Practicing after a break

Tags

goals, motivation, new insights, practice journal, returning after hiatus, slow practice

Source: Pixabay. Public domain. Let’s go!

Today I am starting to practice again after a break.  This post explores some aspects of returning after taking time off.

Not perfect?

Although we may vow to practice every day without exception, we all find ourselves taking a break from time to time, whether planned or due to illness, other responsibilities, being on hold with ConEd, travel, etc.

Feeling guilty? 

In the past, I would get angry with myself.  Not helpful!  That leads to yelling at yourself when staying calm would be the way to go.  When you acknowledge that everyone has days off, getting back into the loop is much less of a struggle.

What we can expect

What can we expect when we start again?  (Note that I did not say “start over.”)

Perfection?  Probably not.  However, if you are going back to music you have practiced recently, you can expect improvement!  Somehow, “ignoring” the music for a while lets it “cook.”  You will most likely find new insights when you return to it.

Jell-O fingers?  Yes… so I use the first practice session to concentrate on my warmup.  Skipping the warm-up after time off just doesn’t work well for me.  I need to feel the muscles in my fingers, so I exaggerate the movements.

Playing at performance tempo?  Even if that were possible, wouldn’t we be inviting wrong notes, fingerings, errors in dynamics and phrasing?  Practicing under tempo is useful, but extremely slow practice is not necessary.  I’ve already learned the notes.  But right now, performance tempo invites mistakes that I’d rather not add to the mix.

First day back

I usually dislike my playing that first day.  That is frustrating, but by now I expect it.  By the second day, it starts to sound better.

The first day back also seems to be a good time to assess fingerings.  If something feels uncomfortable (a level or two below “rusty”), this may be the time to experiment.  See whether a different fingering feels better.

Dynamic changes may not sound smooth.  In addition to that, if a notated dynamic contrast is completely missing, mark the spot in your music!  That means you didn’t learn that spot well enough.  This is a great time to eliminate the “oops” and fix the gap.  When you’ve remedied the problem, that phrase will usually fit into the whole more easily when you return to performance tempo in a few days.

I find it extremely motivating to set a goal, such as a performance date.  With a concert in place, I am far less likely to return to vacation mode.  (I have an aversion to making a fool of myself on stage.  Wonderful incentive!)

It is also helpful to keep a practice journal.  You’ll be able to see your progress.  I have found that dropping and then returning to a program speeds my progress toward my performance goal.  If you have a journal from the time you started learning the notes, you will be able to eliminate guess work and have accurate feedback.  (Do you remember what you did a week ago?  A month ago?  Keeping a written record is very helpful.  There is no reason to expect oneself to remember everything.  Remembering the notes is enough!)

Mix it up!

In an online piano forum, participants were exchanging ideas about how to return to practicing after a break. (What’s the secret? How can I make this easy?) Differing viewpoints emerged, as one might expect. Looking through the comment thread was invaluable.

One participant advocated starting out exclusively with etudes. Another suggested practicing only new repertoire. Someone else planned to play familiar music, waiting to add new pieces until s/he was back in shape.

While reading the thread, it seemed that perhaps taking something from everyone might be best.  In that way, etudes are included but not intimidating. Familiar music needs to be there so we feel like we know how to play! And new repertoire keeps us making progress.

What do you think?

This post has been updated from 2010.

What do you do when returning to practice after a break?  How do you help your students get back into it?  How much time do you need to get back to normal?

Comments welcome!

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“Goal-oriented Practice”
Are you practicing well? Is your imagination working for you?

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50% off!!!  Absolutely NO JARGON!  Even my non-musician little sister says so.

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Backwards Day!

Tags

Music, pedagogy, teaching

A delightful seven-year-old, arriving for her lesson, immediately announced “This is Backwards Day!”  Who knew?

I went with it, of course.  Resistance would have resulted in one unhappy student.  What actually happened?  We had tons of fun!

What transpired

• We said, “Goodbye!”
• We shuffled her books so the top one was in back
• We chose a piece from the back of the book
• She played the end first
• We went backwards, line by line
• “I love it” became “It love I”
• Fast became slow, and vice-versa
• Loud was soft
• Cresc. was dim.
• She tried a piece with her hands crossed (good practice!)
• She taught me how to play something while she sat in my chair
• She asked me questions like she was the teacher
• And then we said, “Hello!”

Why backwards?

