The Musical Means of Expression

The musical means of expression (MEMs) are those means of expression, thanks to which pianist is able to express his feelings and images through sound and through playing on the instrument.

If pianist doesnt have enough knowledge, abilities and skills of MEMs, then no matter how hard he tries to play the piece with expression, hell fail everything will sound not as he feels, wants or can to play. His performance wont reflect his feelings, images and emotional experiences. Heres an analogy with speech: if a person wants to say something express his feelings he knows what needs to be said and how it has to be pronounced. In this case his thoughts and feelings will reach his audience and everybody will understand him. If a child wasnt taught any language, he wouldnt be able to deliver his thought to his listener even with all his effort and desire. This is why if a person hasnt got enough knowledge, abilities and skills of MEMs, then hell always remain with a feeling of dissatisfaction from his own performance.

Now, sound timbre, sound movement, harmony, dynamics and balance, sound texture, pedal, intonation and weight, articulations, phrasing and form, musical speech, meter, emotional image and even artistry all belong to musical means of expression.

What do I mean when I say that I explain all MEMs the most completely?

Of course, any student heard about the mentioned MEMs earlier; he knows what they are and is probably able to perform them on the instrument. But his knowledge and performance are approximate; he does everything intuitively the way he feels. But this is not enough for conscious, comfortable playing and successful stage performance.

So whats the difference between what student knows and what he can learn by mastering the system?

Lets start from the beginning:

Student is possibly told about imagining sound timbre (I mean timbres of voices and instruments). But told superficially: Imagine how the string group of instruments would play it here, how they would sing the melody. Apply more brass here how trumpets or French horns would play it. 1

And even after all student can imagine how these instruments sound, then he wont be able to express it on the instrument the way he imagined it. Because hes surely not told how to perform the conceived on the instrument, how to make the performance reflect the idea. Remember! What doesnt necessary give rise to how. If pianist correctly imagines a MEM, it doesnt necessary mean that hell intuitively correctly find a method of expression of this MEM. As if a person feels what needs to be said, but doesnt know how to do it because he doesnt know the language.

Student is hardly ever told about sound movement. Why its needed, how it effects the flexibility and freedom of hand and wrist, and how sound movement effects sound, intonation and weight.

Student is told about harmony only in such cases when its obviously noticeable that he doesnt hear or feel the difference between cadence, dominant and tonic. Or he doesnt feel the prettiness and richness of color of one very pretty and outstanding harmony. And again, if its mentioned to student, then its not explained what has to be imagined and how to correctly perform it on the instrument. Thats why, in the best case, student really starts listening attentively to these harmonies and then, while playing the whole piece, devotes as though more attention and love to these harmonies.

Student is also told about dynamics and balance. These are the most widespread MEMs that are told about in the class. Theyre mentioned, as a rule, in those cases when student obviously plays everything around mf and when sounding melody or extreme voices in chords arent clear enough. Thats all. Nothing else is said about dynamics and balance.

Student is possibly told about sound texture with these adjectives: warm, soft, tender, transparent, crystal, etc. But no one says what has to be imagined concretely and why this specific sound is necessary here. And if student intuitively feels all these adjectives, then he begins to touch the keys differently. And if his musicality and sensitivity isnt developed well enough, then everything sounds around 10% of what it should sound like.

Pedal is hardly mentioned by anyone only in those cases, when pedal becomes obviously dirty; or when acoustics, timbre or space has to be added to some important chords. Pedal is also used by student intuitively.

Intonation is very little spoken of, usually not at all. And when it seems that student doesnt play expressively enough, they say: Try to do intonation better here, do intonation of each sound, dont run this place. No one says how to do intonation exactly, therefore, the only natural reaction of 2

student to this simple request becomes a desire to play this place more expressively and a little slower in order to have time to listen to all sounds.

Many teachers deal with weight. They give a bunch of exercises on relaxation and freedom. But they may not explain what MEM to use so weight could naturally flow through hands to the instrument while playing.

Student is told about articulations as well, but in a very primitive form: Staccato must be very sharp, pull away your finger from the key as from a hot stove. Portamento is a deep, prolonging sound. Place your hand deeper in the instrument. The only possible result of such explanations may be this: student wont be able to do an accurate articulation (it will sound either hard or flabby, or not deep enough, or too light therere many variants of a wrongly played articulation); while playing an inaccurate articulation, a fear of playing it inaccurately will always follow student; it will be uncomfortable for student to play articulations, his hands will begin to clamp.

You may test yourself whether you play all articulations fluently. If youre able to play scales 4 times in a row using staccato articulation in fast tempo in dynamics f and p, if that articulation comes out accurate everywhere, if all sounds sound and hands dont get tired and strained, then youre in full control of this articulation. Similarly with articulations portamento and marcato (playing in slower tempo, of course). And finally, if your legato is flowing, tied and not stomping, then you freely control this articulation.

Student is told the following about phrasing: Phrase is a relatively complete musical thought so what? Phrase has a culminating dot so what? Knowing all this, student is only able to intuitively feel and extend a long musical thought with a culminating dot. And it will be very approximate, very uncomfortable and unstable. And its not enough for the knowledge of phrasing because it also includes motifs and sentences.

Student is told about form only when his performance of a piece leaves a sensation of a long, monotonous, continuous and sluggish process. His is then told: Everything falls apart according to form. You have to get everything together, play more wholly as though in one breath. Move ahead all the time without stopping. But he isnt told about the fact that the integrity of form depends on the completeness of smaller forms. Therefore, in the best case, poor student starts to play the whole work form the beginning to the end in search of integrity of that piece and becomes even more strained in the process.

No one ever possibly tells student anything about musical speech. At least in my case, I met only one single teacher who suggested me to feel the difference between steps to fourth and fifth, second and seventh. He suggested to feel the meaning of rhythm and so on.

Student is told about single meter, pulsation, tempo of a piece, accuracy of rubato, accelerando and ritardando. And that its necessary to choose the correct tempo in a piece. But its not explained well enough.

Emotional image of a piece is often spoken of in the class, not always in details though. But teachers dont tell how to expresses this image that student perfectly feels and understands in playing.

And finally, teachers usually say the following about artistry: Be bolder, dont shrivel up. Play very brightly and give all youve got. But all this isnt enough for a confident and powerful performance on stage.

Learning with my system, student acquires all MEMs in full measure. Hell know why its necessary to imagine all MEMs. Hell know how to correctly imagine each of MEMs in full measure. Hell be able to correctly perform these ideas on the instrument competently using his body system hands, torso and legs.

This is the difference between what a student knows and is able to do and what he may learn after passing the PianoWell course.