The performer’s body in creative interpretations of repertoire music

Creative interpretations

Culture is grounded in the human body. (Csordas, 1994: 6)

In a time of rapid, ongoing paradigmatic changes in the way culture and hence music is developed, perceived, consumed, understood and communicated, it seems essential for performers to reconsider their chosen approach to interpreting repertoire music. This paper is based on an investigation that explored musical interpretation not only as a reproductive activity but also as a creative one, reaching beyond some current concert conventions.

The study focussed on three particular research questions:

How can performers of instrumental music explore their creativity beyond the aural realisation of the score within a performative space?

Background and research design

As a classically trained string player performing repertoire from the Western classical tradition, I have found that both interpretation and appreciation of the music are typically associated with prior knowledge of established styles and performance conventions, and are therefore bound to certain possibly restrictive expectations. To conform to these conventions instrumental study is often focussed on precise reproduction of a score underpinned by technical excellence and some, but clearly limited scope for individual creativity. This approach is to a large extent reflected in current instrumental teaching in schools and conservatoires. I am not principally questioning the value of this practice and its purpose in preserving cultural heritage. I do, however, consider the dimensions of interpretation of instrumental repertoire in the 21st-century worth exploring further.

A major source of inspiration for me, focusing on the performer’s body, role and creativity in performance has come from working with actors, dancers and visual artists as part of the ensemble A Rose Is, which, referring back to Socratic and Wagnerian concepts of music, regards tone production, sound, movement, space, lighting and staging as one inseparable gesture. In this research then, I have focussed on corporeal aspects of performance that become explicitly apparent when combining classical music with other arts.

The research design (Figure 1) was based on a practice of interpretation developed through improvisation, bodywork and theatrical experiments, and becoming a platform for a performer’s extended creativity. In this practice the rehearsal of an actual piece of music included making creative use of the choreography of the performer’s necessary and deliberate movements, and their scenic consequences. OPEN IN VIEWER

This article first reflects on interpretation, highlighting the creative activity of the performer through working with the body in relation to intrinsic qualities of music and their capacity to communicate meaning through body and sound. This idea is then illustrated by two video examples reflecting selected specific elements. ¹ The article closes with a discussion of implications of the outcomes and future perspectives for research.

Conceptual framework

Video examples of practice ⁴

The following examples represent elements that have been central to my current research, exploring techniques that go beyond the ‘updating mode’ previously identified. A specific realisation of an interpretation extending the ‘updating mode’ is apparent in a staged representation of two parts of String Quartets IV (2014) by Ruedi Häusermann. Born in 1948, Ruedi Häusermann is a composer and theatre artist, whose productions draw on the application of musical principles to a theatrical setting and on the integration of musical and scenic expressions into one very fine-tuned score that develops during the rehearsal. Figure 2 illustrates that each meta-level of performance has been assigned its own timeline within the theatrical score: scene, text, music, space, quartet and (not shown in the figure) the three actors. In the process of preparing and rehearsing the theatre productions Häusermann regards the chosen pieces of music, as well as the staging, the costumes, the plot and all materials in use on stage as expressive material. Musicians are usually integrated in the staging comparable with actors, they do not, however, assume a role, they rather present themselves. ⁵ OPEN IN VIEWER

The examples presented derived from working purely musically at first, developing a unique sound world for a specific collection of pieces for string quartet and allowing freedom of exploration for the performers together with the composer. This musical work provided the musical foundation for the music-theatrical production Robert Walser (2014). ⁶ It reflects an interpretation of the music combining contemporary musical and theatrical thinking, and the understanding of music principles with the requirements of a contemporary theatrical production. This approach could be regarded as a collaborative process or collective creativity (Kurzenberger, 2009: 169).

