Article by Elizabeth Gutierrez
ubato
is one of the most important elements of musical interpretation
that we as teachers will introduce to students during the course
of their musical study. Knowing when to use rubato and to
what degree is perplexing enough to us as pianists, but how do
we as teachers effectively teach this concept?
There are no precise answers since the convincing use of it depends
largely on the individual performer's feelings and instincts,
and not on a defined set of rules. Young students will certainly
not encounter the art of applying rubato in its truest sense until
the late intermediate years when they become more involved in
the study of standard literature. Some sensitive students, though
without realizing it, may begin employing rubato to some degree
as they learn to add intensity and emotional expression to their
music-subtleties of musical phrasing, tonal inflection, and delicate
nuances of dynamics. Just as we take great care in introducing
these important stylistic aspects, we must also be very cautious
in how we proceed with rubato.
What is rubato? It is the means of bending and shaping tempo to
enhance the beauty and meaning of a phrase without robbing it
of its own basic pulse. To play with real artistry, one must learn
to take such licenses. Even the most subtle irregularity of tempo
can be enough to affect a performance and reflect one's individuality
in the music. In the early years, we can begin teaching young
students some of the basic principles of time adjustment-how to
give hints of rhythmic freedom that will awaken their musical
intuition and prepare them for even more refined applications
later.
From the beginning it is absolutely essential that students develop
an inner sense of steady pulse and a feel for
precise rhythmic groupings. Playing with "built-in"
quasi-rubato seems to come quite naturally to young beginners;
those who become accustomed to playing this way will hardly be
cured of this habit later on. Counting aloud, much to the chagrin
of our students, is still the best remedy for the successful training
of rhythmic feeling. This, combined with the clapping and/or tapping
of rhythms, reinforces an understanding of the exact duration
of note values and the equal spacing of time between larger pulses.
Diligent practice in these techniques both at home and in the
lesson will develop a command of regular beat that a student will
hear and feel even before the first sound is produced. Once students
are capable of playing rhythms in a precise manner, they will
eventually be able to play them in an intentionally-free manner.
First experiences in musical liberty occur when elementary
students encounter written indications of tempo change. Though
specifically directed by the composer, these markings should be
considered as first lessons in rubato, and must be taught carefully
to achieve a tasteful effect.
Ritardando and accelerando indications are useful for developing
the rubato technique of broadening or hastening the tempo toward
a special moment. In both cases, gradual pacing is the key to
avoiding extreme distortion. A student who can count and feel
a steady beat will have no problem learning to gradually decelerate
or accelerate the numbers. Visual aids can be especially helpful
in illustrating the point.
I have the student draw the following diagrams and then tap/clap
and count each line, being careful to acknowledge the amount of
spacing in between. I suggest pulse counting: "one, one,
one,"etc.
Students will see immediately that
rit. and accel. do not mean sudden changes in tempo
(which is often their inclination). As they track the vertical
lines, students become much more responsive to the gradual changes
that are so clearly evident.
Next, ask them to perform the examples without looking at the
diagram, and notice how much more carefully they listen. Students
may also walk the pulses as they count. This reinforces the physical
feeling of delaying an arrival to a destination or hastening to
it with a sense of urgency.
To clarify further, ask students to notice and describe some ritardando and accelerando characteristics that are natural to objects in everyday life (a music box winding down, a train leaving a station, etc.). The following elementary piece, "Alarm Clock" (Piano Adventures, Lesson Book 1, p. 50 by Nancy and Randall Faber, The FJH Music Company) associates ritardando with the gradual winding down of a clock:
Ask students to listen carefully for increasingly slower utterances of the lyric "tick tock" as they sing and play the last line. This will serve as a gauge and will ensure that their internal clock is truly "winding down."
One of my own elementary compositions, "At the Air Show" (The FJH Music Co.), offers the image of an airplane as it accelerates gradually for one last fun-filled climb into the sky:
In m. 45, "gradually faster" is used as an alternative
to accel. to accommodate elementary students who may not
have yet encountered the term. The lyric provides verbal reinforcement
cueing the student to gradually "pick up speed again"
during the ascent to the final chord.