• Backwards is good!
• Start in different places
• Vary repertoire
• Play different dynamic schemes, different rubato, different tempi
• Try the opposite if Plan A isn’t working
• Find fingering backwards ~ where do you need to end?
• Nail the endings by practicing them first
• Practice movements, songs, and sections in reverse order for more flexibility and security

Why backwards works

• Reversing the order of movements assures “equal time” when something interferes with your practice session
• Going backwards is fun!
• Shaking things up enhances concentration
• The usual expectations of the same thing in the same way every day are avoided

Do you sometimes practice backwards?  Do you help your students mix it up?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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My E-book

“Goal-oriented Practice” helps you practice backwards, forward, and upside down. Whatever works!

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PianoAnd: The lid. Full stick, half stick, or none at all?*

Source: Wikimedia. Public domain.

No worries!  The following is not a scientific analysis!

*The lid may be closed or removed entirely.

Where do our preferences come from concerning the position of the piano lid in performance?

• Early teachers
• It’s always been that way
• Never thought about it

If you think about balance, I’m sure you must have your own list.

Variables

What are the important considerations when balancing other instruments/voices with piano?  If you’re the soloist, your main concern is that your part will be clear.  But what about the other performers?  If you’re the pianist, YOU want to be heard.  (There are exceptions.  Sometimes pianists seem to be intent upon disappearing out of a fear that they will be too loud.)

Assuming that our goal is to find appropriate balance among all participants, there are several variables that need to be considered from venue to venue:

• Acoustics of the room
  • Curtains (at the front, back, and sides of the stage, at the windows, and on the walls of the room), seat cushions, carpet, wall hangings, hard surfaces, shell/no shell behind the performers
  • size of audience (which wears clothing that soaks up sound)
  • the way sound travels on stage (can you hear other performers?)
  • other variables in the hall (i.e. moveable acoustical features, such as blinds, panels, walls, ceilings)
  • Sometimes a room has a muffled sound. A closed lid, in that case, means that the piano’s sound is not clear.
• Where is the soloist in relation to the piano? If the piano is “too loud,” is that actually the case, or would moving away from the piano create a separation in the sounds (soloist/piano) and resolve the problem?  Try it!  A change of only a few inches often makes a huge difference.
• Size of room, size of piano. Smaller rooms with larger pianos may call for a shorter stick.  I would tend to consider this arrangement, but I know other musicians who use full stick regardless.
• Type of music? Joseph Fuchs used full stick ALL the time for violin/piano.  Part of the resonance of the violin came from the piano’s soundboard.  When playing music with more density in the writing, I would tend to prefer short stick.
• The pianist’s manner of producing sound. When less arm weight is used, the sound is lighter.  More transparent writing in combination with less arm would make full stick clear but not overwhelming.  Also, voicing the piano part (more focus for prominent lines) goes a long way.

Wooden block

Perhaps you feel that using the short stick would be too much.  In addition, some pianos no longer have a short stick.  Occasionally, manufacturers include only full stick or a variation, about 3/4 high.

You can take a wooden block with you.

A rectangular block, painted black, about 5” or 6” x 3” x 2”, is a better choice than a hymnal or book.  Propping the lid open with a book results in a dented book cover.  In church concerts, churchgoers are sometimes offended when hymnals are used in this way.  (Setting anything on top of the Bible is considered sacrilegious.  By extension, the hymnal, which contains sacred texts, is included in this category by some.  If you want to be invited back, don’t prop the lid open with a hymnal.)  Also, painting the wooden block black helps to avoid audience distraction.  The dimensions of the block allow it to be used on either side and on end.  Plenty of options.

Recording

Using a recording device to assess the sound is a great way to go when you have the time.  Yo-Yo Ma swears by it, placing the recorder at varying distances from the stage. This can be done during solo practice sessions, rehearsals, and warm-ups, as well as in performances.

The acoustics of the room change depending on the size of the audience.  Rehearsals typically take place in empty halls.  Once the audience arrives, everything changes.  So keeping an open mind, listening to the room, making adjustments in one’s playing during a performance, and trying various options make a difference.

Takeaway thought

My hope is that performers will be aware of the variables.  For the music to reach the audience effectively, the sound needs to be clear.

Please experiment!  And… go.

How do you approach the piano lid issue?  Comments welcome!

Source: Google search. No evident copyright.

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“Goal-oriented Practice”
Are you practicing well? Is your imagination working for you?

My book will help you take a step back, save practice time, learn more music, and perform with confidence. Whether teaching, playing solo, or collaborating with other musicians, you will find many practice- and performance-tested suggestions here.

50% off!!!  Absolutely NO JARGON!  Even my non-musician little sister says so.

Click here for the book intro, table of contents, reviews, and reader comments.

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PianoAnd: Children’s voices

Robin. Source: Pixabay

Collaborating with children’s voices is something that requires listening and imagination. The first thought many pianists have is, “I can’t play too loud. I’ll cover them up!”

Unfortunately, the thinking process sometimes stops there.

Are there other options?

