Does age and life experience affects a person's playing?

[LaValseDeLune]

I went to a piano recital last week. The performer is a mid-twenty virtuoso pianist. He played a lot of Liszt's pieces and technically he played very well. Musically, well, that's what I am not sure about. I mean, there are contrasts between loud and soft, and he played those pieces with emotions. But my piano tutor commented that his playing was not very musical, especially in some serious pieces. And said that he is still too young to express the pieces because he has little experience in life.

This is the thing I cannot relate about. If he can play those pieces with expressions and great skills, how does his age and life experience affects his playing? if it's that if he was older therefore he can feel deeper emotions for the music, the way he plays would still be the same, right? Because no matter how much you feel, fingers are still fingers and it won't change to be something more 'emotional' (well, that's the best way I can explain it.)

But surely there was something missing in his playing. I couldn't figure out what it is..

[Tûrwethiel]

You've raised a very puzzling matter.

I'll need to think about it before coming back to you properly. My initial thoughts are that, yes, maturity is a very good thing when it comes to interpretation, but how does one account for excellent, very young players who touch one's heart?

[sunwaiter]

as we get older we tend to simplify or at least to get to the essential, when younger we try everything, not always knowing wich way is the better, the most beautiful, the most direct to touch the listener. i'm thirty, so i can't go any further, but it seems quite pbvious to me.

as for classical music, but also for metal or any kind of music that demands some technicity and velocity, people are often confused about what they got in the concert room for. personnally i never went to a concert just to witness miraculous techniques, though it helps to make a great performance. what i look for is no less than beauty. everybody wants the same thing, i guess, when it comes to music.

funk aficionados don't ignore a seventie's group called S.O.U.L. ( supposedly standing for Sounds Of Unity and Love). they had a tune called... S.O.U.L. , that tells a little story of a man who asks what he's missing, despite all his money, etc. you kow the answer. and even if you have it at a very early age, you also need some experience, i believe.

[Krummhorn]

Interesting question ...

For myself, in the golden years of life, I find that I am more "adventuresome" than I was in my youthful years. I guess that is because of having over 48 years of experience, but I am always seeking avenues to push the envelope a little farther in my interpretation of classical organ music, but that could also be due to myself also being a performer (one who gives recitals). I make it a point to keep trying new things.

Some of the younger organists like Felix Hell & Cameron Carpenter are being quite adventurous in their music offerings - they are certainly not holding back because of their age. I suppose it all lies with ones inner drive or quest to try something new instead of playing by rote.

[Corno Dolce]

I am in accord with GrandMaster Krummhorn in re to Felix Hell and Cameron Carpenter

[rojo]

Yes and no.

We've probably all heard various artists playing the same work at the beginning of their career, and then again later on in their career. They tend to not interpret them the same way, I believe.

On the other hand, there are some artists that, no matter when we hear them play in their career, we hear no difference in level of musicality...

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha RoJo,

Thanks for weighing in on this matter with a prescient comment. Tis good to hear from our resident piano pedagogue. Permit me to comment on your statement: It is very true what you say about an artist who plays a piece at the start of their career one way - I think of Dmitris Sgouros playing Rach's 3rd at Carnegie Hall when he was twelve - technically perfect but lacking in maturity - some years ago the same piece but as such a matured artist - what a difference.

The second part of your comment is also timely: An artist can reach a level of sophistication and maturity and then level off. Some will fall off, others will keep on maturing. Methinks you also validated what Krummhorn said about *inner drive and/or quest*.

Cheerio,

CD

[rojo]

Hi CD,

And then there are some artists whose earlier performances seem to have more 'fire' and passion than their later ones. I guess there's no hard and fast rule on this; each artist has his or her own path, or as you and Kh say, inner drive and/or quest..

[greatcyber]

I agree with what you have all stated. Naturally, life experiences will have an effect on all of us, musician or not. But I'm with Krum on this as I now tend to be much more adventuresome and it seems as though my interest in something new is always piqued.

But, once we age we might feel one way while our bodies don't always allow for us to express what we emote, be it by chronic conditions such as arthritis or the like.

Gee, aging is so much fun. But seriously, I won't ever let it keep me at bay. Onward and upward!