| dc.description.abstract | This paper will discuss research on how knowledge of actual dance movements affects the interpretation of music. The essence of rhythmic elements can be easily misunderstood, despite performers’ efforts to study the context of the notes including programmatic backgrounds, dynamics, harmonic languages, and textures. One of the reasons why rhythm can be easily misinterpreted is the current notation system, which hardly can give the performers enough information to show the characteristics of rhythmic movements unless the performer comprehends the context of the rhythm. This problem can lead musicians to misinterpretations of the aesthetics of the piece because rhythm is one of the major elements that makes music distinctive. People often think music inspires the dancer’s movements. However, we should know the beat is, in fact, from our body’s natural rhythms. Eventually, our body rhythm and the beat are intermingled. Also, even before composers write their music, what they hear and experience in their culture, which is deeply associated with the folk dances, courtly dances, and simple body movements, can have a strong influence on their music. Thus, the sound and tone that have invisible motion in the space could be specified with visual dance movements. Historical research on the relationship of the dominant dances and music from the renaissance era to the twentieth century will be one of main resources to provide the knowledge of dance movement. These are the questions that I would research for better understanding of the intention of the composers in each period: • When was the dance historically performed and for which circumstances was the dance appropriate? • How were the dance movements choreographed, and what is distinctive about the dance? • Where were the dances performed, what speed was preferable, and what were the specific gestures for the meters? Furthermore, comparing the current recording examples to describe the motion in the space is expected to provide the performers with the ability to discern the choice of rhythmic interpretation. Also, this research will provide a critical interpretation of the major musical repertoire. In this way, performers can have critical discernment of interpretation based on the rhythmic context, not only for music with dance titles, but also for music that was not originally written for dancing. Not all piano music was intended to be dance music, and thus, learning and researching the major dance movements of a specific historical period will allow us, as musical performers, to more richly understand the music. The idea of spatial understanding of musical notation will enhance pianists’ ability to interpret and interact with piano music. | |
