I sang a piece in last week's concert - a famous Baroque recitative by Nicholas Lanier called Hero's Lament to Leander ("Nor com'st thou yet") - and my enjoyment of the work was the result of an important realization for me. I had started the month hating this piece, absolutely abhorring it as an ugly, awkward bit of convoluted 17th-century tripe. I'm usually happy to perform any music the director puts in front of me, but I couldn't bring myself to practice this one. Sarah eventually figured out that I hated it because I did not understand it. I admitted candidly that I have absolutely no instincts where Baroque music is concerned, so she suggested that we walk through it harmonically, and voila! Once it made sense, it became beautiful to me.
Intellectually, I've known for years how much a good analytical understanding of a piece contributes to its performance, but this was the first time it was hammered home in a conscious and conscientious way. I have unconsciously or subconsciously gained that understanding instinctively, or through constant repetition, but this time, Sarah and I made a concerted effort to cut to the chase, and I learned it much faster than I thought was going to be possible. It was an eye-opening experience, and I was excited to be proved wrong about the piece. It is a wonderful work of drama, emotion, and insight. Convoluted and Baroque, to be sure, but lovely just the same. I am glad Sarah made me work past my initial distaste into an appreciation worthy of the work. I am glad I was proven wrong, glad I can change my mind, glad to be learning, glad to be becoming a thinking musician.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment