Walter Gieseking felt that thoroughness and keen observation were the keys to studying everything. He applied the rigor of a scientist to music. In the book he co-authored with Karl Leimer, Piano Technique, he devotes two pages to advising students how to approach the first six bars of Bach's first Two-Part Invention, known to all piano students. He suggests noting such details as the distance between each pair of notes in a given phrase (such as C downward to A being a musical interval of a third, skipping the B), analyzing the touch to be applied and the manner of connecting notes (smoothly or with separation). He also emphasizes that the student should learn to visualize the piece--i.e., be able to see the piece in our heads, be aware of the structure of the piece, and grasp an understanding of what the piece should sound like.
Funny how often the word "visualization" comes up these days, even though Gieseking was writing in the 1930's. It seems that proper visualization is a means of ordering and directing our lives and the events that flow through them. The power of visualization should never be underestimated. Just tonight I attended a wonderful talk on the current health-food trend of eating raw, uncooked fruits and vegetables. The speaker, whose vibrant health was an excellent testimony to the power of the method, indicated in passing that this system of eating worked best if people "saw" themselves benefiting from it. He also noted emphatically that negative thoughts and emotions can, over time, impact the body as much or more than eating toxic foodstuffs. (This guy made me re-commit myself to healthful eating--and thinking! I'm a strict vegetarian, but now want to be even more careful.)
Some readers have commented that Gieseking's method would make them more nervous about performing, not less, which is the total opposite of what he wanted to achieve. They feel being so acutely aware of the music would make them freeze up, perhaps like a diver who freezes in fright at the edge of a diving board if he/she contemplates the movements of a dive too intensely, making them realize the many possibilities for error. I understand such a feeling, and have felt it myself, but I think Gieseking would counter by saying his method asks us to delve so deeply into what we are doing that we become totally at one with it. He advised practicing each phrase very, very slowly in order to develop complete familiarity and ease with it. (This would require singers and wind players to make an adaptation for breathing, but over time they would come to practice with greater speed.)
I don't think Gieseking was trying to discourage spontaneity and freedom in a performance--just the opposite. Rather, he felt that memorization and flawless technical skill are the bedrock upon which freedom and spontaneity are built.
A few more points to make about this method in my next post. Have a great weekend!
Thanks,
Gary
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Gieseking Study Technique
First of all, a big thank-you to everyone who has helped make this young blog a success. No writer or performer can succeed without an audience, and the many visitors to this site have been a source of encouragement and inspiration. Feel free to leave a comment. All will be read!
Now to the subject at hand. The German pianist Walter Gieseking (1895-1956) was very meticulous in his approach to music study--and to the study of just about anything (one example: he was a keen student of lepidopterology, the study of butterflies and moths, having inherited the interest from his father, who was a professional in the field). Gieseking became controversial due to allegations of collaboration with the Nazis during World War II, although he was cleared after investigation by U.S. military authorities. Although his moral compass may or may not have been sterling, he nevertheless developed a remarkably simple, yet highly effective, method of studying music.
Gieseking outlines his system in the book he co-authored with his mentor, Karl Leimer, Piano Technique (first published in 1932, Dover Publications edition first released in 1972). Basically, his approach boils down to this: When you begin studying a new piece of music, you must study EVERYTHING about the piece. On the surface, this sounds like a classic "no-brainer", yet how many of us actually carry out these steps? Gieseking recommends, for instance, perhaps starting out away from the piano. You take note of the tempo of the piece, the dynamic level and ensuing changes. Each and every chord must be analyzed; the fingering of each note must be determined. Each melodic phrase should be analyzed and measured, carefully noting each interval between pitches. At the piano, matters of touch, balance and execution can be worked out. If it is a long piece, it can be broken down into manageable sections and the system applied to each individual section.
Anyone who has ever studied a musical instrument can immediately realize how daunting this system might be. Some pieces have thousands of notes. Yet, on the other hand, applying this method might actually be the shortest road to success in the long run. I can attest from personal experience that it certainly helps dispel nervousness: You know that you know that you know the piece.
