News and Views
Helen Smith Tarchalski, Editor
Clara Schumann, acknowledged as one of the first to present solo piano recitals from memory in the 19th century, probably started the controversy. Franz Liszt is more routinely identified as popularizing memorized performances (reportedly as part of his quest for "one-upsmanship" or "parlor tricks") than as a pioneer of such serious pedagogical concepts as the master class. Myra Hess, Bela Bartok, and Stanislav Richter, the latter citing his choice being "in respect for the composer," turned their backs on the tradition in the 20th century, but performing from memory still survives as our standard.
Memorizing and
performing from memory are topics that elicit both fascination
and fear in performers of all calibers. It is one of the most
hotly debated concepts in piano pedagogy today. The topic sometimes
causes strain in music teacher associations as the differing factions
argue the perils or pluses of requiring memorized student performances.
Performing with or without the printed score is referred to with
a variety of phrases that can imply a double entendre, depending
on the reader's position on the topic, including playing "without
(or with) music," and "by heart."
Dozens of books dedicated to the topic (each of our writers refers
to one of his or her favorites), or including large chapters on
the topic, focus on all facets of the word: as an active verb
"to memorize," an adverb to play "from memory,"
and the noun "memory." Psychologists, learning behavior
specialists, and pedagogues, including the great 19th century
pedagogue, Leschetizky (who proposed a revolutionary method of
memorizing "in reverse," or learning one measure or
small phrase at a time starting with the end and working toward
the beginning), have analyzed mechanisms and techniques affecting
memorization. Entire presentations on memory and memorization
at music teacher conferences are usually packed with teachers
searching for advice to address and solve memorization anxiety.
This amount of attention to the topic indicates that memorization
and memorized performance are indeed forces with which to be reckoned.
Is memorizing
music helpful to the performer? Is performing from memory necessary,
or should it be viewed as an unnecessary tradition and burdensome
dictate from a past era? Are there occasions in which solo performers
should have the option to perform with the printed score, should
it always be an option, or should memorization continue
to be our standard? Would eliminating memory as a standard performance
requirement diminish the quality of preparation and/or the polish
of performances? Our writers for this issue examine these and
other aspects of memorization, memory, and performing from memory.
from Christine Mirabella's article
Is the tradition of memorized performance relevant today?
Must we memorize? Recently I had to make a decision about whether to allow one of my high school students to perform in a recital using his music. He was very comfortable performing a Scriabin prelude from memory, but his Bach prelude was not securely memorized. The recital chairman accepted the use of music, so I agreed to let him perform. Why did I feel a twinge of discomfort when he used music at the recital?
During my formative years, it was expected that all students and concert artists memorize their repertoire for public performance. Playing with the music definitely raised eyebrows. Over the years I have observed a more flexible attitude that places a secure musical experience ahead of the feat of memorization. Again, why did I feel uncomfortable when my student used his music?
What are some of the benefits of memorizing?
Developing the skill of memorization is extremely beneficial. It can enable us to better internalize the music. When we do not have the distraction of reading music and turning pages, we may have more freedom to concentrate on the interpretation and communication of our ideas. Of course, the pianist must have studied the piece in great detail and acquired a thorough understanding of the music. The student should use all the means at his/her disposal to memorize - the aural, visual, tactile, and intellectual approaches. One useful memorization concept is the mapping system developed by Rebecca Shockley in her book Mapping Music: For Faster Learning and Secure Memory. (A-R Editions, Inc., Madison. Wisconsin). . .
Christine Mirabella received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees with high distinction in Piano Performance from the Indiana University School of Music. She currently holds the position of Principal Keyboard with the Eugene Symphony Orchestra. Christine has taught as an adjunct instructor in piano and piano pedagogy at the University of Oregon. She is an MTNA nationally certified teacher and past president of the Eugene District. She continues to teach at her successful private piano studio in Eugene, Oregon
from Bonnie Kellert's article
Memorizing involves a multiplicity of processes
"Your assignment is to memorize and prepare this piece for performance." These words can send a music student into a state of panic. How do we prepare our students for this sometimes daunting and challenging task? How does the learning process affect the memorizing process? How can memorizing lead to a confident performance? Quotations from famous pianists to whom I shall refer are drawn from Dean Elder's book, Pianists at Play (The Instrumentalist Co., Evanston, Illinois), an especially worthwhile resource because Elder systematically asked his subjects how they memorized. Out of these comments and my own thoughts, some patterns emerge.
