Memorization of MusicTopic: memorization etc. Comments: Bill, I have to admit that I didn't read this column until now. I just want to make a quick comment on memorization before going on to winter,(aren't we already there?). I have increasing difficulty with memorization as I get older, a state I know to be common amongst many of us. While I can understand and appreciate the views of those who favour it, and some with very valid reasons, apart from the difficulty I spoke of, I also believe it is difficult for anyone to satisfactorily commit to memory all the various aspects and nuances the music, as well as the words. I'm referring to such things as key changes, difficult or complex harmonies, dynamics, changing tempos, rapidly changing note values, repeats & codas and many more. It is very difficult for older persons, particularly those with little or no formal music training, to absorb and understand these things, much less remember them all while also remembering the words to the songs. I thorougly enjoyed your journal sketches about winter at Cedar Glen. You & Karen must have severe doses of cabin fever by now. However, it can always be worse. Just read some of the articles about the winter situation in Newfoundland now. They've coined a new phrase "Winter Rage". The snow-clearing problems have reached the point where people are standing in the roadways to prevent plows from dumping in their driveways again. Maybe you should try that. If they run you over, you wouldn't have to shovel any more. Cheers, see you early next Tuesday. Robert R. Woodland <woodrowe> 02/08/01 12:14 Topic: Memorizing Music Comments: January's topic turned out to be even "hotter" than I thought it would. My appreciation to the large number of readers who took the time to respond with many thoughtful comments of their own. While we certainly aired a lot of opinions in support of both sides of the question, I'm not sure that anyone was convinced to change to the "other side" were YOU? This month's effort is intended as comic relief. I hope you get a chuckle or two out of it. Bill Bates 01/29/01 14:05 Topic: Memorizing music Comments: A further consideration to the issue of using music during performances. Our chorus has debated this matter on numerous occasions and currently we use our music for all performances, except for Big Sings. I have found that more and more members, when we come together for Sings, rely heavily on their music, to the extent that many make sure that they get in back rows to hide so they can sneak their music on stage!!!! I do very much support the idea of everyone using music. As you stated in your article, Bill, all the better known choirs used music. I do have a concern that the requiremenet to not use music may very well be driving members away from our organization. In my opinion very few men are willing to admit that their reason for leaving may well be their inability to retain the words of all the selections. We can ill afford to lose members, and this may be something that could be either driving fellows away, or preventing them from joining. The holding of music can give fellows that added confidence during the performance and thus make their overall participation in our Sings better. There is no doubt that the issue of how to properly hold one's folder (binder) would need to be addressed, but I believe that can be done. Just another opinion on this matter. Tom Rayner Tom Rayner <trmusic> 01/27/01 15:19 Topic: folders & memory Comments: Hi Bill, I have been thinking about this problem for a while. I don't know ,but I while re-activate "Love Notes" for a few comments. Joe president <luvyrpb> 01/21/01 12:30 Topic: Memorizing the music Comments: Personally, I prefer to memorize the music as much as possible so that during the rehearsal or performance, I can concentrate to watch the conductor. Joseph Chu <dragonjoe6> 01/12/01 17:21 Topic: To Memorize Or Not Comments: It seems views on this subject are influenced significantly by the age of the person being asked. When I was younger there was no question that memorization was absolutley the way to go. If fact it went beyond memorization...I believed music should be learned. The difference between memorizing music and learning music is that memorizing is for short term...learning is forever. If one memorizes something it doesn't stay with you if you don't repeat it fairly often. Once you've learned something, it stays with you forever regardless of how frequently it's used. Now that I am older (65) the time and effort it takes to "memorize/learn" words and music is so much greater than it used to be, at times it gets discouraging. In fact, we have lost older members of our chorus for the very reason they "can't memorize/learn the music. Anyway, in my senior years, if I had to choose between singing with music and not singing at all...I would choose singing with music. Regards, Steve Steven E. Butz <sbutz> 01/12/01 13:48 Topic: Memorizing Comments: I think the quality of the performance is greatly enhanced by memorizing the music. Being able to pay complete attention to his cues outweighs the difficultly of learning to sing without printed scores. Ed Armbruster <bitbender> 01/10/01 22:21 Topic: Memorization of Music Comments: Your commentary about song memorization of music is interesting. This topic creates heated discussions every time it comes up at Cold Spring Area Maennerchor rehearsals. Let me provide you with my own bit of personal background and feelings on this topic. Currently my position with the Maennerchor is Associate Director. Normally I sing Tenor 2, but have sung Baritone with the same group. I have directed area church choirs (3 different ones) for a total of about 18 years, off and on and really enjoyed that activity. Between these activities my singing was with the Maennerchor. My own feelings about memorization may come across as a dichotomy. I like to see music presented that way and I really like the extra attention that you normally get when directing a song that needs no sheet music. Ialso enjoy the little extra quality that you MAY get under these circumstances. The word 'MAY' is used quite deliberately because if the group really knows the music - the quality of performance will usually improve due to the extra attention they give to the director. On the other hand, if the 'memorization' is forced upon them and they do not really feel comfortable with the piece the anxiety and stress will be a detriment to the quality of the music. My goal, when I sing or especially when I direct is to project a quality sound that comes from singers that look comfortable and happy with their ability to do so. I would rather teach them how to hold their music properly and get this sound