When the only goal is to stay out of the way, is that enough? How can we not be too loud and still be expressive?

In a recent performance with children’s choir, the program included “The Birds’ Lullaby” by Marilyn Broughton. I’ll refer to her beautiful composition in the following examples.

Example 1

Dynamics

The first step in finding expression, for me, is to find workable dynamics. My goals are to:

1. express the text;
2. support the singers; and
3. make the piano solos interesting while enhancing the entire piece.

Introduction

In the introduction, the indicated dynamics were helpful. Piano and mezzo-piano needed to be there, and the crescendo to a level above mp needed to be practiced. I looked through the piece to determine how far that could go. I wanted to reach the loudest dynamic level on the downbeat of bar 7, then diminuendo into the choir’s mp entrance (but not below).

Accompanying the singers

At the singers’ entrance, the pianist’s role changes. S/he must listen in a different way. How can s/he be supportive without getting in the way? Where does the pianist’s expression come from?

To be supportive of the singers, simply disappearing from the fabric of sound is not an option. The choir’s pitch and rhythm could lose their integrity.

Bass line

In this piece, the bass line can certainly match the singers’ sound. It does not need to be softer! Since the bass is in a different range from the voices, it will not be covering the voices.

Counter-melody

As for the right hand when the singers enter and beyond, the top line can be more prominent. When played with a focused sound, it will be heard as a counter-melody.

Example 2

Moving part

On the second page, the short piano interlude begins on the word “through,” with a crescendo into the next chorus entrance. With a little advance planning and practice, this moving line can be interesting. In fact, it propels the piece while the singers hold a long note. They also need to breathe! The pianist’s crescendo to mf encourages them to sing their next entrance at that dynamic level without even thinking.

In scores where dynamics are indicated only in the voice part(s) or the piano part, both singers and pianists can benefit by looking at the markings in the other parts. What if the dynamics apply to both? (Why wouldn’t they?)

Interludes

This piece has three verses, with the voice parts expertly arranged differently for each (i.e. canon at the measure, canon at 2 measures, and crossing voices). The two piano interludes are nearly identical. Our job is to make them interesting! I wanted to find a way for the interludes to sound different from each other while matching the singers’ volume at the end of their verse and meeting them at their new volume at the start of the next.

First

The first interlude worked well with a simple arc, soft to louder, then diminuendo into the second verse, which was softer than the first. The dynamic scheme I used was mp to mf, then dim. to p.

Second

Finding a compelling way to play the second interlude was a little harder. After trying two or three different ideas, I noticed that the third verse was marked with a louder dynamic. I wanted to crescendo into the singers’ entrance.

So I found a way to start the interlude piano, then play a dynamic arc (cresc. and dim.) earlier than in the first interlude. Following the diminuendo, I could then crescendo from piano to mezzo-forte. This time, I played from p to mp to p, then cresc. to mf.

Problem solved? Not entirely.

The right hand of the piano part was in the same range as the singers’ entrance. My right hand melody continued past the singers’ entrance. So I needed a way to crescendo without covering them up.

Voilà!

It took a little longer to realize that the right hand could diminuendo while the left hand, which had moving notes, could crescendo at the same time. It worked like a charm. The interlude was compelling, it supported the singers, and nothing interfered with the children’s voices.

If playing a simultaneous dim. and cresc. seems like a juggling act, it might help to think about it in a different way. Try thinking about your feet. When we walk, we transfer weight from one foot to the other. One foot has more weight on it than the other. They feel different.

Another instance would be like driving a stick shift. One foot depresses the accelerator while the other releases the clutch. Now get the same feeling in your hands that you have in your feet. Problem solved!

In listening to pianists, my impression is that many people cresc. and dim. with both hands doing the same thing at the same time. However, playing fugues requires voicing separate parts, even when two or more parts are in the same hand. That requires using different amounts of weight on separate fingers. So why not apply this to other music? Why not use each hand differently when playing with hands together?

Postlude

The lullaby ended softly. The short postlude needed some shape, so I decided to begin mp, then diminuendo, with focused, high bell tones at the end.

Source: Pixabay. Public domain.

Followup

You may be wondering how I know that my ideas were effective. You are absolutely correct that a performer’s assessment of her/his own performance might be inaccurate.

And here’s my reason: Immediately after the concert, several audience members approached me to say how much they had enjoyed what they had heard!

Look for my next post:  “PianoAnd:  The lid. Full stick, 1/2 stick, or none at all?”

★ ☆.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.• ヅ★

Please take a look at my e-book!

“Goal-oriented Practice”
Are you practicing well? Is your imagination working for you?

