14 – The Performance of Music
Publisher Summary
Music
performance is a large subject that can be approached in many different
ways. This chapter focuses on empirical research of music performance
and related matters. Most of this research is concerned with Western
tonal music and mainly art music. Excellence in music performance
involves two major components like a genuine understanding of what the
music is about, its structure and meaning, and a complete mastery of the
instrumental technique. Evaluation of performance included many studies
which are reviewed earlier. Evaluation occurs in the everyday activity
of music critics, music teachers, and musicians. An overall evaluation
is considered as a weighted function of the evaluations in the specific
aspects. In order to maintain the tempo and to achieve perceived
synchrony, musicians should therefore play a small amount ahead of the
beat they hear. With sharp attacks the delay is less, and instruments
with sharp attacks may therefore serve as “beat-definers” for the rest
of an ensemble. In addition, some attempts are made to predict
evaluation of music performances from the physical characteristics of
the performances.
Copyright © 1999 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
