“Interpretation,” as defined by The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, is “a concept of a work of art as expressed by the character and style of its representation or performance. ” In this respect, let’s begin with the composer of the music. The first major portion of interpretive musical thought begins with his melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic arrangement. If there is a lyric on which the· composition is based, the music is actually the composer’s own interpretation of the lyric. The manner in which the composer accomplishes this determines the listener’s initial reactions toward the piece.
Continuing the process is the vocal group. Without someone to perform the composer’s work, it is not truly music. This collection of individuals must perform as one yet individually they must interpret; they must feel the music. The entire choral mystique is involved in an “aural feeling” wherein the choir perceives an emotional level inherent in the piece coupled with an additional level of emotions brought in by the conductor. The group then attempts to amplify these emotions to enable the audience to perceive it in the same way. Obviously, this is one of the most difficult things to do in music, yet it is probably the most important. If a group cannot convey the full emotional content of the music it is performing, the music is lost. It becomes just another song. Beautiful tone, beautiful blend, perfect pitch and rhythm, while all important to the performance, will not make up for poor phrasing, lost energy, and less than a full emotional involvement of the group.
The final portion of the puzzle is the conductor . . . (Read More)
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