My book will help you take a step back, save practice time, learn more music, and perform with confidence. Whether teaching, playing solo, or collaborating with other musicians, you will find many practice- and performance-tested suggestions here.

50% off!!!  Absolutely NO JARGON!  Even my non-musician little sister says so.

Click on the link to see the book intro, table of contents, reviews, and reader comments.

What did you find here?  What would you like to see? Comments welcome!

If this post has been helpful and you think your friends and contacts would benefit from reading it, please share.

I would appreciate it very much. Thank you!

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PianoAnd: Collaboration

Tags

accompanying, Beethoven, Care selve, collaboration, Handel, Joel Krosnick, Juilliard String Quartet, Montserrat Caballe, Roberta Peters, Spring Sonata, Voicing

String quartet. Source: Wikimedia. Public domain.

What is collaboration?  What does the term imply?

I recently came across the book The Collaborative Pianist’s Guide to Practical Technique by Neil Stannard.*

*Thanks to Gail Fischler.

 The introduction states that:

Collaborative pianists need all the same technical skills required of soloists, and some would argue that they need to be able to play mezzo forte and under.

My immediate reaction was, “Wait a minute!” Let’s look more closely.

A Definition

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collaboration

Collaboration is working with others to do a task and to achieve shared goals. It is a recursive[1] process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, (this is more than the intersection of common goals seen in co-operative ventures, but a deep, collective determination to reach an identical objective[by whom?][original research?]) — for example, an endeavor[2][3] that is creative in nature[4]—by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus. Most collaboration requires leadership, although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and egalitarian group.[5] In particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources.[6] Collaboration is also present in opposing goals exhibiting the notion of adversarial collaboration, though this is not a common case for using the word.

(Note:  color and bolding added by GS for emphasis.)

Breaking it down

This implies much more than the prevailing misconception, by now outdated, concerning collaborative piano playing. Even after more than 50 years of the progress begun by Gerald Moore and further championed by Gwendolyn Koldofsky and others, a significant number of pianists continue to subscribe to the habit of just showing up without practicing.

An additional component of this view seems to be a desire to stay out of the way!

I strongly disagree with this idea. If one’s sole interest is not to be heard, then why show up at all? (Gerald Moore’s humorous book, “Am I too Loud?” was first published in 1962!)

The author of the book quoted above says, “some would argue that they need to be able to play mezzo forte and under.” If one is to interpret this as a recommendation to play mf and under at all times, I have to ask, “Why?”

The music

The piano part/reduction is part of the total fabric of sound. It is crucial to have a point of view about the music which is expressed primarily by the manner in which one plays.

Even when playing for very young musicians, the bass line can be prominent. They need the support. An obligato line above or below the singers’ range should be heard. Introductions, interludes, and postludes are shaping the piece, not interfering. The rhythm should be clear and compelling, providing a foundation for inexperienced musicians. Why are we there? How are we supporting a young musician’s efforts if we may as well not be in the room at all? Do we not have a responsibility to be there?

In other situations, with more experienced singers and instrumentalists (who produce more sound), the solo line is not always the most interesting. Think of Beethoven’s “Spring” sonata (violin/piano), for example:

The violinist clearly has the theme throughout the opening statement. And then, in the 2nd system, 4th bar, the piano has thematic material, marked crescendo, proceeding without pause into a restatement of the same theme. Since the piano part is occupying a higher range at that point, it will be heard.

Note that the violin and piano parts are both marked piano, even though each plays thematic as well as non-thematic music. The equal dynamic markings would imply that both parts are to be heard. Why would the piano part be less important/played at a lower dynamic than the violin?

We have another example in Händel’s “Care selve” from Atalanta:

In this aria, the vocal and piano lines are beautifully interwoven. Listen to the incomparable Montserrat Caballé and her superb pianist, who should have been credited on YouTube! What do you hear? Is the pianist voicing his part? The bass line is always there, the melody is clear when echoing the singer, and the interludes fill the room.

A heads up: prepare to be floored!

Teatro Real de Madrid, 1979

When learning Handel’s “Sweet Bird,” I listened to several recordings so I could learn more about ornamentation. Roberta Peters’ performance with a flutist was stunning. They opted to do only the exposition (one page), then added two more pages of a duet. Their sounds blended perfectly, with the most amazing trills. I was in awe listening to the ensemble’s perfectly matched sound, ornaments rhythmically free (rather than using regular note values, the performers, who were often trilling in 3rds, used slower notes, then faster, then added a turn). I listened to the recording over and over, mesmerized.

Point of view

When I was a scholarship student at the Aspen Music Festival, the Juilliard String Quartet was in residence all summer. Their open rehearsals were attended by singers of all voice types and interests, and students who played a variety of instruments. Why were so many students attending, week in and week out? The quartet talked about the music. During one rehearsal, a disagreement continued for several minutes. The cross-rhythms in Brahms needed clarification among the players.

