Exposition

"An Actor Prepares": A musician's approach to a selection of techniques by Konstantin Stanislavski (2022)

André Teixeira

About this exposition

The belief that imagination’s engagement and emotional connection with what I play enhance my performance propelled me to do this research. However, these are not systematically integrated in instrumental practice. Thus, it seemed to me that the twentieth century theatre director Konstantin Stanislavski’s ‘system’ would be the perfect basis for such a quest. The starting point were acting techniques from his first book "An Actor Prepares": the "given circumstances", imagination-related ("supposed circumstances", “inner visions”, "magic if”) – and emotion-related ("emotion memory", "sensation memory", "surroundings"). Partly supported by existing literature, these techniques were linked with the instrumentalists' work and tested out in a self-case study through three interventions. The process consisted of making video recordings of the 'before' and the actual interventions, which were guided by the filling out of intervention forms designed by me. The techniques were applied on three distinct piano passages of Richard Strauss’ melodrama for narrator and piano "Enoch Arden". Furthermore, I did interventions’ reports to provide more palpable insights about the experience, namely the effects of each technique on the performer. The outcome was evaluated through a questionnaire filled in by a group of listeners, comprising musicians and non-musicians, and by me. The responses generally show that the techniques were effective. However, the recordings were perceived as very similar. Also, the listeners’ perception sometimes differed from mine. Nevertheless, the reports allow us to conclude that these techniques might affect the performer’s focus, creativity, self-confidence, knowledge about the works and also self-knowledge.
typeresearch exposition
keywordspiano, Enoch Arden, practice, Musical Training Performance & Cognition, Music Performance, emotions, imagination, Constantin Stanislavski, Konstantin Stanislavski
date21/02/2022
published09/05/2022
last modified09/05/2022
statuspublished
share statusprivate
copyrightAndré Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira
licenseCC BY-NC-ND
languageEnglish
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1420396/1420397
published inKC Research Portal
portal issue1. Master Research Projects


Simple Media

id name copyright license
1427567 KC-logo_en Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag All rights reserved
1541369 "An Actor Prepares": relation of main concepts André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1541451 Konstantin Stanislavski in 1938 Acting ed. Toby Cole Public domain
1541467 Konstantin Stanislavski Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-18073-0003 CC BY-SA
1541490 curved arrow No copyright Public domain
1543076 Allegretto global André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1543080 1 allegretto andré André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1543082 1 allegretto andré André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1543084 2 Langsam global André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1543094 2 Langsam andré André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1543096 3 Agitato global André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1543098 3 Agitato andré André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1543130 table grades per technique André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1545001 01 Pre-interventions - Allegretto André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1548247 Imagination Report André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1548258 01 Given circumstances report André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1550230 Konstantin Sergejewitsch Stanislawski Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-18073-0003 CC BY-SA
1550288 Konstantin Stanislavski in 1938 Acting ed. Toby Cole Public domain
1550379 Given circumstances blank André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1550392 imagination blank André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1550398 Emotions blank André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1628305 Emotions blank André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1628306 Emotions blank André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1628312 Beneficial effects André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved
1628313 Beneficial effects André Emanuel Fialho Caldeira Teixeira All rights reserved

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