Research in Music Interpretation

Occasionally there are numbers of researches that deals on music interpretation. Yet, most of the research focuses more on individual interpretation such as the conductor, instrumentalist and vocalist that directly linked to professional performance. Little have been done on how to acquire good musical interpretation to large ensembles within the students’ verity of skills and knowledge in music. There is a great difference between developing individual interpretation and a uniformity of a group interpretation, which is vital to every large ensemble such as the wind orchestra and the marching bands.
Interpretation is very subjective and complex to define. It is hard to verify which is good and which bad interpretation is. What is good to certain individuals might not be so to others. The differences exist due to differences in culture, experience and education background that has unified to influence individuals interpretation needs. Lane (2004 found that the order and sequence in which experts address musical elements tend to vary among individuals but the end result seems to be similar among all expert conductors.
According to the Music Encyclopedia, interpretation in music is the aspect of music arising from the difference between notation, which preserves a written record of the music, and performance, which brings the musical experience into renewed existence. Expert conductors describe performance accuracy or music interpretation within two contexts. One context describes accuracy in terms of the ensemble’s performance matching the conductor’s preconceived idea of a piece, or internal sound image, developed through score study; the other context, generally referred to under the broad label error detection, describes performance accuracy in terms of the printed notes, rhythms, and expressive markings being played correctly by the ensemble. Most experts, who usually conduct ensembles of the highest caliber professional musicians, rarely consider performance accuracy in terms of the latter (Lane, 2004). Several researchers supported this statement. Harold Schonberg stated, “Without the interplay between the minds of the creator and interpreter, music is not only stale, flat and unprofitable. It is meaningless . . . . Musical notation is an inexact art, no matter how composers sweat and strive to perfect it. Symbols and instructions on the printed page are subject to various interpretations, not to one interpretation.
Music interpretation as described to Posner (cited in Balkin and Levinson) is a chameleon. When a performing musician "interprets" a work of music, we don’t really know, is he expressing the composer's, or even the composition's, "meaning," or is he not rather expressing himself within the interstices of the score?. Tureck found that the final decision as to a single choice, which is the final choice being controlled within the framework of the analyzed structure. Nevertheless, it should be self-evident that such a choice must be valid musically and performable technically. (Tureck Bach Research Institute, Inc).
The conductor final choice must form a shared interpretation, otherwise, indulging the whole performance. Most band directors, conductors, and music educators are aware that individuals interpretation should be expand. Nevertheless, they are also aware that there are differences between solo interpretation and group interpretation. Musicians need to act professionally, living their individualistic interpretation towards gaining group interpretation, which is crucial when playing together in a large section of a large music group. These musicians understand the requirements and acquire it as desirable requirements for expressive performance. They know the purpose and know how to perform according to the music requirements. Therefore, in such away, it is wrong to say that it limits the musician interpretation. There are differences between solo interpretation and group interpretation. These differences need to be clearly justified and appropriately defined before occurring confusing statements on music interpretation.

References

Lane, J. S. (2004) A basic interpretation analysis of undergraduate instrumental music education majors’ approaches to score study in varying musical contexts. Agricultural and Mechanical College, Louisiana State University.

Sanford and J. M. Balkin,J. M. & Levinson, S. Law, music, and other performing arts




Tureck, R. Musical Interpretation (n.d) Tureck Bach Research Institute, Inc. Retrieved 16 March, 2009 from http://www.tureckbach.com/documents/musical-interpretation/