Those who might say that Gieseking's method is mechanical and robotic, but I think it is fair to say that he saw his technique as only the first step to a finished interpretation of a piece, believing that all true creativity must rest on a solid foundation of skill and mastery. To apply his system to other subjects might require some adapting of his methods, but his advice overall seems solid and useful, regardless of whatever discipline we are engaged in.
In succeeding posts I would like to comment a bit further on Gieseking's approach, but the above is a quick snapshot. Thanks for reading!
Gary
Now to the subject at hand. The German pianist Walter Gieseking (1895-1956) was very meticulous in his approach to music study--and to the study of just about anything (one example: he was a keen student of lepidopterology, the study of butterflies and moths, having inherited the interest from his father, who was a professional in the field). Gieseking became controversial due to allegations of collaboration with the Nazis during World War II, although he was cleared after investigation by U.S. military authorities. Although his moral compass may or may not have been sterling, he nevertheless developed a remarkably simple, yet highly effective, method of studying music.
Gieseking outlines his system in the book he co-authored with his mentor, Karl Leimer, Piano Technique (first published in 1932, Dover Publications edition first released in 1972). Basically, his approach boils down to this: When you begin studying a new piece of music, you must study EVERYTHING about the piece. On the surface, this sounds like a classic "no-brainer", yet how many of us actually carry out these steps? Gieseking recommends, for instance, perhaps starting out away from the piano. You take note of the tempo of the piece, the dynamic level and ensuing changes. Each and every chord must be analyzed; the fingering of each note must be determined. Each melodic phrase should be analyzed and measured, carefully noting each interval between pitches. At the piano, matters of touch, balance and execution can be worked out. If it is a long piece, it can be broken down into manageable sections and the system applied to each individual section.
Anyone who has ever studied a musical instrument can immediately realize how daunting this system might be. Some pieces have thousands of notes. Yet, on the other hand, applying this method might actually be the shortest road to success in the long run. I can attest from personal experience that it certainly helps dispel nervousness: You know that you know that you know the piece.
Those who might say that Gieseking's method is mechanical and robotic, but I think it is fair to say that he saw his technique as only the first step to a finished interpretation of a piece, believing that all true creativity must rest on a solid foundation of skill and mastery. To apply his system to other subjects might require some adapting of his methods, but his advice overall seems solid and useful, regardless of whatever discipline we are engaged in.
In succeeding posts I would like to comment a bit further on Gieseking's approach, but the above is a quick snapshot. Thanks for reading!
Gary
Saturday, July 25, 2009
The Power of Affirmation
Today marks a departure from discussion of musical topics, but in my next post I plan to examine the study methods employed by the pianist Walter Gieseking, which I think everyone will find an interesting approach to learning not only music, but other skills as well. Today I wanted to share a personal story that I thought would offer much to ponder. Generally I try to avoid blog posts that focus on myself or my own family--we can save those for Christmas letters--but in this case I felt the following story would give all of us something to ponder. It is a spiritual story, and is posted, fittingly I hope, at the close of the Jewish sabbath.
Lately I have been reading a lot about the power of affirmations--short, positive phrases repeated over and over, like a mantra. It is perhaps a New Age notion, but such writers as Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) emphasized their usefulness in the 1930's as an enhancement of personal faith in ourselves and our beliefs, and, also, I feel the teachings of biblical Christianity encourage personal affirmation as a sign of faith. I have read and heard of some remarkable stories of seeming miracles that have been attributed to the power of affirmations and their ability to uplift our thinking.
This week my younger daughter Ellie (Ariella) went in to have all four wisdom teeth extracted, just as her sister Marisa had done last year. She was given general anesthesia, and the whole procedure went quickly and easily. In no time I was driving her to our favorite ice cream shop for something soft afterwards.
When I checked on Ellie later in the day, she complained that the anesthesia had worn off and the pain medication was simply not working. She said she was in intense pain, but didn't want me to contact the oral surgeon. She tried to go to sleep, but the throbbing pain was too great. As a parent, naturally I was distraught.