and presentation than force the 'no - sheet music' issue. So where do I stand ?? Use memorization as a goal - not a directive. Everybody, singers and listeners will be more satisfied. And let's not forget this over all satisfaction is what we all try to achieve. By the way, it has always amazed me to hear so many singers at 'Big Sing' rehearsals who sing out with (it seems) confidence - - the wrong notes. From memory ??? Until next time. Bob Torborg, Maennerchor Robert Torborg <ttrain> 01/10/01 16:27 Topic: To memorize or not to memorize Comments: You are right on track with this memorization issue. Years ago, one of the former directors of my Men's group decided that music should be memorized, and they have done this since 1972. The mean age of my group is 61 years old, and we are usually 60 to 65 men strong. We sing a Christmas concert, 17-20 numbers, all memorized, and a Spring Show, with about the same, all memorized. We only sing with music if we are invited with short notice to sing specific pieces that have not been rehearsed recently. We keep a standard repertoire(which changes each year) that we memorize to sing for civic groups. We make a four track recording early each season with a small faction of the group, to give to each member. They play these cassettes and learn their parts. I think if we no longer expect the men to memorize, what's next? To dummy down the repertoire? The more we expect, the better we become. My chorus will come and will be memorized! Grace 01/09/01 11:16 Topic: Memorize Music... Comments: Solo artists never use music however, The Three Tenors in most of their concerts use music. In oratorio works it is usually done with music. If chorus members could learn to use the music as reference rather than necessity, greater attention could be extended to the conductor. Personally I prefer not to use music but with now only a little space left I choose not to fill it with some of the music previously sung. Orchestra performers for the most part usually have to sit and the complexity of their music warrants it's use in my opinion. I believe if individual choruses feel more comfortable with music, let them use it.A greater selection of music could be performed AND the wives who go to the big sings (our most critical audience) would enjoy the change I'm sure. This has been 2cents worth from Bruce Doige KMC. Bruce Doige <bdoige> 01/09/01 09:10 Topic: memorization Comments: From the audience standpoint,there is no substitute for memorization to add quality and feeling to a performance. We are properly urged to "feel" the message we are singing. It is tough to really feel the music when we need to worry about the words and music on the next line. We get the deepest of chills and joy from singing great music which we already know from memory. I would submit that, for me, singing from memory is far more rewarding than while reading music. I certainly can't do it all the time, but, the more I try, more music gets recorded into that amazing library of the brain. Somewhere, can't remember the exact source, I read that we only use a small portion of our brain power during our lives. Let's try to expand the gift of memory by memorizing more of our music. Jerry Drews <jerrydrews> 01/08/01 22:35 Topic: to memorize or not to memorize Comments: I'll state my position briefly -- I am in favour of memorizing music. I sing in a mixed church choir as well as in the Niagara Men's Chorus, and in that church choir, we use sheet music. As a result, we do not always (ever?) watch our conductor. I agree with Bill's point regarding the director's ability to control dynamics, etc., when every eye is on him/her. Certainly, some of the reasons given for prefering the use of music apply to the church choir: we sing something different each week, and often two pieces; we sing harmony to hymns, and they are often new as well, and so on. OK for a church choir, then, but our men's chorus is different. As a singer, I far prefer the feeling of going into a performance knowing that I will be able to watch the conductor at all times, and knowing that everyone else will be doing the same thing. My opinion may change as I get older, but for now, put my vote in the "memorize" column -- I think you get far better performances as a result. John Senn Niagara Men's Chorus john senn <jsenn8> 01/08/01 17:21 Topic: Comments: Bill, I agree with you that music should be memorized for Big Sing performances, no matter if international or district. My reason for agreement is the fact that most Big Sings that I have participated in use choral risers that do not accomodate the holding of music by the singer behind you. How can you give a good performance while holding music when there only seems to be enough room on the risers to stand Tom 01/08/01 16:07 Topic: The Great Debate Comments: I have often questioned the policy of full memory of repertoire over the past 20 plus years and I guess I'll leap into the fire with you. If our chorus membership and directorship were static ( thank God it is not) this would not be an issue. It has been my experience that performing with music in hand allows community and professional groups the opportunity to accurately and successfully present a better all round product than performing exclusively from memory. I believe that at the end of the day we have better served the singer and the audience if the choir has a usable library of dozens of pieces rather than eight or ten well memorized and quite likely stale pieces of music. If we continually challenge the singer with new arrangements the very same intellectual growth and wellness which Bill Bates has referred to is accessed and we also improve the ability of the choir. As to the issue of learning the necessary technique for singing and holding music at a dress rehearsal....I think not. If indeed your singers are learning anything at rehearsal then this will be a minor addition to their skills not a major change in their lives. If you are a director I cannot emphasize enough that you should at every opportunity, attend workshops with the thought of growing personally. Many music retailers and publishers provide free and or inexpensive workshops for directors throughout the year. As for the singers who insist on alleged memory work, good luck. I personally have a hard time standing in front of an audience surrounded by fellows who mean well but really don't know their rep. AMCA/ AMCO isn't about brain teasers and tests, it is about making music with male chorus. I prefer to do it well. PS Do I need my music? Not all the time, but I would never call a plumber and ask him to leave his wrenches at home. Bill Labron <blabron> 01/08/01 13:06 Close This New Window To Return to Comments Page |