The distinct use of an extended form of the ‘updating mode’ of interpretation is demonstrated in the first example (https://vimeo.com/165395798; String Quartet No. 73 by Ruedi Häusermann). Deviating from current standard conventions for concerts the music is presented in a semi-theatrical setting with specific use of lighting, space and movement. The player of the lower viola part is positioned stage right, away from the other players, who sit in a straight line rather than in a half circle, the more common position for string quartet playing. The setting mirrors compositional aspects of the music, since the lower viola is featured through a recurring ‘stammer’-motif, to which the other three players musically respond in a trio (Figure 3). When the motif appears, the three other players direct their visual focus to the player of the lower viola part, turning their heads. Therefore, without a huge alteration to current performance conventions, the unusual positioning and the occasional changes of focus are choreographed and integrated in the interpretation signifying aspects of an underlying story line in the scene. OPEN IN VIEWER

In this way, basic qualities of human nature and relationships are communicated, referring to Jane Davidson again, through the spacing of the musicians, minor additional movements and minimal use of the performer’s gaze. These movements are possible and conducive to a multitude of expressions without interfering with the musical performance, yet adding additional layers to it. As an example for a technical challenge that may be eased through an embodied approach to interpretation, the movements and the setting require the performers to perform the music from memory. Performing contemporary music by heart can be a major challenge to a string quartet. As a quartet performing this fairly complex piece of music, we found that working with the setting and choreography of an extended interpretation required us to develop a heightened sense of body- and self-awareness. This in turn supported us in learning the music and in accomplishing these demands of memorisation. Even technically difficult passages were played with considerably more ease. We, therefore, experienced the potential held within the scenic and embodied extension as a catalyst for meeting both the artistic and the technical challenges of the music.

In more detail, the aforementioned combination of emotional, embodied and cognitive qualities of music in scenic extensions can be perceived by observing how the performers’ positioning and additional movements can express additional forms of meaning. The positioning and moves of the players in this example reflect a scene in the play, in which a text by Walser is cited that describes a young man called Helbling, who finds himself working in a bank, but perceives himself as unable to function adequately in his role and do his job. Remaining true to himself and to the world, he only manages to write three numbers in the time frame of three hours. His colleagues are entertained by him and spend their working time gazing at him when the boss repeatedly calls him out.

In the given excerpt the lower viola part, played by Benedikt Bindewald, embodies inner dialogues and outbreaks within Helbling’s mind, while the members of the string quartet provide the musical structure but also present the movements of the colleagues of Helbling. Violin, high viola and violoncello sitting next to each other in a straight line may resemble workers in a bank, sitting at their desks, while the other viola player stands apart, turned away from them. The use of the stammer-motif in combination with the setting reveals the emotional, physical and cognitive reality of the player within the realm of the music and the theatrical scene.

The creative contribution and activity of the performers is visible in the second video example (https://vimeo.com/166307795; String Quartets No. 81-I and 79 by Ruedi Häusermann), in which the bodily actions are further extended. First, this example demonstrates the technique of using different sound colours to express a similar musical idea and to create perspectives and reveal connotations inherent in the music and the scene, through taking part in the scenic design. The choice of techniques was made by the performers in this instance: the melody of String Quartet No. 81-I is aspirated at first with the string quartet hidden behind the projection screen, and then sung and eventually played by the quartet, while the players emerge from behind the screen and walk to their seats. Presenting the main melody of the piece of music aspirated and sung before being played not only introduces the phrase from different perspectives, but also offers the opportunity to familiarise the audience with it.

Second, the strategy used here was to work playfully with literal and metaphorical aspects of embodiment to present aspects of ‘walking’, which was one of the central themes in the scenes in which this music was presented on stage in the play Robert Walser. As shown in the video example the performers walk from stage right to left, but also sit on a chair, while continuing to move their feet as if they were walking, while it is obvious that they are not (Creative Performers II 00:01:00 ff ). The movement is also more than what first appears: it actually serves the purpose of pulling the music stands closer to the players via a string attached to each stand, playing on the obvious notion that a musician needs a music stand with music on it to perform the piece. Again, this is also an illusion, since the musicians have been playing from memory before. Last but not least, the music is played softly at first, and as the music stands come closer it gets louder, as if the journey of the music stands, an aesthetical element in itself, was a prerequisite for the music being played at a certain volume. Therefore, non-musical elements of the performance, here the music stands with the music on them and the performers in the act of playing, become expressive elements in the scene and significantly influence the progress and shape of the music that is heard. They can be regarded as creative input from the performers that extends the interpretation of the music with a meta-perspective on the act of performing that very music.