I was scheduled to go on an early even bicycle ride with a friend. On my way to the bike trail, I began repeating over and over, "Ellie is fine, Ellie is fine...." It was like a chanted prayer in my head. After about ten minutes I got the strangest feeling that Ellie really was fine, but I was afraid to trust my intuition at that point. I then called a couple of friends who told me they thought Ellie's prescribed pain medication dosage was way too low and that I should contact the surgeon or the pharmacist. At that point I called Ellie's mother, Joanne, to tell her I thought we should do that. When I called, Joanne told me that Ellie was "fine"! All this happened within a span of probably no more than twenty minutes after I had left her side. As nearly as I can tell, Ellie's pain vanished right around the time I felt the intuitive message that all was well.
OK, I know what you're probably thinking: this is anecdotal, unscientific--and will it work for bigger issues? Could the pain medication simply have kicked in after a certain time? You'll have to draw your own conclusions. But I find the timing of the whole affair very interesting. We all know that thoughts have power; this incident helped me realize just how powerful thoughts are indeed. I began thinking that maybe sometimes we need to clean up our thinking just as we sometimes need to clean up our homes and offices.
Next post--back to music!
Thanks,
Gary
Lately I have been reading a lot about the power of affirmations--short, positive phrases repeated over and over, like a mantra. It is perhaps a New Age notion, but such writers as Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) emphasized their usefulness in the 1930's as an enhancement of personal faith in ourselves and our beliefs, and, also, I feel the teachings of biblical Christianity encourage personal affirmation as a sign of faith. I have read and heard of some remarkable stories of seeming miracles that have been attributed to the power of affirmations and their ability to uplift our thinking.
This week my younger daughter Ellie (Ariella) went in to have all four wisdom teeth extracted, just as her sister Marisa had done last year. She was given general anesthesia, and the whole procedure went quickly and easily. In no time I was driving her to our favorite ice cream shop for something soft afterwards.
When I checked on Ellie later in the day, she complained that the anesthesia had worn off and the pain medication was simply not working. She said she was in intense pain, but didn't want me to contact the oral surgeon. She tried to go to sleep, but the throbbing pain was too great. As a parent, naturally I was distraught.
I was scheduled to go on an early even bicycle ride with a friend. On my way to the bike trail, I began repeating over and over, "Ellie is fine, Ellie is fine...." It was like a chanted prayer in my head. After about ten minutes I got the strangest feeling that Ellie really was fine, but I was afraid to trust my intuition at that point. I then called a couple of friends who told me they thought Ellie's prescribed pain medication dosage was way too low and that I should contact the surgeon or the pharmacist. At that point I called Ellie's mother, Joanne, to tell her I thought we should do that. When I called, Joanne told me that Ellie was "fine"! All this happened within a span of probably no more than twenty minutes after I had left her side. As nearly as I can tell, Ellie's pain vanished right around the time I felt the intuitive message that all was well.
OK, I know what you're probably thinking: this is anecdotal, unscientific--and will it work for bigger issues? Could the pain medication simply have kicked in after a certain time? You'll have to draw your own conclusions. But I find the timing of the whole affair very interesting. We all know that thoughts have power; this incident helped me realize just how powerful thoughts are indeed. I began thinking that maybe sometimes we need to clean up our thinking just as we sometimes need to clean up our homes and offices.
Next post--back to music!
Thanks,
Gary
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Talent Around Us
Just yesterday my daughter Ellie and I noticed a signboard in a local park promoting a concert featuring an eight year old trumpet virtuoso. It seems that there is no shortage of prodigies and talented young people in our midst, judging from their numbers here just in the St. Louis area.
When I was a young kid, I would have to fight against jealousy of others my age who displayed greater talent than I. Today I see things differently; those who are blessed with a phenomenal talent or ability can show the way to the rest of us. We can aspire to be more like them and become more than we already are. I recall a friend once saying to me that being the best at something you do brings the danger of complacency and resting on your laurels.
Probably sometimes we feel frustrated not because someone else is better at something than we are, but because we are not receiving similar praise and adulation. What might be worse, though, is a situation in which a talented person goes unnoticed, as I outlined in an earlier column. Maybe the lesson here is that we all deserve credit and recognition for hard work, creativity and making the most of the talents and abilities we have been given.