Memorizing and learning a composition are closely related processes. To me, memorizing involves more than merely playing a piece without the music in front of you. A previous generation called this "Playing by Heart." The music becomes a part of you, totally absorbed and internalized as well as committed to memory. When I ask my students to memorize a piece, I really have this broader idea of learning as well as playing without the score in mind. Memorizing also involves a multiplicity of processes.
Tactile (finger or muscular) memory is the capturing
of patterns as a reflex and is especially useful in fast passages
where higher thinking can't keep up with the details. This is
developed by repetitive practice; consistent, good fingering and
hand position; and is supplemented by previous scale and arpeggio
practice.
Photographic memory involves a visual concept of the written
score. Rubinstein said: "My memory is mainly photographic.
When I play, I turn the pages in my mind." This mechanism
is facilitated by good editions with clear notation and space
in the score for teacher and student markings. And Claudio Arrau
commented: "I advise students who have difficulty in memorizingto
use only one edition, to know exactly where things are on each
page."
Auditory memory, or playing by ear, is another retention
technique. And so is analytic or theoretical memory,
the result of taking a composition apart and putting it back together
again while being aware of, among other things, harmonic and intervallic
relationships. Arrau said: "I think the most important memory
is the analytic. To know exactly what is happening - repeat this
phrase, retard, modulate, know from what key you are leaving and
to what key you are going, know all the different voices, be able
to play the left hand alone by memory." This approach, although
time consuming, offers the most reliable means of remembering.
. .
Bonnie Kellert, an independent piano teacher
in Potomac, Maryland, regularly performs as a soloist and chamber
music collaborator, gives master classes, lecture-recitals, and
presentations, and frequently serves as an adjudicator. She has
won numerous awards and competitions, including first prize in
the Washington International Competition for Pianists, and was
a semi-finalist in the William Kapell International Piano Competition.
from Thomas Mastroianni's article
Yes, we must memorize!
The obvious answer to the question, "Must we memorize?" is "Yes." We would hardly impute learning to that which could not be remembered. In his book Memory and Brain (Oxford Press, New York), Larry Squire explains that "learning is the process of acquiring new information, while memory refers to the persistence of learning in a state that can be revealed at a later time. Memory is the usual consequence of learning." Learning without memory is rather useless.
But must we play without the score in public?
Perhaps another question that students and teachers would find practical is, "Must we play without the score in public?" It is best to begin by answering this question with a "No" and then probe to understand if there is any advantage in playing without the score in public.
In the first place, what is the score? The score is not the
music any more than a recipe is the meal. When we are hungry we
don't eat a cookbook. The score is a set of visual cues that stand
for musical concepts which the performer must bring to life through
sound. The sound is the music. Does it help to have these
visual cues on stage to consult while performing? Perhaps for
some performers it does help. Ensemble participants such as chamber
music players, oratorio singers, and symphony players regularly
consult the score while performing. Many soloists find the score
distracting and inconvenient to watch while rendering highly complex
muscular and aural responses that sometimes require almost superhuman
focus and attention. Even players who bring the score to the stage
often do not stare at it the whole time, but basically have it
learned so that a glance here and there is all that is needed
. . .
Thomas Mastroianni is known for his performances and teaching on four continents. He is co-founder of the Amalfi Coast Music Festival and President of the American Liszt Society. He served as chairman of piano and applied music at Texas Tech University, and Dean of Music, Chairman of Piano and Professor at The Catholic University of America, where he currently teaches as Professor Emeritus. He is a 1992 recipient of the Medal of the Hungarian Liszt Society. He frequently lectures on a variety of topics, and has published several articles on wellness for the performing musician, performance anxiety, and memory.
For the other Samplers from this issue
