Score Study 

I've been looking at some new music recently. I start doing this with some sight reading of the score and score study without the instrument. 

We tend to think less about music when the instrument is in our hands. This is logical because we are grappling with the instrument to create the art and sometimes the instrument and it's use become more important than the art the tool is supposed to create.   

This is why I like to study scores away from the instrument. It gives me the opportunity to study the music as music. I like to pay attention to all aspects, and really think about the best way to highlight those aspects.

Look at some of your scores and notice the following.

1 Images- What does this piece represent to your imagination. If it were a film score, what would it be? A king entering the court? A horror film? A mother singing to her child? How would that image "feel" musically? Do the scenes change? What about the camera angles? Let your imagination be free and write your ideas in the score. 

2. Texture- is the music very thick (like 4 part harmony- or full chords) or is it thin (maybe a single line or two lines)? Notice that textures change throughout the piece- how will you highlight these changes? Dynamics? Color? Tempo? Find something that highlights it in a way that you feel is best. If the music changes, we must change something to highlight it.

3. Accidentals - especially in Tonal Music. Accidentals are signs that something has changed the tonality. How are you highlighting those changes? 

4. Lines- where does a melody begin and end? How are you shaping it? What about the Bass? What about the middle? Does they have something of interest? Do the lines  jump around or are they linear? How would your playing highlight those differences? Many times you will notice that when one voice ends a melody, another voice then adds something of interest so that there is no "dead space" in the music. Pay attention to those "bridges" and highlight them.  

5. Rhythm- what is the underlying feel of the piece? Many times in a very complicated piece there are basic points in each measure that are really give the "grounding" to the rhythm. Rarely do all the notes get the same emphasis. Experiment 

6. Rests- are you doing the rests- if not- is that your choice and have you tried it with the rests? Many times a rest can give a piece an interesting rhythmic feeling or it can clarify two different phrases or sections..

7. Articulation-  Sing the piece with feeling - do you notice your articulation is different than when you play? It should be the same. Maybe the notes are shorter, maybe longer, how about vibrato? Notice the differences and adjust.  

8. Harmonic Analysis- what is happening in the harmony in general. Is it normal functional harmony, or are there surprises in the harmony like I- IV-V- iv. If there are twists (and many times there are) then we have to highlight them in some way.

I didn't mention some obvious things like- written dynamics, composers indications, etc because these are very obvious to pay attention to and most teachers tell the students to pay attention to them. Texture differences or rests are not as scrutinized but there are many beautiful secrets to be found for those who take the time and pay attention. The more you notice, the more you will know the piece in every way. We are like detectives, and we have to show the audience what we found.

Good Luck to you and Merry Christmas for 2000

Kevin Gallagher