Today, sadly, many of our schools give praise and recognition where it is not deserved, as witnessed by the grade inflation that is rampant in some quarters. Accomplishment should be measured against clearly objective standards, not vague notions influenced by personal feelings. One of the great beauties of accomplishment in any performance-based activity, be it music, sports, realist art, or even a spelling bee or some other venue, is that the performance in question is judged against specific, verifiable criteria. This will give food for thought for many future columns!
Hope the above didn't sound like a sermonette! As always, I am interested in your thoughts and feedback. Many thanks for reading.
When I was a young kid, I would have to fight against jealousy of others my age who displayed greater talent than I. Today I see things differently; those who are blessed with a phenomenal talent or ability can show the way to the rest of us. We can aspire to be more like them and become more than we already are. I recall a friend once saying to me that being the best at something you do brings the danger of complacency and resting on your laurels.
Probably sometimes we feel frustrated not because someone else is better at something than we are, but because we are not receiving similar praise and adulation. What might be worse, though, is a situation in which a talented person goes unnoticed, as I outlined in an earlier column. Maybe the lesson here is that we all deserve credit and recognition for hard work, creativity and making the most of the talents and abilities we have been given.
Today, sadly, many of our schools give praise and recognition where it is not deserved, as witnessed by the grade inflation that is rampant in some quarters. Accomplishment should be measured against clearly objective standards, not vague notions influenced by personal feelings. One of the great beauties of accomplishment in any performance-based activity, be it music, sports, realist art, or even a spelling bee or some other venue, is that the performance in question is judged against specific, verifiable criteria. This will give food for thought for many future columns!
Hope the above didn't sound like a sermonette! As always, I am interested in your thoughts and feedback. Many thanks for reading.
Monday, July 20, 2009
How My Interest in Prodigies Began
Some years ago I worked with a young violin prodigy in the St. Louis area, and helped set up a few concerts for him. The young man had studied at several area schools, both independent ("private") and public. At the time I first met him, he was in his second or third year at a large public high school in an affluent area.
The young violinist liked his school, and seemed reasonably popular and successful there. However, I was dismayed to learn that his school was almost ignorant of his profound abilities; even the music staff were unaware, since the young man's studies were all completed out of town with a noted private teacher. I suppose he and his family should have made stronger efforts to sound his own horn, so to speak, but I suspect they were all too modest for that. At one of his recitals, the only person from his school who showed up was an English teacher--and thank God for her!
After having acquired several years of public school teaching experience myself, I now understand how difficult it can be to find time to support your students' outside achievements. However, isn't education all about nurturing and promoting achievement in all areas? What can we do to make schools more aware of the vast individuality and talents of each student? Perhaps the difficulty of so doing is one reason why home schooling has become such a dominant force in our society.
Not only do gifted students sometimes fall through the cracks in our system; sometimes those students who are challenged in various areas fall--and perhaps fall harder, with fewer options for rescue.
What do you think?
Thanks,
Gary
The young violinist liked his school, and seemed reasonably popular and successful there. However, I was dismayed to learn that his school was almost ignorant of his profound abilities; even the music staff were unaware, since the young man's studies were all completed out of town with a noted private teacher. I suppose he and his family should have made stronger efforts to sound his own horn, so to speak, but I suspect they were all too modest for that. At one of his recitals, the only person from his school who showed up was an English teacher--and thank God for her!
After having acquired several years of public school teaching experience myself, I now understand how difficult it can be to find time to support your students' outside achievements. However, isn't education all about nurturing and promoting achievement in all areas? What can we do to make schools more aware of the vast individuality and talents of each student? Perhaps the difficulty of so doing is one reason why home schooling has become such a dominant force in our society.
Not only do gifted students sometimes fall through the cracks in our system; sometimes those students who are challenged in various areas fall--and perhaps fall harder, with fewer options for rescue.
What do you think?
Thanks,
Gary
Friday, July 17, 2009
Still more...
When this blog first began, I had not necessarily intended to focus right away on prodigies--and I certainly will cover various other topics as we move along--but sometimes what we create develops a life of its own. (One of my first employers, Dr. Ted Lentz, used to say, "What a person writes often determines what they read", implying that what we create or do acquires the power to affect future actions.) I have found myself over the last few days still contemplating the achievements of prodigies and what they mean for all of us.
