Exploring Interpretation Lessons that Encourage Expressive Decision-Making
Joanne Haroutounian
Exploring Interpretation: Lessons that Encourage Expressive Decision-Making is one of the supplementary teaching materials offered with the book, Fourth Finger on B-flat: Effective Strateties for Teaching Piano. Exploring Interpretation: Dynamics
My Turn
The editorial dynamics have been removed from the score in this exercise. What might be added through musical questioning and answering with your student? Here are some ideas to discuss to open up an interpretive dialogue and encourage student choices in adding dynamics to the piece. (Analysis – Interpretation Levels of Musical Understanding)
Learning Sequence
Ask your student:
◆◆ Which hand has the melody in m. 1–4 of this piece? What dynamic marking do you want to put under the melody? ◆◆ Which hand plays the accompaniment in these measures? Should this be louder or softer than the melody? ◆◆ What dynamic mark will work for this? Write it under the accompaniment on the music. ◆◆ Do you want the same dynamics or different ones for m. 5–8? Why? ◆◆ The second section of this piece has notes that are higher in pitch. Play this section, experimenting with different ways you can show a different mood here. ◆◆ After discussing ideas, add your OWN dynamics under the melody and accompaniment. ◆◆ Are there places in the piece you would like add a crescendo? Be sure to write these in.
2 (My Turn)
Russian Folk Song
Ludwig van Beethoven
3 Exploring Interpretation: Dynamics
Experiment and Choose
Very few of Bach’s keyboard works have original dynamic markings or tempo markings, so they are gems to use for student exploration and decision-making. The learning sequence outlined below explores choosing tempo and dynamics in J.S. Bach’s Little Prelude in F Major. (Interpretation – Performance Levels of Musical Understanding).
Learning Sequence
Ask your student:
◆◆ Play the opening eight measures mezzo forte and at a moderate tempo. (Or your teacher can play these measures for you to hear what the piece sounds like at a basic mf dynamic level.) ◆◆ Now the fun begins. To imitate the forte and piano options that were available on the double keyboards of a harpsichord, play the RH forte and the LH piano in measures 1–2, followed by the RH piano and LH forte in measures 3–4. ◆◆ Now play both hands forte in measures 1–2, then echo piano in measures 3–4. Which do you prefer? Why? ◆◆ Refine dynamics further in these four measures until you establish dynamic ideas that work for your interpretation. ◆◆ How should this piece be phrased? How much phrase shaping is appropriate in the Baroque style? ◆◆ What happens differently in measures 5–8? Which hand should be voiced? ◆◆ What about dynamic direction here? The choices are numerous: all forte; all piano; gradually growing through terraced dynamics; or phrase-by-phrase growth? What else might work? ◆◆ What mood or character did you create through your decisions?
4 (Experiment and Choose)
Little Prelude in F Major from The Little Preludes from Clavierbüchlein for Wilhem Friedemann Bach, m. 1–8
J. S. Bach
5 Exploring Interpretation: Mood & Character
Tempo Play
If you want to alter the mood or character of a piece, simply change the tempo. A minuet played at a healthy, allegretto tempo will be sprightly and fun. That same minuet played at anandante tempo will become lyrical and graceful.
Enjoy a bit of “play” with your students by using different tempi in the piece below to discover how to create different moods in the same piece. This lesson may also be used for interpretive listening, with the teacher playing as the student makes choices. (Analysis – Interpretation Levels of Musical Understanding)
Learning Sequence ◆◆ Play the Minuetto at metronome set at Œ note = 50 as shown below. (Or your teacher can play the piece as you listen.) ◆◆ Choose a word that describes this tempo in musical terms. Use the music dictionary to help with this as needed. ◆◆ What mood does the music portray at this tempo? ◆◆ Now try the piece at the other different metronome speeds (63, 84) and choose an appropriate musical tempo name and mood for each. ◆◆ Which tempo works best for this piece? Why?