True rubato calls for a restoring of tempo after a change. Numerous teaching pieces offer young students the opportunity to master this technique whenever a tempo is placed after a rit.
In "Sweet Dreams" (The FJH Music Co.), Christopher Goldston assists the early elementary student in creating a feeling of melodic expansion by writing both a crescendo and ritardando in mm. 23-24.
Have the student tap and count mm. 21-26 first without the rit.
and a tempo, and then with. Next, ask the student to add
the crescendo by counting louder. Whether tapping or playing,
counting a crescendo aloud will create a more even crescendo in
the hands, and will result in a more dramatic broadening.
The opposite effect of relaxing into a special moment is achieved in Nancy Faber's "Walk in a Rainbow" (The FJH Music Co.), mm. 11-12.
Here, recovery time is shorter as the student must resume the
tempo on the last beat of m. 12. Always have the student count
the smallest subdivisions in a phrase while playing (here, eighth
notes) in order to pace a truly gradual slow-down. A well-controlled
accelerando can also be achieved in the same manner.
After successful experiences with indicated changes in tempo, young students can begin gradually experimenting with their own planned changes. At this stage, the teacher should determine where rhythmic flexibility can occur and should discuss these not-so-obvious places with the student. The score itself often holds clues to guide the performer. Here are some starting points for the less-experienced student:
1. An
unexpected harmonic change can be highlighted with some lingering.
In this well-known elementary piece
by Kabalevsky, "Song," Op. 39, No. 8, a raised 6th (B
natural) is presented in m. 6 as a contrast to the previous B
flat in m. 2. Encourage the student to linger on it briefly, counting
a slightly stretched "1-and" and resume tempo on the
very next pulse. Exaggerating the crescendo in m. 5 will help
intensify the effect.
2. Appoggiaturas provide dissonances
that can be dwelled upon. Many are found at final cadences
in classical pieces such as the first movement of Beethoven's
"Sonatina in G Major." In m. 8, students can incorporate
a slight ritardando to both highlight the dissonance and create
a conclusive ending. The tempo should be immediately restored
in the next measure.
3. Certain phrase endings may require
more time for melodic expression or conclusion. Notice
the amount of melodic contour in both hands at m. 8 of Schumann's
"Melody," Op. 68, No. 1. Making a slight ritardando
in this situation allows the student time to fully express the
imitation between the soprano and alto voices. The faster harmonic
progression will also be more defined. In the last measure of
the piece, a ritardando should be added for a feeling of finality.
4. Wide melodic intervals may be given
some elasticity. In Melody
Bober's petite waltz, "Music Box Melody" (The FJH Music
Company), the B section begins with a large octave leap (m. 16)
that can be stretched to create a soaring feeling.
Lingering slightly on beat one of m. 17, an appoggiatura, can also enhance, but probably should be saved for the more emphatic repeat of the phrase at m. 25. The student should refrain from slowing the end of the previous phrase (m. 15), stating it simply, so as not to diminish the effect of the expressive octave leap.
Some demonstration of these techniques by the teacher may be very
helpful in guiding the student toward understanding the subtleties
of rubato and its appropriate applications. Various combinations
of these expressive devices may arise in a given piece. Tchaikovsky's
"Sweet Dreams," Op. 39, No. 21, a late-intermediate
work, presents such an occasion at mm. 5-8.
Notice the large melodic leaps in mm. 5 and 7. The accent on the
appoggiatura at m. 6 suggests that it could be held slightly,
and the same can be interpreted at m. 8 where a slight ritardando
would allow the phrase to resolve tenderly.
A student will eventually encounter many more places where rubato
is appropriate for achieving a desired emotional response. A teacher
must determine when a particular student is ready for such rhythmic
license, and must be prepared to assist him in making knowledgeable
choices while still allowing room for individual expression. With
careful guidance, a firm command of rhythm, and a good ear, nearly
every student can learn to deliver a more expressive and personal
performance.
ELIZABETH GUTIERREZ is Director of Keyboard Editing for the FJH
Music Company, Inc. Previously she held the position of Associate
Professor of Piano at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where
she taught piano and piano pedagogy. She is in frequent demand
as a lecturer and clinician in the U.S. and has given several
presentations for universities and teacher groups in South America.