Why Do We Study 4 Periods in PTNA Piano Competition?
2016/07/31 | コメント(0)
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In PTNA Piano Competition, the required repertoires for the solo division are divided into 4 periods; Baroque, Classics, Roman, Modern/Contemporary. It is based on an educational purpose which encourages young pianists to study each period in depth, by understanding the historical background and finding the appropriate performance styles according to them. Then, why do we study 4 periods?
The recent statistics shows more than 80% of teachers, out of 65 respondents, think it important to respect the 4 periods, and thus teach their students to play as it should be. Then, how? 42% of them try to teach the appropriate performance styles, 27% of them make students study the music history and historical background of each period, and 21% of them let students to play the instruments of those days.
Ei Marukawa started to participate in the PTNA Piano Competition 24 years ago. Since then, one of her biggest interests has been the Baroque music and its performance practice, and thus attended seminars occasionally to understand the cembalo performance as well as European history and composers. She also tried to play clavichord, organ, fortepiano, etc. to understand the pre-history of the emergence of modern pianos. Now she owns a spinet in her lesson studio, and encourages her students to play it so as to feel the historical transition of keyboard instruments.
Another teacher, Junko Takei, tries to make good balance between basic rules of each period and the freedom of interpretation at the same time.
Yasumi Taki, one of the jury members of PTNA Piano Competition, poses a question why the period is divided into 4, not 3 nor 5. She analyses that this division is based on social and cultural background; Baroque is the music before piano was appeared as the mainstream of keyboards, Classics is the music before printed scores went into circulation, Roman and Modern/Contemporary period are distinguished by whether there were recording techniques or not. According to her, those elements imposed huge impact on musicians at that time, and it could have transformed their music making remarkably. Taki says, "This is just an idea, but it has certain reasons. For the time being, I think that period should be divided into 4, but this is an open question as there could be another ideas".
Atsushi Mitani, also one of a jury members, admits that 4 periods are good way to understand the varieties of different values in music, although it is debatable whether this division is appropriate. He also points out that it could become meaningless if this segmentation is regarded too definitive, and forces a specific way of performance such as "Baroque should be played like this". According to Mitani, performance practice has been changed with the times, therefore it could happen that what had been well appreciated 40 years ago becomes outdated nowadays. "We have to keep in mind that the 4 periods is a way to meet new repertoires. We should stay open to new ways of expression all the time."
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