Glenn Gould a Celebration of Musical Eccentricity

Cover of Glenn Gould

We should have been celebrating his 80th birthday this year, but instead we're marking the 30th anniversary of Glenn Gould's untimely death, in 1982, at 50 years of age.
http://tinyurl.com/cdxv6pe

a short portrait of Glenn Gould:Glenn Gould: Beyond Bachs Goldberg Variations

100% Glenn Gould would have turned 80 years old on Sept. Glenn Gould would have turned 80 years old on Sept. 25, 2012, would have marked the 80th birthday of Glenn Gould, and Oct. 4 is the 30th anniversary of his death. One can only wonder what Gould might have done had he lived a full life – he had many plans and spoke of them with customary enthusiasm – but I have no doubt that he would have loved the internet above all. Can you imagine an unfettered Gould finally able to remove the middlemen and record whatever he wanted, as often as he wanted to, and immediately share the results with his audience? But there is more to Gould than the "Gouldbergs" – indeed, more to him than Bach – and this seems a logical time to explore some of his other great recordings.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/09/25/160957849/glenn-gould-beyond-bachs-goldberg-variations?ft=1&f=10003

Glenn Gould still fascinates three decades after his death
100% Even those who consider themselves well acquainted with the celebrated pianists work and story will probably encounter revelations in Remembering Glenn Gould. Glenn Gould was a world class pianist, that is well known. For Carleton University professor and Gould scholar Paul Théberge, it was Gould’s talent as a recording innovator that is perhaps his most important legacy. 25, and in honour, Sony Classical is releasing a raft of Gould recordings, including one that offers a look and listen inside Gould’s vision for recording. In other Gould birthday news, a major conference is being held at the University of Toronto on the weekend. Théberge’s disc is called Glenn Gould The Acoustic Orchestrations, and it will be formally available to the public on Oct. 2.
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/music/Glenn+Gould+still+fascinates+three+decades+after/7292257/story.html

Glenn Gould
100% Glenn Gould was one of the best known pianists of the last century.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7534000/7534787.stm

Celebration of Glenn Gould's 80th birthday a sprawling, joyous, frustrating affair
100% There was something very earnestly Toronto about the Glenn Gould Birthday BACHanalia the Royal Conservatory of Music threw at Koerner Hall on Monday night: It was a big, musical stewpot that mixed styles and crossed borders in a way that was both edifying and frustrating. Its relationship to the very different geniuses of German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach and 20th century Canadian pianist Glenn Gould was tenuous, yet there was a clear common thread in the program. There were even some Glenn Gould Professional Students and teachers thrown into the mix to tie the evening to Gould’s alma mater. Despite this, the evening felt long – so much so that the audience decided it was time to leave before Gould’s own performance of Bach InventionsandSinfonias via a sophisticated digital playback system set up on one of the hall’s grand pianos. It was almost as if Gould and Bach had become an afterthought by the time the concert ended, which is a strange way to send the legend of the world’s most famous Canadian off into his ninth decade.
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/article/1261741--celebration-of-glenn-gould-s-80th-birthday-a-sprawling-joyous-frustrating-affair

Fans celebrate Glenn Gould anniversary worldwide
100% CBC Music: What if Glenn Gould had lived to be 80? Classical enthusiasts the world over are celebrating the life, music and genius of Canadian legend Glenn Gould on the 80th anniversary of his birth. His personality is so incredibly strong and everything that [he produced]," famed pianist Lang Lang, who is taking part in the Gould celebrations, told CBC News. The Chinese star pianist stopped in Ottawa where he got a chance to play Gould's early piano – a Steinway CD 318 – at the National Arts Centre. Lang Lang was also among a host of cultural figures who took part in a creative summit in Toronto over the weekend that presented new work and collaborations inspired by Gould. Glenn Gould celebrations are taking place around the globe.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/09/24/glenn-gould-anniversary-celebrations.html?cmp=rss

Glenn Gould at Eighty
100% Today would have been Glenn Goulds eightieth birthday. That perspective had a historical authority: the Bach renaissance started in the mid-nineteenth century, with Mendelssohn, and, by the time that Gould came along, the playing of Bach came through the filter of romanticism. Gould gave the impression of cleaning up Bach, of removing a century of distorting varnish and returning the music to its rigorous intellectual roots. At the same time, Goulds performance catapulted the composition itself into a newfound prominence, one from which it hasnt retreated. But Goulds devotion to Bach also turns his performances into something of a distorting mirror. Goulds love for Bach was formative and energizing but not always liberating (a terrifying romantic allegory).
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/movies/2012/09/glenn-gould-at-eighty.html

