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Score Study - Outline

The document outlines the process of organizing a musical score for conducting. It discusses 7 key steps: 1) Organizing the score to understand technical difficulties and interpretative ideas. 2) Gaining technical knowledge of the composer and composition. 3) Analyzing tonality and harmonic movement. 4) Examining musical form using a "descending bird" technique to mark sections. 5) Making interpretative decisions on parameters like style and dynamics. 6) Ensuring clear conducting reflects the musical intent. 7) Score study is the foundation for music-making and should allow 1-2 hours per minute of music.

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Hao Liu
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70 views1 page

Score Study - Outline

The document outlines the process of organizing a musical score for conducting. It discusses 7 key steps: 1) Organizing the score to understand technical difficulties and interpretative ideas. 2) Gaining technical knowledge of the composer and composition. 3) Analyzing tonality and harmonic movement. 4) Examining musical form using a "descending bird" technique to mark sections. 5) Making interpretative decisions on parameters like style and dynamics. 6) Ensuring clear conducting reflects the musical intent. 7) Score study is the foundation for music-making and should allow 1-2 hours per minute of music.

Uploaded by

Hao Liu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ORGANIZING THE SCORE

1. Organizing the score -- Process -- also called score study -- different terminology and
approach; many times "study" denotes technical vs. musical aspects, both are important;
organization of score should give the conductor a clear idea of technical difficulties,
interpretative ideas and conducting gestures.

2. Technical knowledge -- Includes background knowledge about the composer and


composition, perusing the score and learning the parts (goal to hear internally the composition).

3. Tonality -- When hearing internally the piece, listen for harmonic movement, tonal
center/key, shifts in the tonal center and "harmonic tempo."

4. Form -- Use "descending bird" technique -- large to small; check the form of the
individual movements in a multi-movement work -- mark the sections; find the form of the
composition in a single-movement work -- mark the sections; look for the organization and
relationships of the music throughout the piece and how the sections relate to each other and to
the entire composition; find the transitions between the sections; find and mark (if necessary) the
smaller formal properties (phrases and motives); create a Flow Chart of Form and Tonality.

5. Interpretative decisions (parameters) -- (some of these should occur intuitively during the
score study) approach and treatment of thematic material, style, articulation, dynamics, general
expressive qualities (should come from insights gained while attaining background knowledge)
-- time vs. tempo phrasings.

6. Directing/Conducting -- conducting and clarity -- there never should be any question in


the minds of the ensemble about the intent of the conductor as reflection of the music or
providing technical help/reminders during rehearsals and performance.

7. Conclusion -- score study is the foundation of all music-making as a conductor with the
ensemble setting; descriptors used in describing the music should also describe the conducting; it
is time consuming -- allow one to two hours for each minute the piece lasts prior to the first
rehearsal.

Harlan D. Parker, Ph.D.


Conductor, The Peabody Wind Ensemble
Founding Conductor, The Peabody Modern Orchestra
Coordinator, Music Education Division

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