Double Bass Committing etudes and other pieces to memory

Andy Mopley

Andy Mopley

Sep 24, 2011
1,335
317
8,216
#1
Hi all
not sure if a thread exists already but I had one of those light bulb moments where it occurred to me how important it becomes to free one self from the manuscript and having committed to memory, how much better the interpretation becomes.

A given for most, granted, but not for some of us.

Regards to all
 
  • Like
Reactions: CSBBass
#3
Looks weird the musicians standing while others stay seated. There are also some orchestras that play everything from their head without a conductor. I am not against it but sometimes it also looks like they are forcefully trying to do something 'modern' or new just to get noticed or to reach some new crowd that is normally not coming to classical concerts.

As for playing outside your head. I guess it depends on what you play. When you play etudes just for practice there is no real need to memorize everything. Also it is not by definition so that someone who plays without sheet music gives a more musical performance or better interpretation.
 
#4
I do a set of memorized etudes and Bach excerpts after long-tones and scales before reading. In this section of my practice I "read" my hands, bow and body. The eyes do not get a break just because I am not reading music. If you are doing plenty of reading it is one thing, since I play primarily free improvised music I like to read the rest of my etudes whether I know them or not.
 
#5
I will speak from my years as mediocre classical pianist in college while I was majoring in theory/comp. In those days (80's) we were required to play our juries and performances from memory. In my experience it's a whole different ballgame from reading, much more immersed and organic. I would liken it to what I imagine it is like to be an actor in a stage production of Shakespeare - you have to have everything completely ingrained, from the lines themselves to the delivery, blocking, and stage choreography. Much like a stage production, each person in an ensemble setting also has to be aware of how their parts relates to the input and cues from the other players, and can be influenced by the intensity of their delivery.

Truth told, I think it is a far deeper level of performance when the situation allows it. It's not financially feasible for a regular orchestra to do this*, but I would welcome it in a string quartet.



* but the Mozart recording linked above sounds really, REALLY good!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: the_Ryan and Tom Lane
#6
Chris Fitzgerald said:
I will speak from my years as mediocre classical pianist in college while I was majoring in theory/comp. In those days (80's) we were required to play our juries and performances from memory. In my experience it's a whole different ballgame from reading, much more immersed and organic. I would liken it to what I imagine it is like to be an actor in a stage production of Shakespeare - you have to have everything completely ingrained, from the lines themselves to the delivery, blocking, and stage choreography. Much like a stage production, each person in an ensemble setting also has to be aware of how their parts relates to the input and cues from the other players, and can be influenced by the intensity of their delivery.

Truth told, I think it is a far deeper level of performance when the situation allows it. It's not financially feasible for a regular orchestra to do this, but I would welcome it in a string quartet.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with the above. I do some new music solos and ensemble pieces from time to time and I do love the luxury of a score. I love to have a chart up for jazz tunes I know inside and out, also - it is more about having a formal overview at a certain point. I memorize things pretty easily, though. If composition was primary for me I'd explore memorizing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back