Why did you crescendo there?!

[m1469]

   < POW!

[landru]

HA!

Just had a long conversation about this very subject with my teacher over a Beethoven sonata. I told her that for certain phrases I feel naturally that the music is telling me to crescendo - even though ol' Ludwig does *not* have a crescendo there.

We left it at, yes, there could be an increase of volume in the ascending phrase, but it is better to think of it in terms of the phrase's internal logic rather than a strict "imposed" crescendo. So, like "crescendo-lite".

[jy_]

Sometimes composers don't write things which they feel are "obvious", which may lead to ambiguous results (does he want the dynamic to stay level, or is he expecting you to do the "crescendo"?), so I would probably do a crescendo when I feel like it (definitely for Bach)

[timothy42b]

Suddenly realized I wasn't loud enough.

[m1469]

Ok, angelic people, but what if you crescendo exactly where there is a marked crescendo?  Then why do you crescendo?  hmmm? What is the better/right answer there?  

Suddenly realized I wasn't loud enough.

 

[iansinclair]

Angelic?  Hmm... well, thank you!

I tend to regard the composer's markings (talking romantic music here!) as much suggestions as commands.  I don't necessarily follow them slavishly, although I always try to do so as much as possible when I'm learning a piece, to see what the composer wanted.  Then, if I feel that tweaking improves things, I'll do it.  Quite happily.

Of course, sometimes the composer drives you nuts with a marking which simply can't be done on a piano -- a crescendo on a held note being rather difficult to achieve...

Earlier music -- classical period and most of Beethoven -- I'm much more flexible and individualistic.  And Bach and friends and before is a completely different ball game.

[hfmadopter]

I'm an Aries, so I'm a natural rebel !

Seriously, what good is it if you can't take a few liberties, it's my piano and my performance and I'm not playing for paid critics. I will let in a little swell and subside here and there and I may run fairly even where a full crescendo is indicated or at least less rise than indicated sometimes..

Purists get too hemmed up.

[dima_76557]

what if you crescendo exactly where there is a marked crescendo?

Without wanting to sound like a nerd, but I think that would be wrong. The crescendo is meant for the notes immediately following the one where it is indicated, not for that note itself.
P.S.: I try to follow the composer's instructions as strictly as possible. It may take some time to realize that composers are right most of the time with their instructions.

[virtuoso80]

This is especially a problem in Beethoven, because he was such a genius at building up energy and excitement. You naturally just want to crescendo. I don't think it's wrong unless you leave yourself nowhere to go, and it can't cohere with the rest of the piece.

[pianoman53]

I always know what the score says. Some things has to interpreted though... Like, accents aren't always accents, staccato dots aren't always staccato... They only had a few ways to write what they wanted, so we have to think why they wrote the things they wrote.
It's important to know what they wrote, but not everything works.
But I tend to do what's in the score; I still think Beethoven is a bigger genius than me, soo...

[ade16]

Sometimes composers don't write things which they feel are "obvious", which may lead to ambiguous results (does he want the dynamic to stay level, or is he expecting you to do the "crescendo"?), so I would probably do a crescendo when I feel like it (definitely for Bach)

I would definitely agree for Bach where his dynamic indications are very rare, as with specific tempi in the 48 for example. However, Beethoven was extremely specific in all respects including dynamics, phrasing, tempi, pedalling etc So please obey good old Ludwig who knew exactly what he wanted! He was particularly keen on a crescendo followed by a very sudden piano. When he didn't specifically indicate a crescendo or diminuendo or anything else for that matter, don't do it; that is if you intend to create a faithful Beethoven interpretation. He is the one composer you don't mess with when it comes to observing his performance directions. He never left very much to chance in terms of being obvious. In fact, he frequently avoided the obvious which is why he was regarded as so innovative. 'Defeating expectation' as a tutor of mine used to say.

[ade16]

I always know what the score says. Some things has to interpreted though... Like, accents aren't always accents, staccato dots aren't always staccato... They only had a few ways to write what they wanted, so we have to think why they wrote the things they wrote.
It's important to know what they wrote, but not everything works.
But I tend to do what's in the score; I still think Beethoven is a bigger genius than me, soo...

Beethoven is a bigger genius than any of us! This reminds me of the anecdote about a young American student who visiited the Beethoven museum in Bonn. She became utterly entranced by the piano on which Beethoven had created many of his masterpieces. The student could not bear to leave until she had played just a few bars of music on it. At first the museum guard refused to let her touch the piano, but in the end he relented (with a tip!) and let her play Beethoven's piano. The student seated herself and played the opening of the Moonlight Sonata. After she had finished, she thanked the guard, and said "I suppose all the great pianists who come here want to play that piano." The guard shook his head. "No, not at all", he said, "Paderewski was here some years ago and he didn't think himself worthy enough to even touch it!"

[piano1mn]

Oh no I don't cresendo there. I do the opposite!

[gvans]

I recently read an interview with Pablo Casals, the late cellist. He felt making spontaneous, unmarked, subtle crescendoes and decrescendoes was an essential part of creative music-making.

Similarly, we know from pupils of Johannes Brahms that he told his pupils it was OK, even important, to make subtle strigendos and broadenings of tempos. He could not mark every instance on the score and felt it was up to the artist to make music of the music.

The key word is subtle.

As a musician, you are an interpreter, not a slave or a puppet. One must find the balance between faithful reproduction of the score and adding interest to the performanace. That balance is what makes a true artist.

[piano1mn]

Interpretation means play your way.