Towards an integrated method for practicing: internalizing the composer’s language.

Pim Witvrouw

Name Pim Witvrouw Main Subject Music Theory Supervisors Paul Scheepers / David Kuijken Title of Research Towards an integrated method for practicing: internalizing the composer’s language Research Question In which ways can we use the outcome of an analysis to develop a practice method focused on learning the general musical language of a score, instead of just memorizing the right notes? Summary of Results Musicians who could very well play, improvise and compose wrote down the majority of repertoire, which we encounter as Western classical musicians. In conservatories and music schools often an attitude towards classical music is developed from a narrower point of view: learning and performing a score. There are extra classes in solfeggio, harmony, improvisation, analysis and counterpoint. However, the reality is that, for most students these subjects are not connected to their practice as instrumentalists. As a pianist, I don’t use all the resources I have as a theorist, and there seems to be a separation between these two practices. Might there be a different way to start practicing a classical work? For the purposes of my research I have chosen one piece as a case study: the first movement of Beethoven's piano sonata n. 31 (op. 110, in A flat major). First I analysed the movement and then I looked at what I can do with the data generated from the analysis. I developed some exercises in order to prepare one for studying the actual work. These exercises could bring theoretical knowledge and improvisation skills into the instrumental lessons and give the player a deeper insight into Beethoven’s harmonic language and use of formal structures. Further research is necessary in order to work out these exercises for more repertoire of all levels, styles and even instruments. It is my intention with this research and future work to bring music theory and activities in the practice rooms of musicians closer together. Biography Pim Witvrouw began his professional music studies at the Young Talent Department of the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven (Belgium) where he studied piano with Stefan Celen. He continued to study in the Netherlands at the Utrecht Conservatory, where he studied with Paolo Giacometti. In addition to this he studied musicology at the University of Utrecht. Pim is currently engaged giving piano lessons and music theory classes at the CKV-Almere. Since September 2018 he also teaches music theory at the Conservatory of Zwolle. In recent years he performed a solo program devoted to works of J.S. Bach.

2.1 Harmony

2.1.1 Harmonic reduction and improvisation

Preparing a harmonic reduction is often the beginning of an analysis for me. As Caplin argues, the harmony is crucial for determining formal functions in within the Classical style.1 And even in this piece of late Beethoven, this approach seems very valuable to me. These reductions provide insight into the important harmonic processes such as cadences, sequences and modulations. Myself and other pianists often express that an understanding of harmonic and formal structures can also be a great aid in the act of memorization.2 Especially within the sonata form it provides an insight in the different harmonic processes in, for example, the transitions of expositions and recapitulations.

Improvisation always played a certain role in my practicing, but almost exclusively in the form of warming up by playing all kinds of figurations: a free handling of triads and scales. Improvising within a stylistic framework or genre was not part of my training or practicing before the lessons in 'Historical Improvisation' taught by Bert Mooiman at the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague. One of the important tools that Mooiman uses in these lessons is improvising melodies over a figured bass; mostly these figured basses are the harmonic reduction of a repertoire piece. These pieces included for example, a waltz by Franz Schubert or a Song Without Words by Felix Mendelssohn. Then the player must improvise the texture and the melody, but the harmony is fixed. After that we moved on improvising the harmonic progressions as well.

2.1.2 Harmonic reduction of opus 110
Please click on the pdf below to see the harmonic reduction of the first movement from opus 110.

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