Π= 50 Tempo name Mood Π= 63 Tempo name Mood Π= 84 Tempo name Mood
6 (Tempo Play)
Minuetto
James Hook
7 Exploring Interpretation: Phrase Shapes
Phrase Shapes
When making interpretive decisions about phrasing with a student, the learning sequence below suggests a combination of musical and verbal questioning to compare possible dynamic parameters of a phrase and how that will impact the mood of the piece.
The slow movement of the Clementi sonatina below offers an opportunity to explore how to show expression using different dynamic parameters in a phrase. The learning sequence combines teacher modeling and student experimentation. (Analysis – Interpretation – Performance Levels of Musical Understanding)
Learning Sequence
◆◆ How can you describe a phrase shape using dynamics? How does it start, what happens in the middle, and how does it end? ◆◆ Listen as I play this phrase for you in the sonatina above. ◆◆ Where was the loudest point in the phrase? How loud was it (dynamic level)? ◆◆ Did the phrase start loud or soft? What dynamic level? ◆◆ Was the last note the same dynamic as the opening note? ◆◆ Now play the phrase to show this same phrase shape. ◆◆ Using the phrase-shape choices below in measures 1–4 of the sonatina excerpt let’s explore possible different dynamic parameters to change the mood of the piece. ◆◆ How does the mood change when the phrase’s dynamic parameters expand? ◆◆ Which dynamic levels do you like the best for this phrase? Why?
Dynamic Choices p mf p p mp p p mp p mf f mf p f p
8 (Phrase Shapes)
Sonatina Op. 36 No. 1, Mvmt. 2, m. 1–4
Muzio Clementi
9 Exploring Interpretation: Phrase Shapes
Flexible Phrases - Melting
In the Chopin prelude on page 10, the phrase shape begins with more tone and diminishes at the end, as the repeated chords melt away. This dynamic shape of each phrase defines the harmonic interest of the prelude. In this lesson, you can decide the appropriate level of dynamic at the start of each of these phrases, bringing out phrases that contain more interesting chords. This learning sequence combines modeling with student exploration of harmonic sounds and phrase shapes. (Interpretation – Performance Levels of Musical Understanding)
Learning Sequence
To the teacher:
◆◆ Ask you student to notice visually how the phrase shape shows repeated chords “melting away” in each phrase in the score. ◆◆ Play only these melting chords for your student, keeping the pedal down to show how one chord can dissolve into the next. (chords in m. 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8) ◆◆ Now have the student play each set of repeated chords the same way, without changing pedal, listening for this melting sound.
Ask the student:
◆◆ How do these chords establish harmonic interest in each phrase? Which chords have more harmonic interest? ◆◆ Play the piece as written, realizing these melting chords in each phrase. ◆◆ To portray the mood you want, with what dynamic will you begin this piece? How will the first phrase be shaped in dynamics? Mark this in the score. ◆◆ Will the phrase in measure 5–6 be softer or louder than the opening phrase? Why? Mark these dynamics in the score. ◆◆ What mood have you created through your interpretive decision-making?
10 (Flexible Phrases - Melting)
Prelude in A Major Op. 28, No. 7, m.1–7
Frédéric Chopin
11 Exploring Interpretation: Flexible Phrase Shapes
Flexible Phrases - Momentum
This piece is a favorite of students because of the dramatic rise to the end of the phrase. This creates momentum and drama. Here students can decide on appropriate staccato touches in the RH, as well as phrase direction. The learning sequence begins with a modeling approach to encourage listening for expressive details. (Interpretation – Performance Levels of Musical Understanding)
Learning Sequence
To the teacher:
◆◆ Play the opening section of the Ballade for your student. While you play, ask your student to physically show accents in the air with a hand gesture of some sort—pointing forward or upward. ◆◆ Play the section again, asking your student to now physically create the undulating melody shape, in the air, ending with an “accented” hand gesture.
