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Topic: interpretation problems  (Read 3647 times)

Offline buttersg

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interpretation problems
on: March 17, 2014, 03:07:49 PM
I'm challenging myself to convince my teacher I'm of standard to go for ATCL December 2014 to start with ...

But I had a demoralising end of lesson speech last week ... my teacher said I can try for ATCL but she will only give the nod when its nearing registration (August). According to her, I don't have the correct skills for interpretations etc .. (maybe I got the technical skills? haha) ... well, she says I rely on her alot to teach me on interpreting the piece

I can't really deny that since I do notice I don't know how to do articulations for certani pieces. Dynamics mostly I figure it out by singing out the melody at times. Is it normal for students who are of the grade 8 near ATCL level? In the situation where I do not know my own interpretation? When I start a new song, most of the time I have to go youtube listen to the interpretations by other professional pianist before figuring out which one suits me most ...

An example would be Hadyn mini sonatas. Previously I was learning XVI 7 ... now im learning XVI 9. I'm not really sure how it should go. Only that it should be v majestic for first mvt. My 2nd mvt I ended up sort of copying the style for XVI 7. Am I doing the correct way?

If not, how should I go around interpreting pieces without relying on other pianists and past experiences? My theory is not of the correct level. I'm currently stuck on a Grade 5 struggling for Grade 6 with harmony

Online brogers70

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Re: interpretation problems
Reply #1 on: March 17, 2014, 07:28:31 PM
This may not be very helpful, but I just suggest listening to a lot of music. Not the pieces you are going to play, necessarily, but a lot of music by the same composer or from the same time period. And listen very carefully, preferably following the score (which you can almost always download free at IMSLP). Also, try picking a piece you like (again not necessarily one you play) and listen again and again. Study the form, ie sonata-allegro form, rondo, minuet, theme and variations etc. Understand the harmonic progressions (bone up on harmony if you need to). And then try to understand why the performer plays it exactly the way he does. Anything that forces you to listen to music very carefully and attentively will help your interpretation.

There's also an element of self-expression and of understanding what the composer was getting at, but from your post it sounds like you first need to work out simpler things like how to articulate a phrase, how to handle dynamics, etc.

Offline faulty_damper

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Re: interpretation problems
Reply #2 on: March 17, 2014, 08:15:17 PM
Brogers has it right about listening to a lot of music.  This is how you learn the musical language, just like how you learned the spoken language.  You have no choice but to listen to good performances in order to learn the articulation, phrasing, dynamics, etc. of musical performance. 

There is nothing wrong with imitating another's interpretation, especially if it is a very good one.  This is how you learned to speak, and this is also the fastest way to make music.

I do not, however, believe in using classical music as a vehicle for self-expression.  The performer is the vehicle, a slave, and must do anything and everything to make that music come through without the chains rattling.  Those who use the music as the vehicle end up distorting the music like Gould did with Bach.
 

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