Our Earbud Solitude Isnt the High-Tech Serenity Glenn Gould Predicted
100% To listeners of classical music, Gould was an iconoclastic pianist, most famous for the interpretations of Bach that, in his day, stirred controversy for their relative strangeness. To everyone else, Gould was a broadcaster and essayist. Gould thought often about the relationship between art and life. I am the co-Director/Producer of Dreamers, Renegades, Visionaries: the Glenn Gould Variations, of which you make mention. Can you imagine an email saying "Glenn Gould wants to be your friend on Facebook"? I think not.Dreamers, Renegades, Visionaries: the Glenn Gould Variations was meant to celebrate the legacy of Gould.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2012/09/glenn_gould_thirty_years_birth_earbud_solitude.php

Glenn Gould's legacy earns broad tribute on 80 th birthday
100% The first time filmmaker Norman Jewison saw Glenn Gould play the piano, they were both little kids. Gould, who was probably about 7 at the time, was to play God Save the King at an event at Williamson Road Junior Public School. There are two full days of events at the University of Torontos Convocation Hall with an eclectic list of speakers from Jewison and 13-year-old pianist Anastasia Rizikov to world-famous pianist Lang Lang, who will play on Goulds refurbished piano. The conference is titled Dreamers Renegades Visionaries: The Glenn Gould Variations, for the renowned musician who died in 1982 at age 50. David Daniels, executive producer, explains the wild roster of speakers is an attempt to reach out beyond the small group of Glenn Gould classical music fanatics. The need to write daily (she is working on two plays and a novel) is an organic urge in me, she says a compulsion she likely shared with Gould.
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/article/1259108--glenn-gould-s-legacy-earns-broad-tribute-on-80-th-birthday

Glenn Gould: a wilfully idiotic genius?
100% It's 30 years since the death of Glenn Gould, but the pianist still provokes strong reactions. Glenn Gould, hunched over his piano in characteristic form, during the recording of his 1955 reading of the Goldberg Variations. It's no surprise that this record launched the myth of Gould as much as it signalled the start of his career, but no one could have predicted the effect this young Canadian pianist would have on music. Lauded the world over – his tour to Russia in 1957 is still remembered fondly by Vladimir Ashkenazy and by everyone else who packed out the concert halls to hear him – Gould none the less seemed to steadily retreat from public view. In what would have been his 80th year, we asked leading pianists what Gould means to them. Glenn Gould was an unavoidable presence when I was growing up in Ottowa.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/sep/20/glenn-gould-wilfully-idiotic-genius

The meaning of Glenn Gould
100% If Glenn Gould were alive today, he would be celebrating his 80th birthday, posting to his blog, releasing another podcast and figuring out how to license downloads of his recordings. Pianist Jan Lisiecki plays Glen Gould's CD 318 piano at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, June 20, 2012. The multifaceted Gould is a kind of Rorschach test for Canadians. Gonzales is one of many participants at a gathering this weekend at the University of Toronto that marks the 80th anniversary of Gould’s birth. It is the forward-looking Gould who is mainly on display at the event – entitled Dreamers, Renegades, Visionaries: the Glenn Gould Variations – which is infused with the belief that Gould not only predicted but would also heartily endorse our interactive culture of downloading, sampling and remixing. “Glenn now could spend the morning working on a piece, record it in the afternoon, and send it out to his admirers in the evening.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/the-meaning-of-glenn-gould/article4559535/?cmpid=rss1

Experience the genius of Glenn Gould
100% We should have been celebrating his eightieth birthday this year, but instead we’re marking the thirtieth anniversary of Glen Gould's untimely death, in 1982, at 50 years of age. Pianist Glenn Gould was Canada's greatest gift to the world of classical music. We should have been celebrating his 80th birthday this year, but instead we're marking the 30th anniversary of Glenn Gould's untimely death, in 1982, at 50 years of age. I spoke to Glenn in 1958 and said that if he did the Brahms First Piano Concerto it would be so great. "Glenn agreed to visit a veterans' hospital during his stay," Feldbrill continued. Don Andersonisoffering a five week music appreciation course on Gould beginning next week.
http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/scene/music/2012/09/25/glenn-gould/

