Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Classical Piano - It's About Control

Do you know how long this woman spent learning how to play this piece? I don't either. But I can pretty much guarantee you it took a few years. Much feedback about 'how' to play it was probably also offered. You see ... it's all about 'control' in the classical piano world.

You have to control your velocity, dynamics, tone, etc. And for what? So you can get to play other people's music? Absurd in my opinion. And also a waste of time. Yes, the music is good and worthy of preserving. But we already have many, many recordings by those who've spent their entire lives trying to 'perfect' their playing.

Where's the need for one's own creative output? Usually, it's squashed out of you at a very early age. It's a tradegy that happens all the time.

2 comments:

  1. I enjoyed this version and the way I see it the more you can control or perhaps manipulate or use are better words your velocity, dynamics, tone etc, the more you can be free to play expressively and intuitively. Imagine playing this or trying to create music like this when you haven't got the skill, it is frustrating and limits your expression.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous6:50 PM

    boy does this bring back some painful memories. I was classically trained for 10 years before finally walking out on it. Just got to hating playing piano because I never felt good enough...by the time I would learn a piece I had played it so much I hated hearing it. And even when I did find a composition I liked there were parts of it where I would say to myself, I wouldn't have written it this way. Not to mention the hours of practice to keep my playing up to par. It is so freeing and satisfying to be finally playing my own material...I will never go back.

    ReplyDelete