Piano... Creative, expressive, moving, interesting, sometimes consuming, intriguing - a world to get lost in, full of sounds that have their own direction and purpose. A world unto itself alive with color and weight and action and energy. If a person can control and produce these things, they have for themselves an accomplishment for expression in life. If they can play, they can move the emotions of others while showing an understanding of their own emotions, a sensitivity to the mystery of the flow of emotional thought, emotions developing, which is being expressed through the intellectually understood world of organized pitches and sound (a study unto itself - theory). This involves the ability to show direction and purpose, and to even imitate the physical world, because in music, even actions in nature can be felt and heard. Beauty, desire, power, tenderness, joy, love, mystery, fear, and more, all abstracted and realized!
The delicate balance and fine variations required to demonstrate this control is what makes music, and piano playing in particular here, a Fine Art. It is not easy, and the sensitivity needed to express a line, a section, a movement to represent the abstract expressions therein, is a matter of inward examination and exploration, then the discipline to make the fingers produce what the heart and mind and ear understand the music should say. It begins to be natural. Natural to express what the musical ear is hearing and musical mind understands is happening in the developing idea. And with control, control through understanding first, but with a technique that can actually produce the music, the wonderful result is to express the piece so that it is "right!" And all musicians know when it is right.
Physically, it is work. Scales, excersizes, finger strengthening through practice must occur in order to attain the highest possible level of expression. If one has power available from each finger, then they can control to the finest degree the desired results, which is a long process of work. All the configurations of fingerings and turns of lines are many, so it takes a lot of time to discover them all, and be able to deftly articulate each one - each difficultly that one would encounter from piece to piece. Of course, the discovery of all the pianistic nuances that exist is one that reaches well into adulthood, with a Masters and Doctorate degree, delving further and further into the world of pianistic expression. Developing the power of the fingers to play is integral to the final ability to express and is a physical ability that is built through daily excersize. It is the only way.
Oddly enough, to attain the highest level of performance, the pianist must "let go" and let it happen. But it is only through the pre-requisite discipline of practice that this level of ability can be attained. But in the end, freedom. Freedom to be able to do what you want with music because of the development of the facility of the fingers. The work brings the freedom. It happens when a piece is fully "known." Constantly playing a piece will make a person so familiar with it that this level of expression can occur. Attention while practicing brings it faster. Just like with most good things in life, work and discipline will bring results, freedom and satisfaction. What a gift to have, that anyone can sit and work to find this creative outlet and come to enjoy its fruit.
Finding this venue for expression will always serve you well and be a touching stone of relationship with yourself and your emotions, yet to the benefit of others. Enjoy!
Mr. Slaughter
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