Winnipeg Symphony releases disc with Glenn Gould
100% She played viola in the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for the 1959 performance of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1, with Glenn Gould as soloist. He had already had a long musical relationship with Gould, performing with him on a number of occasions. Feldbrill wanted Gould to open the 1959 WSO season and invited him to play the Brahms. The work wasn't in Gould's repertoire, but the pianist jumped at the chance anyway. I felt very strongly that Glenn and I really meshed in how we felt about the music and there were actually no problems. Listen to Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor (excerpt) on CBC Music with Glenn Gould and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Victor Feldbrill .
http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/scene/music/2012/09/19/winnipeg-symphony-orchestra-releases-disc-with-glenn-gould/?cmp=rss

Glenn Gould Foundation Calls for Nominations for Tenth Glenn Gould Prize
100% Glenn Gould Foundation Calls for Nominations for Tenth Glenn Gould Prize - Yahoo! 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Today, as the 80th anniversary of Glenn Goulds birthday is celebrated around the globe, the Glenn Gould Foundation invites the public to nominate individuals who have demonstrated a lifetime of extraordinary creative achievement and innovation for the Tenth Glenn Gould Prize. The Glenn Gould Foundation honours Glenn Goulds spirit and legacy by celebrating brilliance, promoting creativity and transforming lives through the power of music and the arts with the Foundations signature activities, including The Glenn Gould Prize.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/glenn-gould-foundation-calls-nominations-111500605.html

A bona-fide Gould-inspired app
100% Inspired by Glenn Gould’s fantasy of a kit of recorded elements that would allow the listener to become a composer, the Piano Invention app allows the user to create their own compositions using pre-recorded chords, notes and short motifs from famous classical compositions. Pianist Jan Lisiecki plays Glen Gould's CD 318 piano at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, June 20, 2012. Today’s digital culture fulfills Gould’s prediction; but to date, sampling is usually limited to popular music. “The second I saw it, I said ‘This is what Gould was talking about,’ ” Elder says of the software. Of course, Gould disliked the Romantic composers and, notoriously, would not play Chopin: Elder stresses that the technology is inspired by Gould but does not feature his recordings nor music he would necessarily have liked. “I think Gould was saying we need to bring improvisation and creation back into music-making,” Elder says.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/a-bona-fide-gould-inspired-app/article4561454/

The Toronto Globe and Mail 09/22/12
100% "The multifaceted Gould is a kind of Rorschach test for Canadians.
http://www.artsjournal.com/artsjournal1/2012/09/what_does_glenn.shtml

Just Another Day In 1955, When Glenn Gould Was Changing Everything
100% Outtakes from these sessions ... suggest that in 1955 he used the studio in the opposite way: to maximize risk-taking, to push each of the short pieces that make up Bachs Goldberg Variations to its furthest physical, musical, spiritual extreme.Arts Journal - Sep 09 08:30am
http://www.artsjournal.com/artsjournal1/2012/09/just_another_da.shtml

Good as Gould
100% Glenn Gould performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 1959, conducted by Victor Feldbrill, centre. Recorded Oct. 8, 1959, Glenn Gould performs Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. 21-22) is the launch of three limited-edition CDs, including a live recording of the WSO with eccentric Canadian pianist Glenn Gould -- from Oct. 8, 1959. The CD, which Winnipeggers can purchase for $20 (taxes included), features Gould's first performance of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1. This year marks the 80th anniversary of Gould's birth (on Sept. It was then-conductor Victor Feldbrill, who studied with Gould at the University of Toronto, who brought the piano prodigy to Winnipeg as a guest artist.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/music/good-as-gould-170464296.html?story=Good%20as%20Gould

The Guardian (UK) 09/20/12
100% "It's 30 years since the death of Glenn Gould, but the pianist still provokes strong reactions. So how do today's top players assess his legacy?" Insights from Stephen Hough, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Steven Osborne, Francesco Piemontesi, and Angela Hewitt (who grew up hearing Gould on CBC Radio).
http://www.artsjournal.com/artsjournal1/2012/09/what_do_pianist.shtml

Today in Toronto: Dinosaur Jr., Glenn Gould’s Birthday BACHanalia and more
100% Glenn Goulds Birthday BACHanalia The legendary Canadian pianist would likely have been okay with a little punning on the name of the composer with whom he’s most associated.
http://www.torontolife.com/daily/hype/to-do-list/2012/09/24/toronto-events-sep-24/