The movement of the players, the change of focus in the first example, the walking in the second, illustrate how combining musical and extra-musical elements of story and context in a music performance may create extended interpretations. These are extended by content that has been found within the music or else has been invented as part of preparing and highlighting the act of performing the music. Such examples also show that the realisation of extended elements requires certain training, skills and techniques in addition to the ability to play the music in its conventional form. The implications of them for performers are discussed in the following conclusive section.

Discussion

This research confirmed for me that explorative music interpretation through the body benefits a musician in accomplishing technically demands and difficult passages. I have often wondered, why more musicians do not employ this approach. Many musicians may even share the opinion that it could be useful to include their corporeal aspects more specifically and creatively in their interpretations.

However, in working with the body of a music performer within interpretation, there are a number of preconceptions that are commonly found amongst music practitioners:

First, musicians tend to consider the body when they are in pain, but not necessarily as a source of creative exploration. Bodywork techniques like Alexander-Technique, Dispokinesis or Feldenkrais are often regarded as a preventive practice, a way to avoid pain.

With regard to the first research question ‘How can performers of instrumental music explore their creativity …’, I found that the decision to choose the performer’s body as the starting point provided a first answer: performers can explore their creativity through the body, and to do this need to redefine and extend their role within a rehearsal process and in performance. Performers need to reconsider and possibly re-invent their rehearsal practice, a process that can be beneficial for musical and technical advancements overall. Such an approach may empower individual performers and facilitate their scope of decision-making. It may also encourage musicians to take more responsibility for designing their own artistic practice. This can be done through the use of theatrical approaches, techniques and strategies, which include not only the mechanics of performance such as lighting and staging, but also the creative articulation of the performer’s own ideas in relation to the music and its performance.

While this may sound like a manifesto for a new mode of interpretation, there are a number of limitations that may need to be overcome and considered. As mentioned earlier, one major pitfall in attempting to follow the practice introduced here is that it takes time and space to develop interdisciplinary, embodied interpretations. In conventional settings, musicians are given little time to rehearse a piece before its presentation to an audience. For the development of creatively extended and embodied interpretation, time requirements need to be recognised, and resources and funding need to be found to facilitate the process.

When rehearsing Heiner Goebbels’ Songs of wars I have seen (2002/2007) with an ensemble that had not been involved in the premier performance, players of MusikFabrik and Concerto Köln were given three full rehearsal days to prepare for the concert which uses a staged setting and requires all of the female players to play and also speak texts by Gertrude Stein. This is more than the standard rehearsal time, nonetheless it is hardly enough time to realise the work’s full potential. In contrast to this, when developing the music-theatre piece Robert Walser at the Schauspielhaus Zurich in 2014, the director and composer Ruedi Häusermann and his ensemble of three actors and a string quartet were granted the full rehearsal time of a theatrical production of more than eight weeks. The purely musical rehearsals even commenced 6 months before the theatre production rehearsals. In theatre as well as opera, established practice recognises that staged artistic productions require time and space, and, in many ways, an examination of the practice introduced here suggests that it may be fruitful to enable similar conditions for collaborative interpretations of music.

