Wednesday, October 03, 2007

practicing

I was working on a (relatively easy) Bach chorale prelude/fuguey thing yesterday, for a prelude at Mass.
I remembered how my (excellent) teacher had always stressed how important it was to have the correct articulation-it is what will make the piece truly interesting.
And I remember marking in my score (for a Boehm Prelude and Fugue) every single articulation lift of the fugue subject, and every place in the fugue subject and countersubject, months before my recital.
But I never could understand WHY he wanted me to more clearly articulate in those spots! He just showed me on the first subject, and I transfered it to every other place it came in in the piece.
So when I was practicing yesterday, I had NO idea where the appropriate spots were to mark articulations!

I need to go back to school...sigh.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My flute teacher also stressed the importance of correct articulation. I have a piece I am practicing, and I have a recording of it by a flautist whom I admire. His (the performer's) articulation of a particular section was very different than what was written. I like them both ways but they have very different qualities; I think the performer's interpretation has a more joyful quality. Still, if I were going to perform this piece, I would play it as written. Until I get to be as famous as James Galway, in which case, I'll play it any way I like...