Glenn Gould Plays Bach
100% 15,19,29/81 (NY [Gould/Carter] (09/02/82) Glenn Gould Plays Bach, No. ... Jacket Collection: Glenn Gould Plays Bach (Sony 64226, 1999), 5. The way Glenn Gould plays Bach is remarkably different ...
http://0.r.msn.com/?ld=4vzlEEgKYq5n2CdkfqrwUJkOH0mFZIxP21dSbc5Q1OchTXBjUlm04edMIpmhSaasOKnA_9Nk8uL4hlE2oPkr3D91xfvHZrtzlcwLYOldoerLvfnNP4nnXiN6WS2KIhGY8qz9GwAuhia6v4DdMT-D3mISqdCMRIPpAhYqgvkQEtpMdQxPR7hj1lsJ014eCBfsgczxuP31ssCdl2gHEHUYKdPgooU_5bmybTiIOrtOG9OO5ufBMygEqS85QgpkWVeMCvHgdRH3iqAUb4FLDn9WcTvAxCVQX77UJ-f3zz_DhC3DfGOiL169QSWP2I7EICjLc0g8RCTkjQ6ENI9DRnLCiWThbwUs0QJmNzPZKMY6tPjPq-qVrn2N9LOQp2MWsSEupU1KSEa8j67tYm

Gould tribute
100% Join University of Regina Conservatory of Performing Arts faculty newcomer, Penny Johnson on Tuesday and Friday at 7: 30 p.m., for two all-Bach piano recitals honouring legendary Canadian pianist Glenn Gould.
http://www.leaderpost.com/Gould+tribute/7288355/story.html

Related articles

• Poll: Was Glenn Gould a Visionary or an Eccentric?
• Glenn Gould's Five Most-Watched YouTube Videos
• Fans celebrate Glenn Gould anniversary worldwide

Bach Brandenburg Concerto 2, 3.movement, including repeat Bis - YouTube

Bach Brandenburg Concerto 2, 3.movement, including repeat Bis - YouTube

Bach Brandenburg Concerto 2, 3.movement.
Claudio Abbado, Giuliano Carmignola (violin), Reinhold Friedrich (trumpet), Michala Petri (recorder), Lucas Macias Navarro (oboe), Mozart Orchestra Bologna
Teatro Valli, Reggio Emilia april 21 2007

Top Comments

I love how, ending the encore, Reinhold cannot resist the trumpeter's natural urge to be the center of attention, and ends on the high tonic! I'm a fellow player of that instrument (albeit miles behind), so he's a man after my own heart... Yet he's so classy, staunchly in service to Bach's music; and I could not respect any trumpet player more.

Gould Plays the Goldbergs Videos

Interval practice

Habits, where it comes to ear training, may be sometimes hard to break. But an ear is a terrible thing to waste. When you are able to unlearn your classical ear training, you'll be able to hear and identify music more quickly and easily.

Think of a a piece of music. How do they approach it? If they want to learn a piano concerto, it's understandable why they would be inclined to find the sheet music. But some classical pianists have even learned pieces like that by ear.

Then there are pianists like Glenn Gould. He not only learned the written music, but he could be heard on his recordings humming along with himself as he played. And what was he humming? Much of the time he was humming the inner voices of whatever Bach fugue he was playing. He had an acute awareness that he was singing through the piano.

When he hummed along, he hummed the melodies, not the names of the intervals. This is the first step in unlearning your classical ear training. If you're going to do interval practice, just sing the interval and forget about naming it. And when learning a tune, just sing it and internalize that.

Keith Jarrett, as many jazz musicians already know, also sings along with what he improvises. Though it could be said that Jarrett is hearing the music in his head first, creating it as he goes and then projecting it onto the keyboard through his fingers, it is much the same process as what Glenn Gould did. They both know (knew) they had to press specific keys in a specific order to get the sounds they hear (and heard). And what's more, in both cases the process far exceeded the necessity to consciously slow it down in order to 'find' the correct piano key to press.

Start by developing your . Play middle C on the piano. Keeping that pitch in your head, go to the grocery store and pick up your groceries. See if you keep that pitch in your head the whole time you're there. Of course, be careful while driving on the way - simultaneously keep focused on the road and what's in front of you. On second thought, maybe just try it while walking around the house for half an hour.

Then begin to internalize your singing. Think of a single note melody you would like to play on the piano. Sing the melody, focus on it. Pick a starting note. Then sing the second note. Imagine the sound, and look for the key on the piano that will produce that sound. Do this one note at a time; make it like a meditation. Know exactly which key you have to press down before you play it. Take as long as you need to think about each successive note and play it correctly the first time without 'guessing'. And if you find yourself wanting to think 'perfect 4th, minor 3rd,' etc., just clear your head and imagine the pitch again (without words). A little repetition and you'll have it!

