Just Thinkin'

I attended a six hour piano workshop yesterday. The keynote speaker Dr. Catherine Kautsky gave morning-long lecture on the differences of Bethoven and Debussy, and how their life experiences influenced their music. She also covered sonata form, how each movement of a sonata is related, the importance of proper dynamics, the importance of proper articulations, and the importance of proper pedaling. In the afternoon Ms. Kautsky played Bethoven's Sonata in A Major start to finish. (I estimate that it took between 20 and 30 minutes.) It gave me a lot of time to think and process all that she discussed in the morning lectures. While I was thinking, I came up with several questions.

1) Are there right and wrong ways to perform a piece of music, or are there just better ways than others?

2) Who's to say which way is right or wrong?

3) Is the way a composer writes a piece of music the only way it can be played, or should you be able to change it slightly to make it yours?

4) Is too much time spent on making pieces of music sound the way professionals say they should sound, instead of sitting back and enjoying yourself?

After pondering on the ride home and throughout today I came up with several thoughts.

1) ????

2 & 3) I don't think anyone can say if a piece of music is being played correctly. The composer has in his head a specific way that he thinks it should sound. He writes in articulations and dynamics so that others can imitate the way he plays. Everyone, though, has a different personality, and may feel that something is not right. Musicians should be able to edit music to make it enjoyable for them to play. Just because a million other people play a certain song a certain way doesn't mean that you should have to play it that same exact way.

3) I think that music is much more interesting when it is influenced by the personality of the musician playing it. If there is something that you feel needs changed, go for it. You may be on to something incredible.

4) Music sounds better when the musician who's playing is genuinely enjoying themselves. You shouldn't put yourself through playing a piece of music you don't enjoy listening to. If you need to make a change to make the music enjoyable again, I think you should do it.