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Often I’ve seen critiques in which it’s said that a particular piece of music is boring. I offer two responses. First, one should distinguish between concert etudes and etudes of a more strictly pedagogic nature. In concert etudes, musical quality has a higher priority than strictly technical goals. The composer is free to more frequently depart from the specific technique that the etude is intended to highlight. For this reason, it’s sometimes said by experienced teachers and players that concert etudes are better for showing off good technique than developing it. That’s not to slight concert etudes—does anyone want to drop the Villa-Lobos Etudes from the guitar repertoire? It’s just to say that concert etudes are of less use to the student who is just beginning to develop a particular technique. Second, people often harshly judge music they’ve never heard played well. Consider this performance. To me, this is a delightful little piece, but one would be hard pressed to like it based on this unlovable performance. The pacing is unyielding, dynamic shading is nil, and the attempts at tempo changes are laughably awkward. Hearing this performance, it wouldn’t surprise me if anyone dismissed the piece out of hand. But consider this performance. Suddenly this piece is more interesting. Details glossed over in the bad performance now begin to emerge. Notice the things a teacher can call to a student’s attention. How free can one be with a chain of continuous eighth notes? What’s an agogic accent? Where are the moving lines, and how does one convey them to the listener? Where are the tension and release points? What’s the overall context of the piece, and how does it affect the details? These two examples, bear in mind, are the difference between competent and incompetent performances. Imagine someone better performing this little piece—say a Jason Vieaux or Antigoni Goni. Also imagine it recorded in a fine hall with the best equipment and engineering. Does anyone doubt that this piece will show more of its full potential? To me, much of the negative commentary on this or that piece of music says more about the critic than the music itself. Even modest pedagogic etudes have their charms, provided they’re played with a sympathetic and imaginative ear. |
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phone: (216) 691-5949—e-mail: augustineregal@yahoo.com
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