To know the substantials and side issues of the piece you are playing.
Important, don't you agree? But too often practicing/rehearsing will not transcend reproducing.
Getting an overview
- Are there clear points of change and (as a result of that) episodes?
- If so: how many and where do they start and end approximately? We call these points of segmentation and sections. Annotate them in your score.
- Points of segmentation have grades. To begin with discern between three categories: big (V), medium (v) and Small ( | ).
- Determine with which musical means segmentation is achieved (melody/harmony, metre/rythm, dynamics, timbre, articulation).
- Are there few points of segmentation and as a result of that no clear episodes? In that case we are possibly dealing with gradual musical processes.
- Can we perceive change? If so, with what musical means and to what extent?
- Are certain patterns to be recognized in changes? If so, how and with what musical means?
- If we are dealing with gradual change, do those changes have a certain goal or purpose?
- Are things added, omitted, or stays the used material (globally) the same?
- What can you say about the amount of tension?
- If tension is increasing or decreasing how is this effect achieved (musical means)?
- Does the music move towards or away from a certain point?
- Is there repetition?
- If so, where and with what musical means?
- IIs there immediate repetition or repetition at a distance
- What can you say about time intervals between repetitions?
- Are there any contrasts?
- If so, where approximately, how big and with what musical means?Zo ja: waar ongeveer, hoe groot en met welke middelen?
- Is there variation?
- If so: how and with what musical means?
- What can you say about the texture (relation between parts/voices: polyphonic, homophonic, heterophonic, ...)?
Positioning the composition within the total output of the composer, his contemporaries and the musical climate/context.