Everyone who wants to unlearn their classical ear training say "I" and click here!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Waldis
http://EzineArticles.com/?Unlearn-Classical-Ear-Training-and-Play-by-Ear-(Without-Written-Music)&id=4866422

Prelude and fugue

The is generally referred to as the pianists' "Old Testament of Western music", also in Barenboim's fingers it definitely has an "Old World" condition to it. Seen in its entirety, the performance brings to mind Edwin Fischer's recording from the thirties: great pianism, frequently elegant playing, notable by means of liberal use of the pedals.

This is, needless to say, planets independent of the incisive, razor-sharp resolution that Glenn Gould as well as Mehmet Okonsar brought to these works. As opposed to concentrating on offering the spectacular complexity as well as polyphonic aspect of those compositions, Barenboim is without a doubt more happy putting together a abundant harmonic texture to each piece, magnificently experienced on a contemporary Steinway.

I'm a tremendous fan of Bach. He was simply a fabulous genius and far in advance of his time period and the Well-Tempered Clavier is just mind-blowing. As an recreational piano player, I discover his music a genuine treasure. The complexity and beauty of his music continues to be so incredibly inspiring.

There is considerable records to support Bach's claim that he employed the Well-Tempered Clavier as part of his lessons, nevertheless the work accomplishes so many purposes that it must be an easy task to overlook its part as a teaching tool. Obviously, the most crucial feature of the Well-Tempered Clavier is that its full of sublime music from cover to cover.

The fact that it illustrates Werckmeister's "well-tuned" technique pertaining to keyboard instruments seems incidental to us all right now, however it was outstanding in Bach's day. We still wonder at the genius which expended each prelude and fugue using a unique musical style, drawing on a multitude of compositional processes to shed light on his students. The idea sounds dry, having a piece in every key in ascending arrangement from C major, however the result could not end up being closer to excellence.

Fugues are usually said to be in a number of voices or parts (the term voices may be used whether or not the fugue has not been written with regard to singers), which is, self-sufficient melodic lines. Fugues are generally in from three to five parts, however eight and even ten parts are achievable in large choral or orchestral fugues. Fugues in fewer than 3 parts tend to be rare, since with 2 parts the actual subject is only able to jump back and forth between the upper and lower part. The best-known illustration of a two-voice work is certainly the E minor fugue out of Book 1.

These forty eight preludes and fugues in all the major and minor keys have got very little related to public virtuosos, stages or even audiences. Like a lot of Bach's work -- especially the music written, or at least put together, when it comes to the ending of his existence -- the ''Well-Tempered'' makes statements, advances concepts, draws together bodies of expertise. Moreover, its lessons happen to be learned, and its particular messages attained, in the home.

The Bach preludes and fugues are actually, to utilize Schumann's well-known explanation, the keyboard player's "every day bread." All musicians exercise however rarely perform them. Wrapping one's ears and fingers around these pieces amounts to both an undergraduate and a postgraduate training: what things to make visible, what you should render as background, how to make the load of the finger interact to the control from the ear and so forth.

My commitment with the original issue of Gould's performance of the Well-Tempered Clavier was sizable however by the time Okonsar's recording emerged it had waned to some degree.

There was (and still is) no doubt Gould's awesome proficiency to managing, varying as well as diverse touch in clarifying textures through 'orchestration', however Okonsar's reading of the work and the eschewing all forms of obvious pianism remained (and remains) a new testimony to his faithfulness to representing this kind of music, as he observed it, devoid of seeking back to the harpsichord or forward to the nineteenth-century piano.

As numerous reviewers at that time excited, Gould's was a impressive success, yet the cautiously calculated however communicative as well as packed with feelings playing of Okonsar, along with some idiosyncrasies added up to an analytical as well as a human performance of it.

The actual doubts begun to find their way in, and retrospectively, with Prelude I of Book 1: the varying articulation of the last few notes of each group speaks of Gould as well as Okonsar, but what does it say of Bach? Echo answered, as it did to other, subsequent concerns.

The actual harpsichord cannot provide more weight to any one line, nor is there any proof that players of Bach's period employed severe variations of articulation pertaining to such a function, notably in the ready-balanced texture and consistency of a fugue; such 'painting by way of numbers' is an anachronistic imposition.

