Techniques of Expressivity in Music Performance

Main Article Content

Manuel del Sol

Abstract

Historically all performers had had the same difficulties in ‘making music’ because there is an innate variable in the act of performing: the expression. What do the performers do? The most basic requirement is that a performer should produce the correct notes, rhythms, dynamics, etc. of a musical idea’ (Clarke, 2002, p. 59). In this sense, we may define the interpretation as a mechanical process; nevertheless, an interpretation without expression is not musical. Thus, Erick Clarke clarified that it was also necessary ‘to go beyond’ due to the expert performers are obliged to transmit a musical idea and recreate expressively the score. This statement could be controlled and measured because, in an interpretation, one may observe whether the performer had played the exact musical symbols of the score or not, but the issue is more subjective when we value expressivity. Hence, it is not surprising that the psychology of performance has focused on the question of interpretation and expression with a substantial amount of research such as the GERMS Model (Juslin, 2003). Overall, it is hoped that this approach proposed here may contribute to a greater understanding of learning and teaching expressive skills in music performance.

Article Details

How to Cite
del Sol, M. (2020). Techniques of Expressivity in Music Performance. Cuadernos De Investigación Musical, (10), 120–129. https://doi.org/10.18239/invesmusic.2020.10.05
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