PLAYING WITH STYLE HOW TO READ BEYOND THE NOTES

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When we open a score, we may encounter an array of different types of dynamic and articulation markings telling us how the notes are to be played – or none at all, depending on the style period. If we play the notes from an Urtext score of a Baroque piece literally, through 21st-century eyes, the music is going to sound very dull and empty. This is because composers of this period left most of the performance decisions to the good taste of the performer, who would have known what to do. We pianists have been schooled on music from Beethoven onwards, where the composer has stipulated everything scrupulously in the score. If we are going to play Baroque and Classical period music convincingly, we need to have a little knowledge of performance practices so we can make some informed decisions about dynamics, phrasing, articulation, and pedalling appropriate to