Klarinet Archive - Posting 000285.txt from 2002/01

From: "Laurence Young" <klarinette@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Performance from memory
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 17:07:14 -0500

It's been my understanding from the numerous history of music courses I've
undergone that the idea of performing from memory originated with Liszt and
Paganini on their respective instruments. I think before that time (circa
1825) it was acceptable to play from the music excepting for opera singers
who would always have been expected to memorize their parts. Now just
because they were reading off the music they weren't to just play only the
notes on the page. A great deal more improvisation went on in that time
period. A soloist in a concerto was expected to come up with his own
embellishments and cadenzas around the already written music. Now I have
never been asked to memorize anything except piano pieces for performance.
I have even seen professionals perform with music either as an aid (that is
with the music just there as a reminder) or as a firm reminder of the music.
I imagine this is because some of the more recent repertoire is so
impossibly difficult as it is that I couldn't imagine playing it much less
memorizing it. Anyway I have always hated memorization as my mind is more
like to a sieve than anything else. I say unless there is some pressing
other reason, why memorize? Anyway that's my threepence worth. Hope
everyone is happy.

LEY

----- Original Message -----
From: "Allan Thompson" <athompson@-----.za>
Subject: [kl] Performance from memory

> I was just wondering if anyone knows much about the historical practice of
> performing from memory, especially as regards wind concerti. Did Stadler,
> for instance, play the Mozart concerto from memory, and was this the
> practice of the time? If not, then when did the practice start? I would
also
> be interested to hear people's opinions on the pro's and con's of playing
> from memory.
>
> Allan Thompson
> athompson@-----.za
>
>
>
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>

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