One instance in which cross-rhythms are found is in 6/8 time, when the notes can be divided into groups of 2 or 3. When there is one more than one part, both groupings can happen simultaneously.

In this memorable rehearsal, each player was staking a claim to the way he wanted to play a section containing cross-rhythms. The violist opted for one rhythmic grouping; the cellist another. When the 2^nd violinist chose a larger note grouping, the 1^st violinist decided, “I’ll just fit in.”

At that moment (it didn’t take long!), the other three players ganged up on him. “No! You have to make up your mind!”

The rehearsal had just become more… interesting, as the quartet’s cellist Joel Krosnick would say.

The decision was made, and the quartet tried it out. Each player was doing something different! It was wonderful.

What would have happened had everyone opted to “Just fit in?” How compelling can that be?

I submit that staying out of the way is not music, and it certainly is not collaboration. If you have nothing worth saying, why play at all?  If you can’t be heard, what’s the point? What contribution does that make?  How is that supportive?

Bottom line

In order to collaborate as pianists, we need to ask for the music in advance (and obtain it!), practice well, and have a point of view about the music. In rehearsals, our point of view may change. Collaboration means hearing what the other musicians have to say. An interpretation reached by sharing ideas is what collaboration aims to achieve.

To reiterate the definition provided above, when we collaborate, we:

…work together to realize shared goals [in] … a deep, collective determination to reach an identical objective…

What does “collaboration” mean to you? How did you arrive at your conclusions?

Comments welcome!

Check back for my next post, PianoAnd:  Children’s voices

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Please take a look at my e-book!

“Goal-oriented Practice”
Are you practicing well? What do you do when you hit a snag? How do you help your students practice?

Do you have a plan for putting difficult pieces together at performance tempo? How do you help your students achieve a steady tempo without slowing down in difficult passages?

This book will help you take a step back, save practice time, learn more music, and perform with confidence. Whether teaching, playing solo, or collaborating with other musicians, you will find many useful suggestions here.

50% off!!!  Absolutely NO JARGON!  Even my non-musician little sister says so.

Click on the link to see the book intro, table of contents, reviews, and reader comments.

What did you find here?  What would you like to see? Comments welcome!

If this post has been helpful and you think your friends and contacts would benefit from reading it, please share.

I would appreciate it very much. Thank you!

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How 2 high school seniors mastered Bach style in just 2 rehearsals

Tags

baroque music, baroque period, collaborative piano, flute, high school, interpretation, J.S. Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, music education, phrasing, style, trio sonata, violin

Have you worked from scores containing editors’ markings that could be interpreted as being misleading? How did you proceed?

Last week I had the privilege of collaborating with a talented violinist, a high school senior.  One piece on her recital program was the Trio Sonata for Flute, Violin and Continuo in G Major, BWV 1038, by J.S. Bach.  The flutist was also a high school senior.

Both played very well.  Baroque style, however, seemed to be unfamiliar to them. So they relied on the score much more than on listening to each others’ phrasing.

The edition we were using contained editors’ markings which were misleading if taken literally.

First rehearsal

This was to be our only rehearsal together, with the exception of a short time in the hall prior to the performance.

I liked many aspects of what I heard:

• In-tune playing.
• Good balance of sound (one player not louder or softer than the other).
• Legato playing, appropriate for this largo movement.
• Nice tempo.

In the “needs work” department:

•  Give and take so the moving part could carry the music.

Each player needed to diminuendo on the long notes, as they had alternating parts. Both players were more familiar with other musical styles, where a crescendo would be called for instead.

Notice in this clip that the top part (flute) plays tied notes while the 2nd part (violin) has more melodic and rhythmic interest.  The give and take in the sound when the players honor that approach changes the sound completely. Now it sounds baroque rather than romantic.

•  The music needed forward motion.

This could be heard primarily in the flute part.  The flutist, looking at the editor’s markings, playing the slurs as indicated.  In addition, because she needed to breathe, she would breathe after a short note.  That took just enough extra time to interrupt the flow of the music, whereas taking time away from a long note in order to breathe would not have had the same effect.

 

 

Take a look at the top two parts (flute and violin, respectively).  Notice how the markings seem to ask for the longer note to be slurred to the shorter one?

The music flows when exactly the opposite phrasing is used, as in the notation at the right of this example:

So we changed it!  The sound improved immediately.

Second rehearsal 

This rehearsal was with violin and piano only.  However, we had an opportunity to discuss the Bach.

At the end of the first rehearsal, my impression was that the violinist understood the changes we had made.  The flutist had improved, but was still relying on the printed score more than listening to the flow of the music.

