A Pilot Study of Performance Practices of Twentieth-Century Musicians

Abstract

This study was the initial phase of a continuing project to investigate the performance practices of twentieth-century musicians. The purpose of the study was to test and refine data-gathering techniques and to use these techniques in a preliminary investigation of the characteristics of intonation and pitch vibrato of performers of stringed instruments. Services of a number of string instrumentalists were obtained. The performers were gathered in groups of like instruments. Each performer was asked to perform, for recording purposes, a selected musical passage—initially as a solo performer and then as a member of an ensemble. The recordings of each solo performance and each musician's contribution to the ensemble performance were analyzed with the aid of electronic equipment that converted the musical stimuli into a graphic representation of the performance. The results and findings of the pilot study were as follows: (1) Pitch vibrato is present in the initial attack at all tones. (2) When each performer uses vibrato, the speed of the vibrato and pitch width are the same in solo playing as in ensemble playing. (3) The pitch vibrato does not appear to be an oscillation above and below conceived pitch but appears to be an oscillation in an upward direction from conceived pitch. The conclusions offered in the pilot study require the support of additional investigations using other performers and additional musical passages.