# Score Markings Were Meant to be Broken IMHO



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Gould had the right idea I think, it's the only way to truly be inspired and be an artist in classical music, unless you are a composer.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

"Score Markings Were Meant to be Broken IMHO?"

That seems a rather harsh assessment. "_Meant_ to be broken"? I don't think so. Rather, I suspect the composer had something in mind about his/her music and how it should be rendered, enough so as to include a score marking. I suspect, also, that composers know, going into the score writing process, that very few of their direction markings can be interpreted in the exact way they themselves might want them to be. After all, terms like _Allegro_, _Rubato_, or _With Passion_ can be rendered over quite a range of interpretational modes. I hardly think that a composer who marks a score movement _Allegro con brio_ wants the movement to be played _Adagio lamentoso_!

Or am I missing something from OP's post?

(I know that stage directions in play scripts are intended for consideration in the production of a drama. Greek tragedy and Shakespeare provide few stage directions. George Bernard Shaw provides plenty. Playwrights have various opinions about their directions. Some want them followed religiously, others, including myself, would prefer directors and designers to consider the possibilities, of either following the direction or casting it off in favor of a choice perhaps better suited to the script's current interpretation. But I've never encountered a mandate that the written stage directions (akin to score markings, I take it) should be purposely ignored with complete disregard for what they may be suggesting.)


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I exaggerated. It's not a matter of meant, rather, I appreciate when artists ignore score markings and really make a statement with a work rather than attempt to replicate the very subjective score markings, which when done with too much emphasis can result in something very stale and uninspired, which I feel lots of artists suffer from in classical.

A living composer who has a hand in the performance of their work can exert more control over the interpretation though, and I think that's fine. It's still inspired.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Gould had the right idea I think, it's the only way to truly be inspired and be an artist in classical music, unless you are a composer.


So in a score we have markings for relative pitch, duration, tempo, rhythm and pulse, instrument to be used, occasionally ornamentation and expepression. In standard scores none of these are specified very tightly. Even without « breaking them », there's wiggle room, even for instrument and relative pitch.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Gould had the right idea I think, it's the only way to truly be inspired and be an artist in classical music, unless you are a composer.


I think you will enjoy exploring this

https://challengingperformance.com/the-book/


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Mandryka said:


> I think you will enjoy exploring this
> 
> https://challengingperformance.com/the-book/


Interesting, *Daniel Leech-Wilkinson* I know from Early Music performance. He has written the standard reference book on the Machaut _Messe_, and is a specialist in that period. As far as I know he had been an exponent of period practice and doing your homework regarding Medieval vocal polyphony. But I can't imagine how his attitude might have changed so that he is now advocating an anything goes position.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Mandryka said:


> I think you will enjoy exploring this
> 
> https://challengingperformance.com/the-book/


I'll take a look when I am more in the mood for some reading. Thanks! You are always on point with solid suggestions.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

It's quite amazing how quickly my tastes in pianists has changed. I no longer prefer Lang Lang, he doesn't capture my ear anymore. Perhaps I was just superficially moved by his stage presence at first.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Captainnumber36 said:


> It's quite amazing how quickly my tastes in pianists has changed. I no longer prefer Lang Lang, he doesn't capture my ear anymore. Perhaps I was just superficially moved by his stage presence at first.


That happens to all of us Captain, don't worry, in the end the best adviser is you own judgment and...... ears :angel:


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Rogerx said:


> That happens to all of us Captain, don't worry, in the end the best adviser is you own judgment and...... ears :angel:


Thanks for the reassurance. And you are absolutely right, our own ears and judgement are the best advisors!


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Captainnumber36 said:


> ..... our own ears and judgement are the best advisors!


Spot on. We are individuals, and this is why we so often reach different conclusions.


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

Captainnumber36 said:


> It's quite amazing how quickly my tastes in pianists has changed. I no longer prefer Lang Lang, he doesn't capture my ear anymore. Perhaps I was just superficially moved by his stage presence at first.


When I was about 20 or so, I thought Glenn Gould was the bee's knees. Quite a while later now and while there's a lot about his playing I admire, there are others I'd usually rather listen to. It happens.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

dissident said:


> When I was about 20 or so, I thought Glenn Gould was the bee's knees. Quite a while later now and while there's a lot about his playing I admire, there are others I'd usually rather listen to. It happens.


He can be obnoxious. But, my point is to be inspired, Gould, I find, could be pretentious. Such a shame with that amazing technique he had too.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Actually I never cared much for Horowitz, to much of a showman.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Rogerx said:


> Actually I never cared much for Horowitz, to much of a showman.


His touch is a little too gentle for me.


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