In the second research, question I asked about the ‘kind of techniques’ that may be required, and which of them are available to the performing musician. Working with the body opens up a wide range of possibilities of bodywork, acting and presence techniques, and communication skills for which continual professional development can be pursued. While some of these require in-depth developmental processes, some aspects of performance can be immediately available to most musicians. The performer’s movements and voice, improvisations, the performance venue, space and setting, and theatrical elements such as lighting, costumes, media and special effects can be creatively used and designed. Being able to play from memory is an advantage in most approaches to exploring music and its use on stage and as mentioned before, this may actually be easier in a scenic context.

A major support can be to work collaboratively with dancers, actors or visual artists who bring their own experience and expertise in working creatively with the body. This strategy provides a possible answer to the third research question, which asks about the methods conducive to a creative process within interpretation. In collaborations, perspectives on the role of the body are both shared ground and a source of difference and dispute. These situations have the potential to lead an interpretation to explore intrinsically human issues that reflect or connect to intrinsic qualities of music. Such an approach to interpretation may have the potential to contribute to a development that Globokar describes as the ‘humanizing of music’, as mentioned earlier (1976: 108), not least because it is likely that a performer who incorporates extended creative and embodied qualities in his or her interpretation will create interpretations of greater accessibility to a wider variety of audiences compared with conventional interpretations.

These arguments illustrate why this work is important: it has the potential to make classical music relevant and accessible to a wider range of people. It also recognises the impact of the individual performer and his or her corporeality on the manifestation of a work of art.

Future perspectives

Recognising that there are a variety of modes of interpretation available to the instrumentalist, this research investigated approaches, strategies and techniques as key protocols that extend the creative spectrum of an interpretation, and that, as a by-product, may also facilitate the accomplishment of technically difficult passages through improved body awareness. Findings may provide a guide to other performers interested in such an approach and also in meeting the multitude of challenges that a musician is faced with. This endeavour may not apply to all instrumentalists playing Western classical music. Nonetheless, a performer who does not want to be limited to traditional forms may be encouraged to explore an individual path. With further research, the key protocols identified could be developed into a more detailed framework providing starting points for such work.

So far the results of this research have been disseminated among practitioners and have found their way to a number of performers and innovative ensembles like Invisible Playground, Ensemble Babylon, Ensemble Adapter and many more. If applied at institutions of higher education, music students might be encouraged to develop individual niches and interests in ways that align more closely with practices amongst visual arts students, who are not only trained to exhibit work, but are also required to provide reflections on their work and to present it personally at showings. Conservatoires wishing to support the inclusion of theatrical elements would need to offer project-based work as well as purpose-orientated bodywork, introductions to acting and the production of dramatic arts, and to encourage reflection on the aesthetics of music performance (see Fischer-Lichte, 2008; Rebstock and Roesner, 2012; Roesner, 2014; Schechner, 2005).

The theoretical and practical insights of my practice have influenced research projects where primary school students and their teachers created and wrote their own songs and choreographies at the University of Applied Science Northwest Switzerland. They have also informed the teaching of the subject Aesthetic Education, which is offered at the University of Cologne. This newly introduced subject is based on the exploration of aesthetic experiences and perception through projects and performances that incorporate elements of art, music and movement with the dramatic arts.

Encouraged rather than intimidated by the changing cultures of our world today, I would like to regard the era we are moving into as an extended and dynamic gateway for creativity and shared human expression. In my research, I have focussed my attention on the embodiment of music through the individual performer, who is considered to be an additional creative source for the music, or even a creative partner to the composer in the entreprise of interpretation. I regard this as a perceptual shift in the understanding of what a performance is, and what kind of meaning a performance including the performer and his or her corporeality and presence can convey. Reflecting on the outcomes of the analysis I have found that extended interpretations do have the potential to enhance intrinsic qualities of music such as communication, embodiment and multi-layered and multi-sensual perception under certain circumstances, and that these can indeed be regarded as platforms of creative activity for the performer. They have the potential to contribute to joy and inspiration in performers and audiences, leading to exploration of innovative and individual artistic approaches to the sharing of mutually valued musical experiences, especially when engaging with repertoire music.