My suggestion was for the violinist and the flutist to get together by themselves.  They attend the same school and have free time, so this was not a problem.  I asked the violinist to coach the rehearsal, finding musical lines they could play together, such as this one:

My goal was to make any differences in phrasing between the two players as clear as possible. Rehearsing alternating lines might not have had the same effect.

Pre-recital and performance

I am delighted to say that the sound was transformed!  During our brief time in the recital hall prior to the performance, we had just a few minutes to rehearse this piece. After marking in accidentals that crept up on both players, likely because of nerves, I felt encouraged.  If everyone could remain calm, count, listen, and enjoy it, we had an excellent chance of performing well.

And… it happened!  The audience loved what they heard, and I felt gratified.

Here are two YouTube videos of this beautiful piece.  Enjoy!

One version, performed with piano:

And another version, this time with harpsichord:

Have you worked from scores containing editors’ markings that could be interpreted as being misleading?  How did you proceed?

 

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Optimize your practice time!

Tags

manage time, optimize time, practice, preparing for concerts, save time

Image by romaryka via Flickr

How do you manage your practice time?

[This is a repost from December 2009.  Enjoy!]

Since it is almost impossible to have the same amount of time available every day, it helps to be organized and flexible.  After all, exact repetition every day is soooooooo booooring.

Do you start at the beginning of your program each time you practice?  Are you able to practice everything each time?  Do you have several programs going at once?  It usually happens that I have many different situations to prepare for all at the same time.  With all those variables of performance dates, types of music (vocal, instrumental, collaborative, solo, choral music, etc.), there is rarely a time when everything is ready to go on the same day.

I have found it crucial to set priorities for each practice session.  Depending on the time available, the dates of upcoming concerts, and whether or not a piece is ready to perform, I make a list in my head ~ or sometimes on paper ~ about what I can realistically accomplish that day.  (Most of the time it works.  Sometimes I revise my goals along the way ~ and don’t get mad.)

Keeping a notebook of practice sessions helps immensely.  When you can see the last date you worked on a certain piece, as well as what you did, progress is easier to achieve.  If you don’t know what happened last time, or what state the piece is in, you could spin your wheels for quite a while just figuring out where you are.  And while it may feel good to just play something, it is a huge waste of time.  If you use your time well, you can learn twice as much music.

If I’m increasing the tempo, I write down metronome markings in my practice notebook (but not on the music).  While things are in such a state of flux, I’d rather not have all that writing on the score.  (And erasures wear out the paper.)

When I’ve worked on dynamics, I write that down.  How did it go?  What needs to improve?

Sometimes my impression of a composer’s intent will change, so I write that down, too.  That could change again in a day or two.

Trouble spots definitely make the notebook.  And then I make sure I concentrate on them until they’ve been solved.  Allowing portions of a piece to stay unlearned or remain uncomfortable is truly asking for trouble in performances.

Keeping written comments is the best way I’ve found to get all elements of a program together at the same time.  (It’s like cooking a large dinner, except there’s no backup such as a warming oven or a microwave!)  Having one piece or movement that I’ve ignored until the week before a concert makes me very uncomfortable.  (That happened exactly once.  I discovered on stage, of all places, that I had never put fingerings in a Haydn trio.  Oops.  I felt nervous just for that one reason.  A friend who was in the audience said she noticed, but that it was a good performance anyway…  and I trusted her not to lie to me.   And it will never happen again!)

On days when my practice time is limited, I often surf from one problematic spot to the next.  The next time, I do the same thing in reverse.  Why waste time practicing what you already play well?  You could be reinforcing unusual fingerings, making fast passages more comfortable, calibrating accelerandi and ritards, improving dynamic contrasts, playing the end of one movement and the beginning of the next, practicing intros and interludes in piano reductions or songs, or making a myriad of other effective choices.  What about the ending?  If it’s faster and louder, especially, I spend short periods of time getting it to be foolproof so I can be memorable in the concert.

A word of caution:  I have found that I often feel rushed when I have limited time.  So I play faster.  NOT helpful.  I have improved upon this tendency by being aware of it.  Now I frequently practice under tempo when there is too little time.  That increases my concentration and keeps mistakes from creeping in due to tension and anxiety.

And on those days when there is plenty of time, I revel in it.  Finally!  Time to “perform” an entire program!

How do you manage your practice time?

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Thank you!

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Choosing music for an outdoor service… or not

Tags

Anticipating various scenarios, Clavinova, Mother Nature, Outdoor church service, Planning ahead, Sunday

(Image source: Wikipedia)

Our plan is to move the church service outdoors this Sunday.

