# ensemble playing



## henrikhank (Dec 8, 2016)

Hi!
I found some great musicians who will help me learn more about ensemble playing. I guess we'll only play non-classical music. As a pianist who's learning both clasdical and non-classical I find this a bit sad.

Classical keyboard playing (especially piano) doesn't serm very much suited for ensemble playing (unless you would play chamber music).
On the other hand I can imagine Bach on a friday night at his baroque jam session* (or whatever they called it). Classical is, if my understanding is correct, aimed at solo playing whereas non-classical is aimed at ensemble/group playing.

What do you as experts in classical music say about this?


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

henrikhank said:


> Hi!
> I found some great musicians who will help me learn more about ensemble playing. I guess we'll only play non-classical music. As a pianist who's learning both clasdical and non-classical I find this a bit sad.
> 
> Classical keyboard playing (especially piano) doesn't serm very much suited for ensemble playing (unless you would play chamber music).
> ...


I think you have a point in here somewhere, but it is not really worded correctly. Look at all the different orchestras and classical ensembles in the world...how can you say it is geared towards only solo playing?

It is true that in groups it is easier to sit down and have a 'jam' playing non classical music. But most of the time when you are playing in a group the musicians know the songs they will be playing ahead of time. It is the same for classical music only the music played generally requires more preparation time in advance to perform.

It is also possible to 'jam' (or have an improvisatory session) in classical music it is just that it requires a very specialized and/or high level of musicianship to do.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

For years the Boston Symphony Orchestra first chair players and a few others players in the orchestra, prided themselves in coming together to play chamber music. Luckily they made recordings. As the "Boston Symphony Chamber Players" their collaborations produced some of the best chamber performances available.


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## pcnog11 (Nov 14, 2016)

henrikhank said:


> Hi!
> I found some great musicians who will help me learn more about ensemble playing. I guess we'll only play non-classical music. As a pianist who's learning both clasdical and non-classical I find this a bit sad.
> 
> Classical keyboard playing (especially piano) doesn't serm very much suited for ensemble playing (unless you would play chamber music).
> ...


I think how we train or were trained classically in piano playing contradicts with modern training. Modern training has jam sessions that emphasis much about team work and collaboration. On the other hand, the classical approach stress the importance of individual instrument with correct technical development whereas working in a quartet or ensemble do not seem to be as important initially. Many piano players may not attain to the stage of working with quartet or ensemble. I think the concept of collaboration was not the thinking for many piano teachers. Maybe it is time for those teaching piano to revise the curriculum for modern piano learners.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

henrikhank said:


> Classical keyboard playing (especially piano) doesn't serm very much suited for ensemble playing (unless you would play chamber music)...... Classical is, if my understanding is correct, aimed at solo playing whereas non-classical is aimed at ensemble/group playing.
> What do you as experts in classical music say about this?


??? There is so much excellent chamber music for piano and various combinations of instruments - strings, woodwinds, WW/strg combinations....I've spent well over 40 years exploring this repertoire, and I still haven't covered anywhere near all of it.


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## MadMusicist (Jan 14, 2017)

I don't agree with the notion that classical keyboard is more solo and non-classical is more ensemble. 

Yes, classical keyboard music (especially with the invention of the modern piano) certainly has a large capacity as a solo instrument. However, this does not mean it is "not suited" for ensembles. There is plenty of music for piano as part of an ensemble. Earlier classical keyboards (Eg. harpsichord) are even more ensemble-friendly and ensemble-suitable. 

The reason you don't see classical keyboardists/pianists "jamming" in ensembles is not due to the nature of the instruments or their suitability for ensembles. Rather, it has more to do with how "jamming" involves some degree of improvisation (otherwise we'd call it "practicing" or "rehearsing"), and classical musicians don't do so in the way sense non-classical people do. For example, when my pop music friends jam, some of the instruments can repeat fixed progression of 4 chords while another instrument jams a melody on top. This type of thing typically doesn't happen as often in classical music, and it has nothing to do with the capacity or the suitability of the instrument.


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