While in graduate school, I recall a professor who had read an article about prodigies. The unnamed author of the article noted that prodigies generally develop in one of the following four areas: music, mathematics, foreign languages or chess. Although I have no way of knowing whether that assessment represents a scientific sampling, it seems to have a certain ring of truth. I have also noted that, in music, the overwhelming percentage of prodigies specialize as pianists, violinists or cellists, more rarely as singers, percussionists or wind players. Is that because the piano, violin and cello possess qualities that inherently attract and foster prodigies, or is it because the physical skill needed to play these instruments is more readily developed by youngsters? (I've never felt any of these instruments was user friendly at the beginning!)
Have any of you ever known a child prodigy, or someone of any age who has displayed tremendous skill? It would be interesting to hear what visitors to this site might have to say on the subject. Prodigies are not nearly as rare as one might think--they are born everywhere, and in all sorts of circumstances. Sadly, their adult lives do not always bear the fruit of their early promise. Mozart is an example of a prodigy who did not achieve the same fame in his adulthood as during his childhood, but his fame was restored and magnified over time. By the way, it is not generally realized, but Mozart was not unique. Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn and Saint-Saens, to name but three, displayed similar greatness as children.
Thanks for reading!
Gary
While in graduate school, I recall a professor who had read an article about prodigies. The unnamed author of the article noted that prodigies generally develop in one of the following four areas: music, mathematics, foreign languages or chess. Although I have no way of knowing whether that assessment represents a scientific sampling, it seems to have a certain ring of truth. I have also noted that, in music, the overwhelming percentage of prodigies specialize as pianists, violinists or cellists, more rarely as singers, percussionists or wind players. Is that because the piano, violin and cello possess qualities that inherently attract and foster prodigies, or is it because the physical skill needed to play these instruments is more readily developed by youngsters? (I've never felt any of these instruments was user friendly at the beginning!)
Have any of you ever known a child prodigy, or someone of any age who has displayed tremendous skill? It would be interesting to hear what visitors to this site might have to say on the subject. Prodigies are not nearly as rare as one might think--they are born everywhere, and in all sorts of circumstances. Sadly, their adult lives do not always bear the fruit of their early promise. Mozart is an example of a prodigy who did not achieve the same fame in his adulthood as during his childhood, but his fame was restored and magnified over time. By the way, it is not generally realized, but Mozart was not unique. Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn and Saint-Saens, to name but three, displayed similar greatness as children.
Thanks for reading!
Gary
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
More on prodigies...
Hello to All,
In my last posting, I mentioned the pleasure of hearing young Rebekah Heckler, a thirteen-year-old violin prodigy from Godfrey, Illinois. Since then I have found myself thinking about prodigies, what they have to teach the rest of us and the best way to nurture their growth, development and happiness. I suspect that in doing so we might discover ways to improve the lives of non-prodigies as well.
The first time I heard a prodigy perform was many years ago, when young Hayuru Taima, also thirteen at the time, performed the "Konzertstuck" for piano and orchestra, by Carl Maria von Weber. The music tells the story of a medieval lady awaiting the return of her knight from the Crusades--lots of flourishes and emotion. I found witnessing such talent to be a haunting and spiritual experience. To this day I am not convinced that science can come up with a rational explanation for such remarkable ability. Someone once remarked that a prodigy simply has been blessed to be born with a remarkable mechanical ability, perhaps facilitated by his/her particular body type and genes. Anyone who has studied music knows that this response falls far short; the successful performance of a piece of music requires not only physical skill, but also insight into the nature of the piece, a sense of phrasing and musical line, as well as sound judgment of musical choices.
A wise lady with a mystical bent I once knew felt that prodigies were simply evidence of reincarnation, their talent having been developed over previous lifetimes, and I suppose this explanation makes about as much sense as any mainstream scientific explanation I have seen put forth.
So what do you think? Feel free to post a comment.
More on this topic soon.
Thanks,
Gary
In my last posting, I mentioned the pleasure of hearing young Rebekah Heckler, a thirteen-year-old violin prodigy from Godfrey, Illinois. Since then I have found myself thinking about prodigies, what they have to teach the rest of us and the best way to nurture their growth, development and happiness. I suspect that in doing so we might discover ways to improve the lives of non-prodigies as well.