Amongst the currently available piano versions of the 48 Schiff's on Decca remains in my opinion the most effective and the most free from excess; its pluses and minuses were broadly mentioned. Keith Jarrett's recording (ECM/New Note) is all that particular may well reasonably desire. That both occupies simply three discs may encourage a few readers to purchase Gould's and/or Okonsar's sets, both amazes as well as irritates by turns, and also over which controversy will certainly likely carry on for a long period in the future.

Although I am a literary person and a novel editor classical music is always there when I work for publishers. As a side effect I started to provide some reviews and articles on a couple of classical music papers as well. My favorite Bach interpreters are Glenn Gould and Mehmet Okonsar.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_B_Summers
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Well-Tempered-Clavier-by-J-S-Bach&id=5978455

Harold schonberg

When asked a question like "how can I improve my playing?" It is my experience that most music teachers and musicians will answer "practice" or maybe "practice makes perfect". And essentially I agree. There is no substitute for practice, especially practice where the musician is wholly focused on the task at hand, concentrating on the various aspects of the music they are learning and listening attentively to their playing. Even musical savants with uncanny musical powers such as seemingly photographic memory and true perfect pitch must complete years of intense practice before being performance ready(1). One of the greatest pianists and composers, Rachmaninoff could according to Harold Schonberg transcribe whole compositions after a single hearing.(2) Even so, when Rachmaninoff decided to earn his living as a concert pianist, he didn't dare to go on stage until completing two years of further practice. Some musicians may brag that they don't practice much but generally you will discover they are either lying or that as an adolescent they sat up all night practicing while others were out mucking around or asleep. But what about the many cases of musicians who do have the drive to practice long and hard but never make the grade? I've even had musicians tell me they can "get worse" after practicing.

Most musicians must be familiar with hitting "walls" where they find they simply don't improve even with extra effort. This is a likely reason that many stop playing musical instruments altogether, becoming frustrated, overwhelmed and believing that music simply isn't for them. It's my belief that it's sometimes not mental will or effort that is to blame, but the method of practice.

Over the years I have occasionally heard an objection to the "practice makes perfect" cliche. Some people like to say, "perfect practice makes perfect". Implicit in this statement is the idea that the way you practice is important. Sure there is natural variation in all human being's physical and mental abilities, but in my experience anyone can play a musical instrument well with a little perseverance as long as they go about it the right way. Interestingly, researchers have found marked differences between the way amateurs and professionals practice.(3)

Our human bodies have not evolved to play musical instruments. After all, most instruments are fairly recent inventions in their current forms and continue to evolve themselves. Unlike language and other mental functions, there is no "music center" in the brain. Many parts of the brain are required to both listen to and perform music. Playing a musical instrument well is a complex task. A level of physical strength is required, fine muscle coordination and muscle control are essential and of course extensive mental training and conditioning is necessary. It's no good being able to produce the best tone in the world if you have no rhythm. It's no use having a well developed musical appreciation and emotional sensitivity if you have no technical ability and vice versa. A good musician needs to master many skills and therefore, to know how to practice "perfectly" becomes a very complex and difficult question.

Like most musicians, throughout my childhood and adolescence I simply practiced instinctively. The problem here is that sometimes you're instincts lead you astray. In my experience, most teachers do not give extensive thought to the finer details of how to practice. Most teachers simply tell students what to practice. However as an adult who is almost always pressed for time, I need to know that I am improving every time I sit behind the piano or get on the drums.

As previously stated, this is a very broad and complex topic but I'd like to share some basics that I've learnt from my travels in the world of music. For clarity, I have broken up this topic into three main sections: Musicality, technical ability and performance.

Musicality:

I have deliberately listed musicality first because in order to develop technical prowess at your instrument of choice, you need to know what sound you are trying to achieve. When it comes to musicality the most important thing to develop is your listening abilities. This may seem obvious but it takes time and effort to be a good listener. A large amount of listening to music in our modern world is done with no conscious thought at all, however as a child all the skills of listening to music must be learnt. Ever heard a choir of kindergarten students? They inevitably sing out of tune. Because their young brains are still learning the pitch categorizations of our 12 note scale. How about asking a very young child to tap along in time to a song? This is something that can be mastered at a very young age but nonetheless, even simple rhythms found in many songs using 4/4 meter must be learnt. Note how difficult it can be to keep tapping perfectly in time once the music stops playing. For most, sensitivity and awareness of harmony is the hardest to learn but deeply rewarding in terms of a listener's emotional response.

