Music Interpretation

Today in music class, Mr. G was playing some pieces for us and, while they were playing, we were to analyze them and write down what we thought that the composer was trying to portray. After each piece, he would pace around the room and randomly pick names from his list and ask them what they thought of the music and they would have to read their analysis of the piece. I always feel quite goofy trying to analyze music and interpret what they are wanting me to feel.

Well, the first piece seemed to go okay and everyone seemed to have the same type of interpretation…peaceful, calm, soothing, etc. Then he played Transcendental Etude No. 10 in F Minor by Franz Liszt. The first girl thought that it was calm and rather cheerful. Mr. G thought her analysis was “quite interesting.” Then he asked another guy what he thought and Jeffrey thought that it reminded him of a busy spring day. “Hmm, very interesting!” was the pronouncement.

By this time, I was a bit dismayed because that didn’t match my analysis at all and I was very dismayed that people outright laughed at his analysis. It certainly hadn’t reminded me of a spring day but I wasn’t about to laugh at him. You know, what goes around, comes around…and stuff. And sure enough, he paced right in my direction and looked directly at me. “Sharon, what did you think?”

Oh, boy!! “Well,” I said, “I thought it seemed rather unsettled and not peaceful at all.”

Mr. G paused and looked at me and said, “It’s interesting that you say that (*pause*) …because that is just the way it makes me feel.” Score!! Then he expounded on how with Franz Liszt’s music, he can only handle about one piece at a time. He compared it to fudge and how you look forward to a piece and really enjoy it but if you had to eat half a pound…well, it would simply make you sick. Boy, I was sure glad I hadn’t laughed.