Ask your student:
◆◆ Is the last melody note of the phrase (A natural in LH, measure 9) louder or softer than the first note? How is this piece different in its phrase shape than normal phrase shapes? ◆◆ What does this shape create in the music’s mood? ◆◆ Now it’s your turn to try this idea, realizing accented arrivals at the end of each phrase. ◆◆ How can you exaggerate this drama at the start of each phrase (measure 3 and measure 11)? ◆◆ What type of staccato touch (using vocabulary from Chapter 15) works best here as an accompaniment? What dynamic level do you want this accompaniment? Write in these dynamics. ◆◆ If this music were used as a soundtrack in a video, what would be happening?
12 (Flexible Phrases - Momentum)
Ballade from 25 Progressive Pieces, Opus 100, m. 1–18
Johann Friedrich Burgmüller
13 Exploring Interpretation: Flexible Phrases
Flexible Phrases - Extending Phrase Lengths
This lyrical piece by Tchaikovsky offers students the opportunity to extend phrasing ideas to create more directional interest. The learning sequence below begins with teacher modeling, leading to student experimentation of phrase length ideas. (Interpretation – Performance – Critique Levels of Musical Understanding).
Learning Sequence
To the teacher:
◆◆ Play measures 1–8 for your student, using the idea of two short phrases and one long one as seen on the score. ◆◆ Now have your student play this section with the same phrasing. How does this create a sense of question and answer? ◆◆ Now play the repeat of this A section (measures 9–16) for your student, pulling the short phrases into one long 8-measure phrase shape. How does this create a different musical idea? ◆◆ Now have the student experiment with this idea, pulling the phrase shape into a long 8-measure phrase. Ask the student to add dynamics to the score to show this clearly.
Ask the student:
◆◆ Now play measures 17–24 (B section) with dynamics and arrival at mezzo forte. What type of phrase length works best in this section? Why? ◆◆ You can now make some phrase choices in the closing lines of the piece, measures 25–32. Which type of phrasing would you like to try here? (short, short, long or 8 measures?) Why? ◆◆ Add any additional dynamics to define your phrasing choices and the mood of the piece. ◆◆ Once you have practiced these ideas, you may like to record your piece and listen to it, to see if you are clearly portraying your interpretation through performance.
14 (Flexible Phrases - Extending Phrase Lengths)
Old French Song from Album for the Young, Opus 39
Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
15 (Flexible Phrases - Extending Phrase Lengths - Cont.)
16 Exploring Interpretation: Long Line
Long Line - Dynamic Color
The long line in this favorite piece is created by a continuous crescendo. There is dynamic growth as well as harmonic interest in this piece. (NOTE: Some editions have a long crescendo and decrescendo throughout the piece—your student’s choice.) This score shows no dynamics to encourage students to write in their own to reflect their musical picture. (Analysis – Interpretation – Performance Levels of Musical Understanding)
Learning Sequence
Ask your student:
◆◆ The Bear has no dynamics so you can explore your OWN ideas of bringing a long line to the piece. Create a musical story with your dynamic ideas. ◆◆ First, play the piece all mf to get a sense of a solid sound. ◆◆ What do you think the bear is doing? Would this make the music grow gradually louder or softer? ◆◆ Write in dynamics to show these differences in each eight-measure phrase of the piece. ◆◆ Expand your dynamics to create more color and fun to the piece. (pp – ff ideas) ◆◆ You may enjoy creating a poem or picture to go along with a performance of the piece.
