good can I.

[m1469]

i dont' think one should worry about "body movements" - some are needed for specific purposes! and if you don't think at all "oh, i should stand still" or "oh, a big body move back and forth wuld look pretty here", then you won't move more than necessary.

in music it's very very important that everything is natural - including body movements (imho)

I agree with anda for the most part.  I will say though, that at the close of a very enthusiasitc piece it simply warrants a  fast stance.

Here are my thoughts about this all...

Body language is communicative, as we all know.  I don't think that we can entirely divorce ourselves mentally nor physically from this, nor should one try.  An actor thinks very much about how his/her body will portray what is to be communicated, yet all for the purpose of the character and the story, and we as performers are indeed actors (to a degree).  I think that we think about how we move our body, without thinking about it, LOL  .

The most important thing here to me is that one is fully engaged with the music both mentally and physically at all times (if possible).  When music swims throughout the depths of one's soul, it is nearly impossible to not move.  Music and its components are meant to move us, this is entirely normal and natural.  Resisting is not natural. 

Perhaps there is a line though, where it becomes too much.  I for one do not know what that is for eveybody, I only know this for myself and I can feel the difference within.   I will say though that I have seen some pretty entertaining stuff, of which I have not completed my opinions about because ultimately it is not really my place to decide for others what is too much for them.

As you have probably noticed already, even listeners like to move a little.  Some try to communicate to the rest of the room that they are "knowledgeable" about this and that and the other thing.  Some listeners communicate that they are too proud to be moved. 

When it all comes down to it, I just like to hear and see somebody believing whole-heartedly in, and caring deeply for what they are doing and boldness in that is not a crime.

m1469

[SteinwayTony]

This girl at my school, she's always looking at the ceiling and looknig around the room like she's looking at something. it dosnt look horrible but i always wonder what the hell shes looking at.

LOL.

There's this guy in my studio who hums, like Glenn Gould.  It would be one thing if his humming was REMOTELY near the melody, but it's just a monotone MMMMM...

When we had a group lesson, our teacher told him to stop humming, and we all concurred.  But then he was like, "I don't even know I'm doing it!"

I say that's just a crock.  I just want to STRANGLE him. 

[musicsdarkangel]

Mitsuko Uchida = most annoying pianist to watch live


This is not because of her playing, but because of how much she moves around.