Musicians must invest time and energy in developing fundamental skills. The wider the fundamentals, the more freedom musicians have to create and express themselves.
It is commonly assumed that a performance entails the live presentation of music before a physical audience. However, this assumption is not universal.
Acoustic analyses often attempt to link quantitative acoustic measurements with expressive musical terms that are commonly used in score directions. Check out The Eagles 2024 concert schedule now.
Definition
In contrast to improvisation, much musical performance involves the (re)enactment of a predetermined set of specifications. The specificity of these specifications varies between traditions: some cultures use oral transmission and rote mimicry, while others develop various forms of notation to guide performances. Regardless of the degree to which the score is adhered to, some performers view faithfulness to it as a paramount goal: for example, Nelson Goodman maintains that “only complete compliance with the score counts as a genuine instance” of a work.
However, the relationship between a performance and its intended meaning is broader than adherence to notation. Research in music perception shows that many performance parameters have significant effects on the listener’s experience of music, including the perception of structural ambiguities and concordance with expectations. For instance, variations in timing and dynamics can have a dramatic impact on the listener’s perception of both small-scale musical structures and large-scale musical forms. The relative weighting of these characteristics, controlled by the performer, remains to be elucidated.
History
Throughout the centuries, musical performances have ranged from the simple lullabies sung to infants to the elaborate orchestral entertainments that kept strolling patrons at an eighteenth-century Georgian pleasure garden (see figure 5) occupied while they looked at a drawing exhibition. In many societies, music has also served other purposes—as accompaniment to dances, as a part of ceremonial activities such as weddings or funerals, and in work and play.
As the development of musical notation allowed composers to supervise the performances of their works, performers began to assume an interpretive role. This has resulted in a substantial secondary literature on performance practice, with a large proportion of it dealing with early styles and unwritten conventions such as improvisation. A number of authors have attempted to define general goals for a musical performance, but these efforts are constantly being challenged by new evidence. A recent attempt to match quantitative acoustic measurements with expressive musical terms has laid the groundwork for further empirical research on this topic.
Types
There are many different types of musical performances. Some are known for their unique qualities and appeal. These include the orchestral performance, concert, recital, opera, ballet, jam session, and more.
The orchestral performance involves a sizable group of musicians playing a wide range of instruments. They often play modern music, film soundtracks, and classical pieces. The concert is a live musical performance that takes place in large venues such as theaters and arenas. It features a band or solo artist.
The recital is a smaller, more focused form of musical performance. It usually occurs in music halls and recital rooms and features a musician or group demonstrating their skills and repertory. The performers can also improvise and experiment with the compositional material. Musical performances may also vary in terms of their tempo and dynamics. These variations are sometimes used for analysis. However, they may be difficult to separate from style-related expression and expressive variation. Moreover, the recordings of musical performances often contain processing choices and other interventions by the producer that may impact the perceived expressiveness.
Audience
Historically, many forms of musical performance have functioned as background entertainment, from lullabies sung to infants to music in dining contexts and to the orchestral performances that entertained strolling patrons in eighteenth-century Georgian pleasure gardens. Even today, many concerts have a foreground purpose such as worship, dance, or military maneuvers.
A performance’s impact depends on its ability to communicate with the audience. Regardless of its stylistic choice, any successful performance should leave the audience wanting more. Whether the performance makes the audience want to get up and dance, reduce them to a hushed silence in admiration or simply make them want to applaud, it should create an impact.
Deviations in tempo, timing and dynamics are common features of musical performances that influence listener perceptions. While there is considerable work attempting to understand the role of these performance parameters, their relative weighting remains unclear. This is particularly true in cases where measurable performance parameters have structural implications for perceived expressiveness, such as changes in tempo that imply ritardandi and a sense of heightened intensity.
