Cynthia Folio
Temple University
One problem in the area of analysis and performance is that the questions that theorists ask are not always questions that will be relevant to performers. I intend to present an approach to the topic that is more performance-centered, so that performers' thoughts and interpretations form a starting point for ideas concerning analysis. One benefit is that the kind of inspiration that good performances can motivate the analyst to find interesting insights that might not have otherwise been uncovered. Another benefit is that when the topic is approached in this way, the performer can become "hooked" on theory, and analysis becomes an exciting activity.
After outlining several ideas about how performance can provide the impetus for analysis, I will illustrate this relationship through an analysis of various interpretations of Chopin's Prelude No.3 in G major. While this composition is simple on the surface, it presents some conflicts that can be understood better through a combination of analysis and listening to what performers do. Experienced performers are experts on how to inspire an audience and they can tell us much about the music that they have literally lived with for years. If we as theorists are willing to listen and to react in a way that is sensitive to their insights and their issues, performers will find that they also have much to learri through analysis.