The first time I heard a prodigy perform was many years ago, when young Hayuru Taima, also thirteen at the time, performed the "Konzertstuck" for piano and orchestra, by Carl Maria von Weber. The music tells the story of a medieval lady awaiting the return of her knight from the Crusades--lots of flourishes and emotion. I found witnessing such talent to be a haunting and spiritual experience. To this day I am not convinced that science can come up with a rational explanation for such remarkable ability. Someone once remarked that a prodigy simply has been blessed to be born with a remarkable mechanical ability, perhaps facilitated by his/her particular body type and genes. Anyone who has studied music knows that this response falls far short; the successful performance of a piece of music requires not only physical skill, but also insight into the nature of the piece, a sense of phrasing and musical line, as well as sound judgment of musical choices.
A wise lady with a mystical bent I once knew felt that prodigies were simply evidence of reincarnation, their talent having been developed over previous lifetimes, and I suppose this explanation makes about as much sense as any mainstream scientific explanation I have seen put forth.
So what do you think? Feel free to post a comment.
More on this topic soon.
Thanks,
Gary
Monday, July 13, 2009
Scott Mind
To All My Friends and Family:
Today, 13 July 2009, marks the inauguration of what I hope will be a blog that serves as a communication tool for us all. Nothing will gladden me more than to know that some of the words penned here will have stimulated someone else's thoughts, ideas or opinions. I feel it is auspicious that this venture was begun the evening before July 14, when France celebrates its independence and commemorates the storming of the Bastille and the struggle for individual and societal liberty.
This blog will deal primarily with issues of education, music and the arts--topics which touch all our lives whether we realize it or not. Over time, I feel you will be surprised by some of what you read, and may find your thinking challenged. Over time, perhaps I, too, will experience a similar evolution as I delve into new topics, and new aspects of old ones, to share with you.
Yesterday I attended a performance of the Gateway Festival Orchestra, held on the Quadrangle at Washington University here in St. Louis. The soloist was Rebekah Heckler, a thirteen year old violin prodigy from Godfrey, Illinois, who performed "Zigeunerweisen" (Gypsy Airs) by Pablo de Sarasate, under the direction of James Richards, the resident conductor of the orchestra. Hearing young Rebekah perform such a difficult work, redolent of gypsy violinists zingingly and passionately moaning through their instruments around village campfires, made me realize what education should be about: training us to appreciate our world fully, experience it fully, and hone our skills to their sharpest. I was not surprised to learn that Rebekah is home-schooled, as are so many of our most talented young people. Why is home-schooling so successful? What can conventional schools learn from home-schooling techniques?
More to come.
All the best,
Gary
Today, 13 July 2009, marks the inauguration of what I hope will be a blog that serves as a communication tool for us all. Nothing will gladden me more than to know that some of the words penned here will have stimulated someone else's thoughts, ideas or opinions. I feel it is auspicious that this venture was begun the evening before July 14, when France celebrates its independence and commemorates the storming of the Bastille and the struggle for individual and societal liberty.
This blog will deal primarily with issues of education, music and the arts--topics which touch all our lives whether we realize it or not. Over time, I feel you will be surprised by some of what you read, and may find your thinking challenged. Over time, perhaps I, too, will experience a similar evolution as I delve into new topics, and new aspects of old ones, to share with you.
Yesterday I attended a performance of the Gateway Festival Orchestra, held on the Quadrangle at Washington University here in St. Louis. The soloist was Rebekah Heckler, a thirteen year old violin prodigy from Godfrey, Illinois, who performed "Zigeunerweisen" (Gypsy Airs) by Pablo de Sarasate, under the direction of James Richards, the resident conductor of the orchestra. Hearing young Rebekah perform such a difficult work, redolent of gypsy violinists zingingly and passionately moaning through their instruments around village campfires, made me realize what education should be about: training us to appreciate our world fully, experience it fully, and hone our skills to their sharpest. I was not surprised to learn that Rebekah is home-schooled, as are so many of our most talented young people. Why is home-schooling so successful? What can conventional schools learn from home-schooling techniques?
More to come.
All the best,
Gary
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