When choosing music earlier in the week, the first thing I did was to look at the weather forecast.  As it turns out, we have deferred to Mother Nature twice already this summer.

For August 4th, AccuWeather.com predicts that it will be “partly sunny with a t-storm.”  With that in mind, I chose music that can move easily from a Clavinova outdoors to an acoustic piano inside if necessary.  (I’ll play piano this time so as to eliminate the possibility of last-minute pedal and registration changes.)

The music

The Clavinova has only one sound.  The volume can be raised or lowered with a toggle wheel, but there are no alternative sounds available (such as harpsichord, flute, etc.).  So the music needs to being written for one manual, and the ability to employ voicing to differentiate various parts (melody/accompaniment; fugue lines) will be quite limited.

I prefer playing sacred music for services, not piano preludes by Chopin and
Debussy,

The music needs to have an organ pedal part that can be played along with the manual parts (i.e. close to the left hand in range).  Another possibility would be to choose music with no organ pedal part at all.

Pieces that are 2 pages in length would eliminate page turns.  That way, when clothes pins are keeping the printed music steady, they can stay there for the entire piece.  (It’s safer!  Picture removing clothespins, turning the page, and re-clipping the clothespins, while playing the entire time.)

What else?

Although I have played services outdoors under the roof of a picnic shelter, the setting on Sunday will be completely in the open.  I will need hair clips and sunglasses.  

West Nile Virus has come to the area, so bug spray is a necessity.

And may I please borrow your dog to fetch the things I drop?

Thanks!

Repertoire for August 4th

Prelude
Come, Thou Almighty King     Martin Stellhorn
The organ pedal part can be played an octave higher.  This will allow the piece to move without arpeggiating the bass and tenor lines (to accommodate reaches wider than the span of the left hand).

Offertory
Praise God the Lord, Ye Sons of Men     Johann Gottfried Walther
This piece is contrapuntal, but is not a fugue.  The tune is clearly in the top voice, so it will be easily heard when played on a Clavinova.

Communion
I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table     Paul Kretzschmar
The embellished tune is a right-hand solo.  Played on the organ, a solo stop on a separate manual would be the way to go for clarity.  With the embellishments, the tune stands out from the slower left-hand rhythm, so I think it will be OK played on a Clavinova.

Postlude
Now Thank We All Our God     Georg Friedrich Kaufmann
This is a toccata with the tune in the top voice.

As it happened

This is a follow-up, added on Monday.

We had a beautiful day!  During the outdoor service, the breeze kicked up 2 or 3 times, but I was reduced to holding the music with one hand and playing with the other only once.  That was during a hymn.  With the congregation singing at the time, it was fine.

The Clavinova has more variety available in volume by touch than I had recalled from a year ago.  That was a welcome surprise.

In the offertory, the editor indicates in the score that the melody is to be played an octave higher when all parts are heard on the same manual.  I actually forgot during the service until the B section.  When moving up an octave, though, the sound was unsatisfactory for a melody.  So I went back to playing the score as notated.

Around 11:30 a.m., we had a few raindrops.  I was in Amherst by then.

Later on, we had light rain.  But the “t-storm” forecast never materialized.

Score!

Have I forgotten anything?

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Happy Easter! Choir makes even more strides

Tags

church choir, conducting

Andrei Rubiev (1360-1430) (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Happy Easter, everyone!

My choir sang so well today!  That had a lot to do with everyone showing up on time.  And there was extra bustle to ignore during our rehearsal.

The tempo changes, dynamic changes at exactly the right time, and watching so we could pull it off together were all wonderful.  And the words were the clearest and most expressive ever.  (Singing a “v” sound like you would say it to someone nearby is not nearly enough.  You need to feel your lower lip buzz!  Also, getting “sing” out on a fast note is not so easy!  It’s important to take time to make sound on the vowel and not go to the “ng” too soon.  We took a little more time on “sing” to do this, the result being that the congregation could understand the text.  No one would perceive taking time for clarity of text as bad rhythm!)

Examples 

• The keyboard introduction started on beat 2 of the bar, and was only 4 beats long (rest 2 3 4| 1 sing).
• The first two choral snippets were identical; the next one began one beat later, and was printed on a new system.
• Several words were tricky to enunciate.  To be as expressive as possible, we needed to sing piano, then crescendo immediately beginning with “risen” in the phrase, “Christ is risen from the dead.”  “Christ is risen” is sung on low notes, so making that happen requires work!
  • “Christ is risen, we are risen” (making “we” expressive rather than a bland continuation of the sentence).
  • “Bled” has 2 consonants at the beginning.
  • “Gladness” also has 2 consonants  to start.
• The piece included several sudden tempo changes, fermati, and crescendos through final words in phrases.
• The ending, a long tied note, needed a subito piano inserted so the following crescendo to the end could be effective.  The choir loved experiencing how good they sounded!  (“That really works!”)
  

