Whether you have already begun playing a new musical piece or are about to start learning one, it is noteworthy to ask yourself several questions. Your teacher, instructor, or professor might already provide you with some background about the piece. However, researching a musical work can illuminate how it should be performed. Of course, having more information about a piece will not replace good old practicing. However, acquiring more knowledge about the composer, the period he lived in, and the reasons he composed that work can only assist you in mastering the piece.
Here are some ideas you can ponder when playing a new musical piece.
The composer’s name and the period he lived in, whether Baroque, Classic, Romantic, or Contemporary.
The date of the composition. In what part of his life did the composer compose that music?
Is it solo or with piano accompaniment or some other instrument?
Is your instrument the central part of that piece, meaning does it carry the main melody, or does the piano share equal responsibility in delivering the themes?
For example, I recently began learning the Sergei Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata, and I know that the cello and the piano are equally important.
Therefore, I will not play that piece like a concerto.
There are also many sonatas where one instrument is the most important, and the piano accompanies the soloist.
The difference already changes quite a bit in how the piece is performed.
Have you gone over the accompaniment and seen your part in the context of the whole rather than as one part?
What stylistic considerations do you need to make? We do not play a baroque piece like a Romantic one or a Classic work such as the works of Joseph Haydn, similar to, let’s say, Shostakovich.
We have to make the appropriate adjustments. Each piece has its character and reflects the period when it was composed.
What do you know about the background of the piece?
Knowing the story behind the music is highly valuable for our interpretation. One who knows the backstory will also have a good idea of how to perform it.
Some pieces depict a particular story, and there are many such instances in classical music. One such piece is Illyich Tchaikovsky’s orchestral work, Romeo and Juliet.
Have you listened to the piece a few times? I would not recommend listening to the piece every day or all the time, but it is a good idea to listen to it a few times before diving into the practice process to get a picture of the work ahead of you. For instance, I had not played the Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata before, so I listened to several performances to see how the piece should sound.
Have you made some mental notes on the number of movements and the form of the music? Any Rondos or Scherzos? What are the tempos set in the movements? You can include the key signatures and the harmonies in your analysis.
Having said all this, again, you can always go back and determine this information. I have done further research before as I was already working on a particular piece. However, being aware and understanding the music at hand will provide a better ground for success.
Are there any other considerations you make that help you achieve your practice goals? Please share them in the comments below.
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