So to develop your musicality, all you have to do is listen! But attentive listening requires effort. Ideally, only listen to music without any other distractions. Try to listen to music in styles that you are not familiar with, and note the differences to other styles of music. For example, various types of dance music emphasize a strong pulse or beat, some types of dance music achieve a dance feel while overlaying several rhythms at once eg/ Latin percussion. Classical music often focuses on thematic and harmonic development, jazz music contains intricate solo lines and variation, pop music highlights catchy melodies. When listening to any type of music involving more than one instrument, focus in on the different parts of the music. For example, when listening to jazz or rock can you sing the bass line? Can you hear what cymbals the drummer is playing? Singling out the different instrument lines in a piece of music will also help develop your sensitivity to harmony both homophonic and polyphonic. A 4-part fugue by Bach is a fairly complex piece of music using four separate but related lines or "voices". It's also not the type of piece you will hear on most radio programs. Why not challenge yourself with something like a Bach prelude and fugue or two? Or perhaps a piece by Debussy or Bartok with experimental and complex harmonic development.

For advanced listeners, note the form and structure of the piece of music. See if you can identify the phrasing of melodies or motifs. Identifying repeats and variations will help you to understand and memorize the piece. By focusing on the larger structure of a song you can make a simple song "map". Knowing the larger structure of a song may lead you develop an appetite for listening to compositions with different forms and structure. If you are a musician, knowing the larger structure of a piece will also help you know where and how to emphasize the different sections. Note the contours of the music, for example, where are the climaxes in the song? Where are the loudest and softest parts of the song?

Good listening involves anticipating what is coming next. Your brain will do this automatically to some degree but you can help it along. For example, try to figure out how the rhythmic patterns repeat so you can predict them. How many repeats are there? It takes listening time and experience to develop a mental portfolio of musical conventions allowing you to anticipate the music to come. And often, the way that a piece adheres to or varies from your expectations will trigger emotional responses from you the listener. A piece of music may set you up for a perfect cadence for example, or for a return to a previously stated melody. It's often when these "rules" or expectations are not followed that a piece of music becomes interesting and more enjoyable to listen to.

Try to identify in words what exactly it is that you love about your favorite music. Music is so powerful an art form because it can reach inside you and somehow illicit intense emotions and pleasure in the listener. Music goes far beyond being simply "happy" or "sad". Subtle and beautiful emotional shades can occur when you listen to music you love. For example, I love music with a sad wistful tone, that is reflective, poignant and beautiful but I hate pessimistic or dreary music. Yet both could be classed as sad. I love powerful, energizing and dramatic music, but I don't like reckless, raw anger. Fully absorb yourself in the music you love. At this point it is helpful to do some analysis and try to identify what specific aspects of the music are combining to give you this powerful emotional response. The timbre of the instruments and rhythms used are important but particular attention should be applied to the harmony of the piece. Are there any chord progressions that really do it for you?

Finally, when playing music, good listening habits are not easy to learn, especially for young children and for amateurs at the early stages of learning a piece. Your brain is focusing on many different activities such as controlling your muscles, counting time, making sure you're hitting the right notes, relaxing and anticipating what is to come. On top of all this, you need to step outside yourself and listen to the sound you are producing. So whenever possible, shift your focus momentarily, pretend you are a passive observer in the room and listen. Personally, I find it extremely useful to play both the piano and the drums with my eyes closed from time to time. Am I playing it exactly how it should be played? Developing your musicality means being a perfectionist forever developing a finer attention to detail.

Technical Ability:

Music teachers and sports coaches alike tell their students to relax. This is the number one basic rule for technical development at any endeavor that requires fine muscle control. Often teachers simply shout "relax" at their students while the student gets progressively more tense. Obviously, you cannot entirely relax your body or else you will quickly end up lying on the ground, limp and listless. Relaxation is the art of relaxing all the muscles in your body that are not needed to execute the music. In addition the muscles that are needed should contract only so far as required and no more. The phrase "economy of motion" comes to mind. Relaxation is annoyingly difficult to master and it's something that I am constantly working on every time I practice. Relaxation is muscle coordination. Eg/ Are your shoulders hunched? Is your mid section or upper leg tense? While playing you must observe the state of your entire body. When you decide to play a note or hit a drum skin, you don't have conscious control over exactly which muscles your body will contract in order to execute the movement. While you may not have full conscious control, when practicing you are conditioning your muscles to move how you want them to move through repetition. Focus in on how it feels to play a particular passage. Experiment with different motions and keep the motions small but not rigid. Practicing quietly and slowly can really help with relaxation. Try to feel the weight of gravity holding your hands down on the piano keys or your feet down on the drum pedals. Often when fully relaxed you will have the sensation of playing from your upper arms or upper legs even though your extremities are where all the action is. Try to learn what it feels like to play relaxed.

