technique vs passion

[keitokyun]

i have quite a few friends that have CM level 8-10 piano skills; however, when i play, their parents they say that what i play sounds like i'm "pouring my soul" into the piece (i'm 14 and only CM level 6 with less than one year of piano lessons). Is the difference between someone just playing and someone playing with passion really that big?

[pencilart3]

Is the difference between someone just playing and someone playing with passion really that big?

About as big as the star VY Canis Majoris.

[keitokyun]

Hey! its you

[pencilart3]

Hey! its you

Yes it is! By the way how the heck did you make that emoji? oh wow cool sorry

[keitokyun]

its shift+6, -, shift+6 

[hardy_practice]

Passion is very much overated.  Play it like you mean it - now that's different.

[adodd81802]

I think passion is probably the wrong word.

There is difference between what is considered "passion" and "technique" yes, but when I think of technique on it's own I think of a very mechanical set of rules that defines how to play the piano. you know how everybody says posture, "relaxed", breathing, uncurled fingers, tucking the thumb under. Anybody can achieve this.

I think by passion what we really mean is identifying the way you play with your pieces. The extension of who you are and how you feel being communicated to your audience through the piece you are playing. If you convey that well the audience will feel what you feel. For some that is easier then others, I read a statement regarding the pianist Hofmann from one of his students quoting the following

"Hofmann was possibly the greater musical mind. But, I think, Horowitz was the greater pianist, the greater virtuoso—he somehow appealed to the whole world. Hofmann could not communicate on that level"

So I think Passion is really performing your unique version of the piece being the extension of how you feel and communicating that to the audience.

Technique is the mechanical aspect of it. Hope that helps.

[swagmaster420x]

Are you consciously pouring soul into your playing ?

[aokggyy]

to sound like what you want takes passion and technique.

[hfmadopter]

You absolutely can play for the lack of a better term *simpler music* than someone elses more complicated level of music and come of sounding more passionate, more feeling, more harmonised, more polished even, what ever term you want to put it. Horowitz was a master of it, he played many level 6-7 (by our rather foolish grading standard today, by foolish I mean some people count it as an end all or die !!lol) pieces in concert and it just had it's own sound. Music being Music vs music has no grade system. You can play a simple piece and make it sound masterful when your heart is poured into it. Far better off to play within your level impressively than foolishly at a higher level. Sometimes and my teacher used to say this: "simple pieces are so transparent you have no room for error". But yet you can pour your heart into it and play masterfully.. I'm not speaking about  giving up and not seeking a higher level or learning technique to gain mastery of more complicated works, that is another topic all together.

Another side to this is someone says you play passionately. That was at your level and obviously they must have liked it. But they didn't say you played better than another person I assume. They gave you a compliment, so be it. Accept it graciously.

[kawai_cs]

Playing with passion is definitely what audience likes but passion alone is not enough. There must be   means to convey it, i.e. decent technique. I would not buy a ticket to see a lousy pianist just because they "play with passion" - whatever that may mean in case of somebody who is not a master in his craft. Of course, playing with passion is easier if you play easy pieces because you can concentrate more on interpretation. It gets more difficult as you approach more demanding repertoire and maybe have to struggle a little bit here and there with the mechanics of playing.

[hfmadopter]

It gets more difficult as you approach more demanding repertoire and maybe have to struggle a little bit here and there with the mechanics of playing.

Or worse, struggle a whole lot !

[kawai_cs]

Or worse, struggle a whole lot !

hfmadopter - I think if one struggles a whole lot that just means the piece still needs to be practiced far more harder and should not be played for others yet.

[focarol]

Why "vs."? It's not like they're mutually exclusive. You should be aiming for both!

[lostinidlewonder]

I just started last week teaching two siblings who have spent over a year on their exam pieces. I asked them what pieces they have been playing and it has been the small list of exam pieces only. Playing the same piece over and over and over again really can drain the life out of it and they play with little imagination or inspiration because it has become a repetitive cycle. At higher grades people tend to spend a lot more time repeating the same cycle of pieces and the the propensity for accurate but dull playing increases.

[ted]

The main trap I fall into with improvisation is expending energy, passion, in physical action and technique instead of music, and I don't think I am improving in this regard with age.