Results

Everyone put in quite an effort.  Today’s anthem had something new around every corner!

I conducted a lot today.  This anthem would have been less successful without assertive motions, accented playing (piano), and eye contact from the choir.

And, experienced choral singers that they are, the choir took care of the things I forgot.  One singer returned today after an extended illness.  He opted to remain seated during the anthem, which I assured him was fine.  Of course, when four singers stood in front of him, he couldn’t see me.  So the singer who was directly in front of him simply moved over!  Problem solved with no disruption at all.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

 
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Marie-Claire Alain and thoughts about service playing

Tags

choir, Church, Congregation, Daniel Roth, hymns, J.S. Bach, Marie-Claire Alain, Music, organ, piano

Marie-Claire Alain, the masterful French organist, prolific recording artist and teacher, passed away last month. 

Marie-Claire Alain’s NY Times obituary

She approached every composer whose music she played with great integrity, as one of her many former students says:  “…she always regarded the composer, of whatever period, as the ultimate authority.”

~ Daniel Roth

And isn’t that what all of us need to strive for?

Speaking of the organ works of J.S. Bach, which Alain researched and recorded extensively, she said:

“…You can’t play a Bach chorale… without knowing the liturgical text on which it is based, without knowing why it was written.”

We also must translate texts when they are in a foreign language!

Now let’s take some of Alain’s wisdom and talk about congregational singing.

• How well is your congregation singing?
• What can we do to enhance the singing?

Some moments in last Sunday’s service have stayed in my mind:

1. An unfamiliar hymn;
2. A sung response to a reading;
   
3. A well-known hymn; and
   
4. A fun moment!

Unfamiliar hymn

My choir suggested that I play an entire stanza rather than a shorter introduction.  That encouraged everyone to sing out.

Then I made a poor choice.  I played the second stanza much softer.  The congregation sang considerably less well as a result.

The third stanza went much better.  I changed registration, but made sure to play louder.  The congregation should never be drowned out, though.

Sung response

We sang a response that included a 3-note keyboard introduction.  A low pedal note came first, followed by 2 melodic notes leading to the congregational entrance (forming a 3-note scale).

We rehearsed the response in choir rehearsal before the service.  Things went well!

During the service, I played the 3-note introduction and everyone had trouble with the sung entrance.  That gave me a few seconds to figure out what to do.  (The response was interspersed with spoken text.)

Second try:  I look over toward the choir and nodded my head when it was time to sing.  More help was needed.

I hate playing an introduction with a ritard at the end or a fermata on the last note.  Both approaches result most often in a slower tempo.  Accelerating during the singing only works a fraction of the time.

Third try:  I added a breath!  So everyone heard the 3-note introduction with the last note cut off.  It worked!  Everyone came in confidently, right on time and singing the right pitch.

When there is no sound, everyone knows it’s time to sing!

Well-known hymn

Since everyone was so familiar with this hymn, a member of the choir who plays piano decided to play with me (I was playing the organ).  But we weren’t together this time.

The hymn was “Guide Me, O thou Great Jehovah.”  The words demand that it be sung out.  When untrained singers do that, they tend to run out of breath.  And once people feel short of breath, the effect can be cumulative as the music  continues.

As the hymn progressed, I listened to the congregation (always do).  They needed breathing time, often in the middle of a line.  The pianist kept going with no breaths.  And then, when there were words that could go on (phrases that belong together), the pianist played quarter-note chords as they appear in the hymnal.  Vertically.

Next time we’ll have a brief rehearsal together.

Hymns are deceptive that way.  The look alike oftentimes.

Looking at the words is crucial!

Practicing hymns

Sight-reading hymns during the service invites poor outcomes, detracting from the service.  To enhance the service, this is what is needed:

• Sing the hymns out loud while playing.  This is the only way you will know how much time it takes to breathe.
  • Are you running out of breath?  Then the tempo needs to be faster.
  • Are your words unclear in fast passages?  It takes time to get words out.  Adjustment needed!  Slower tempo or give more time to certain passages.
• Look at the words of every verse.  You can change registration to enliven the text, play some parts and not others, play only the tune, cut out completely, etc.
  

A fun moment

We sang “Let Us Break Bread Together” just before communion.  I decided to play this one on the piano, since improvisation comes to me more easily there.

At the end of the last verse, someone in the congregation began harmonizing above the tune.  I found myself adding time to honor the harmony.  The congregation was also listening, and everything worked out perfectly!

For a previous post on hymn playing:  “Creative hymn playing“

Please add your thoughts to the comment section below!

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