Klarinet Archive - Posting 000293.txt from 2002/01

From: Alexander Brash <mactrek@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Performance from memory
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 18:52:07 -0500

My take on it:
One does indeed need to memorize these crazy modern pieces to play them
well. You have to memorize your part, and everyone elses parts as well. Yo
have to know exactly what is going on inside and every second. That being
said I ALWAYS use music when playing these pieces. Memory fails, and when
there are three meters going on at once, it is often difficult to figure out
where you are.
With regard to any standard rep concerto or solo piece, I usually elect
to play from memory. I find it forces me to internalize the music more, and
I've never found it as a hinderance to being spontaneous or to artistic
expression.
I don't ever play chamber music from memory: I think this is a "common"
performance practice...actually I've never stopped to think about why I do
this, just kinda went along with what everyone has always told me. Does
anyone know why chamber music "shouldn't?" be memmorized?

~Alexander

> From: "Laurence Young" <klarinette@-----.net>
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
> Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 17:07:14 -0500
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Subject: Re: [kl] Performance from memory
>
> 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>
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 3:56 PM
> 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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