Interpretation – Pianodao

Did I play it right?

Fermata • The Pianodao Blog
Short Reflections by Andrew Eales

It’s shocking, really, this thought that the way we play a piece of music can be regarded as either ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. And I’m talking about attitude of course, not outcome, because basic accuracy, precision and technical control have always mattered, and always will. But they are far from the whole story. And nor is there only one ‘correct’, valid interpretation of a piece.

We all want to play the best we can, and help students hone their ability and understanding. But where did we get the idea that talking about piano playing in such a binary way, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, is appropriate? Certainly, the overstated opinions of teachers have played their part; the more esteemed the expert, the more authoritatively correct their views are supposed to be.

Exams, competitions, and ‘masterclasses’ further instil a sense that music has to be played in a certain way, points and prizes typically awarded according to how successfully a performance meets a set of prescribed criteria, how well it conforms to received wisdom, or how closely it resembles the judge’s or examiner’s own interpretation.

Curiosity, the playful spark of original thinking and creative exploration, is easy enough for anyone to appreciate and enjoy, but perhaps harder to codify and quantify in an agreed mark scheme.

The Schumann Effect

Fermata • The Pianodao Blog
Short Reflections by Andrew Eales

In his Advice to Young Musicians, the composer Robert Schumann wrote,

“Consider it an abomination to alter works of good composers, to omit parts of them, or to insert new-fashioned ornaments. This is the greatest insult you can offer to Art.”

At face value, these are pretty strong words, implying we cultivate a reverence for music notation and rigidity in performance. In his exposition of Schumann’s thoughts, however, the cellist Steven Isserlis wisely suggests,

“Schumann’s general point here is that we must avoid inappropriate additions or alterations to the musical text… Some composers have left us specific instructions, which we have to follow to the letter; others, particularly in earlier periods, have left most of the interpretative decisions to us. In much baroque music it is almost essential to add ornamentation at times; composers would have expected it.”

Your unique voice

Fermata • The Pianodao Blog
Short Reflections by Andrew Eales

When considering the great pianists who inspire me the most, I often wonder what qualities make their playing stand out as a unique and important legacy, and usually answers come quickly: the emotional depth and meaningful insight in their interpretation elevates their performances above the ordinary.

How can we develop our own individual, personal voice at the piano, speaking on behalf of composers, but with our own unique dialect?

Playing French Baroque Music

Supporting Piano Education
Article written by Andrew Eales

At a recent piano recital, I started with the very beautiful Chaconne in F major by the early French Baroque composer Louis Couperin (1626-61), uncle of the better known François Couperin “Le Grand” (1668-1731).

For most who were in the audience, it will have been their first encounter with the music of Louis Couperin, and even those with an interest in the early French Baroque will perhaps never have heard this music performed on a modern piano before.

Dating from the seventeenth century, this music was originally written for the harpsichord (or clavecin as the French knew it) and while later Baroque music such as the keyboard works of J.S.Bach and Domenico Scarlatti have found their way into the piano repertoire, the music of earlier composers is rarely heard outside of specialist “Early Music” circles.