17 (Long Line - Dynamic Color)
The Bear from The Christmas Gifts
Vladimir Rebikov
18 Exploring Interpretation: Long Line
Long Line - Crescendo-Decrescendo
This delightful piece is my favorite example of a long line created by a gradualcrescendo and decrescendo. An examination adds harmonic breadth through the triads working in sync with the melody in this piece. This expressive piece provides intermediate students an opportunity to realize the mood created by a long-line crescendo and decrescendo at two different dynamic parameters (p – f – p) for a dynamic effect, andpp – p/mp – pp for a sensitive effect. Students are encouraged to “edit” their own dynamic levels in the piece. (Analysis – Interpretation – Performance)
Learning Sequence
To the teacher:
◆◆ Discuss the title and tempo of the piece with the student. What dynamic ideas might make this sound like a sick doll? Let’s explore. ◆◆ Play through the piece, staying mf in the opening two lines (as suggested by some editions) and doing the long crescendo-decrescendo ideas in the second half. ◆◆ Discuss the unique structure of the “melody” of the piece, from LH to RH ideas. How does this type of melodic structure encourage a long line?
Ask your student:
◆◆ The opening two lines do not have dynamics. What dynamics might show the picture of a “sick doll” through sound? Add them as you experiment with different levels (p, mp, mf), and possible crescendo/decrescendo ideas. ◆◆ The second half of the piece shows two longcrescendo –decrescendo ideas that “pull” us along with dynamic color. Measure 17 begins p and reaches a dramatic f at measure 21, continuing f for 3 more measures. ◆◆ To create a gradual decrescendo, add your own dynamic levels in each measure of line 4 until the end of this decrescendo in measure 30. ◆◆ Add your choice of dynamics for the beginning and end of the next two short crescendos (measure 32, 34). ◆◆ What is the music describing with the crescendo and decrescendo in the last line? Add your choice of dynamic level at the peak of this crescendo in measure 38. ◆◆ Congratulations—you have created your own edition of this piece!
19 (Long Line - Crescendo-Decrescendo)
The Sick Doll Op. 39 No. 7
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
20 Exploring Interpretation: Articulation and Touches
Touch Choices A
The following example shows several choices that students can make following some experimentation with different legato and staccato touches that fit the mood of the piece.(Analysis, Interpretation, Performance & Critique).
Learning Sequence
Ask your student:
◆◆ Play the opening RH staccato third passage experimenting with the following staccato touches—up, scratch, toss. ◆◆ Which is most comfortable technically as well as easier to produce the deccrescendo in the music? Write this touch above the staff. ◆◆ Now play the LH melody experimenting with the following legato touches: rotate, caramel ◆◆ Decide which legato is most comfortable in shaping the melody with dynamics shown in the score. Write the name of this touch under this passage in the score. ◆◆ Now experiment and choose appropriate touches for EACH of the chords in m. 5 & 6: up (grab or touch), brush, place (release or hold), shove (release or hold). ◆◆ Enjoy putting these touches in place through performance and assess how clearly you played them by recording the performance.
21 (Touch Choices A)
The Little Party from 25 Progressive Pieces, Op. 100, m. 1–6
Johann Friederich Burgmüller RH: Toss or Scratch? LH: Rotate or Caramel?
Chords: Grab-up or Touch-up? Brush or Place? Shove-release or Shove-hold?
22 Exploring Interpretation: Articulation and Touches
Touch Choices B
The following example shows several choices that students can make following some experimentation with different legato and staccato touches that fit the mood of the piece. Analysis,( Interpretation, Performance & Critique)
Learning Sequence
Ask your student:
◆◆ Play the opening section RH alone, concentrating on dynamic color and awareness of legato and staccato touch options. ◆◆ Legato: Articulate or rotating wrist? Staccato: wrist, up, portato, other? ◆◆ Now play the LH alone and decide on added dynamics below the score to clarify balance. Weight into key at 1/2 or 3/4? ◆◆ Experiment with LH touch options: articulate or simple? ◆◆ Again, notate all these touch decisions in the score and perform the excerpt, paying attention to your chosen touches and dynamic details. ◆◆ Record your performance and assess how you did.
23 (Touch Choices B)
Sonatina in F Major m. 1–8
Ludwig van Beethoven
24