One of the biggest differences between amateurs and professionals practice is that professionals focus on the difficult parts of a song and break them up into small fragments whereas amateurs waste time trying to play a piece from start to finish. Small sections are a great way to do many repetitions where it matters. In addition, you can often simplify difficult sections. Eg/ playing hands separately at the piano is essential especially when learning a piece. Or for drummers, try dropping out the right hand momentarily, or left hand, or left foot etc. When practicing small sections do not be afraid to play fast. Slow practice is great for relaxing and for fine attention to detail, but slow playing will most likely use different muscles in different combinations to fast playing. Ideally, small simplified sections of a piece should be able to be played faster than the final tempo you're aiming for.(4) In addition, vary the start and finish points of these small segments. A smart musician knows that it's often the notes around a particularly troublesome spot that cause problems. Eg/ Do you have a two octave jump before you have to play that long trill? Then practice the jump and the trill. Do you have to swivel from one side of the drum kit to the other before executing the 4-way coordination pattern?

Performance:

If you play an instrument, sooner or later chances are you will be playing in public. And performing in public is the real test of your ability as a musician. Performing poses many challenges such as an unfamiliar room or even an unfamiliar instrument, often no chance to warm up and of course nerves. Performance can be quite stressful but can also be a hugely rewarding and fun. The better you know your repertoire, the higher the chance of you and the audience enjoying the show. To perform well, memorization is always desirable. To help with memorizing try to spot patterns and logic in the music. Work out the structure of the song. Identifying chords and harmonic elements may help. Memorize small sections at a time through repetition and try to recall the notes visually in your mind.

To become performance ready, there is a lot of mental work you can away from your instrument. Run through the piece in your mind and try to imagine each note. This is actually very hard to do, but it confirms that you really know a piece. The renown pianist Glenn Gould would run through songs in his mind, singing and fingering the music on an imaginary piano.(5) Before the invention of the radio and gramophone, score analysis was much more widespread amongst musicians. It was far more commonplace to analyze a score and sing the musical parts aiding the learning of a piece before even playing a note.

It is certainly worthwhile recording yourself preferably on video as part of your practice. The process of recording is a good test in itself because the pressure is on when you press the record button. And watching or listening to yourself play can help you pick up parts you'd like to change or mistakes you are making.

Before performing, focus on the task at hand and take a few deep breaths. Run through the first song you are about to play in your mind. Realize that you are most likely a little apprehensive and nervous. Your heart is probably beating a little faster than normal and your adrenal glands may even be firing up. Take your time and make a conscious effort to relax. Once you have started, remember to keep focusing on the task at hand and absorb yourself in the music. Don't shift your awareness to what is going on around you and don't contemplate how you're playing. If you catch yourself drifting, focus back on the music and your playing. There's plenty for your mind to worry about contained in the task of executing your music well so simply concentrate on making the best music you can and you will be fine. It may take a little time before you start feeling a comfortable but generally most people find that once they are away and going, everything's OK and can be a lot of fun. Try to keep just ahead of the music in your mind, focusing on what is coming up as well as listening closely to your sound. Try to relax before difficult sections. Being too apprehensive of a difficult part is not helpful. Trust yourself in these situations, relax and let your sub-conscious take over. It's too late to improve now, you might as well have fun. If you make a mistake, never stop. The larger structure and the mood of the music probably won't be affected. And perhaps you can find some comfort in knowing that even famous concert pianists such as David Horowitz made the odd mistake.

I hope some of these tips have been helpful.

Tim S Robinson http://www.timrobinsonmusic.com.au

1. Jourdain, Robert, Music the Brain and Ecstasy 1997 p. 200

2. Schonberg, Harold C. The Lives of the Great Composers. 1981 p. 537

3. Howe Michael J.A. The Origins of Exceptional Abilities 1990 p. 92

4. Chang, Chuan C Fundamentals of Piano Practice 2007 1.II.6

5. Documentary, Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould 2009

Tim Robinson A.Mus.A (pianoforte) B.Sci (Hons) B.Tech
http://www.timrobinsonmusic.com.au

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