Musicians use the term “phrasing” rather casually in rehearsal and teaching situations, as it is a word innate to performing music. But do musicians all agree on what “phrasing” actually means? As it is an integral part of the title and context of this research project, this reflection will illuminate the term we musicians use frequently.
I begin the «Introduction» to this research project: «Phrasing is the performer's musical language, strongly linked to how well one masters one's instrument and can communicate musical ideas and interpretations.» Suppose we review definitions of the noun phrasing. In that case, Cambridge Dictionary defines it as «the way in which a singer or musician divides the tune into separate parts»[1], Britannica Dictionary: «the act of grouping notes together in a particular way»[2] and Merriam-Webster as “the act, method, or result of grouping notes into musical phrases”.[3] So what is a “phrase”? It is “a short musical thought typically two to four measures long closing with a cadence”[4]. We can deduce from this that the definition of phrasing is: grouping of notes into a musical thought.
The word is also used in acting, sports, and the visual arts, and frequently with language, as most non-musicians understand how it translates into music. If we examine the word phrasing in other important musical languages, “phrasé” in French, “fraseggio” in Italian, and “phrasierung” in German, the origin implies commonality. The etymology of “phrasing” is from the Ancient Greek “phrásis” meaning “manner of expression” which is from “phrázō” or “I tell, express” to late Latin «phrasis» meaning «diction».
Phrasing can be explained in several different ways. Perhaps the most common analogy in the performance field is language and sentence structure—the structure of notes into a musical sentence to give musical intent. Harmonic analysis is also an analytical method to determine how the grouping of notes should be assessed. My working definition of “phrasing” from a performative perspective is “how a musician shapes music”. This is an analogy referring to visually forming a musical trajectory of notes. It implies creating a path, direction, or development in the music. A trajectory is in itself a «path, progression, or line of development…»[5] from Latin «traiectus» or «throw across».
Significant composers, conductors, and performers have defined notable perspectives on phrasing. A few examples are Leopold Mozart "Good performance depends on the correct execution of the notes and the proper expression of the phrases."[6], Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "To win applause one must write stuff so simple that a coachman might sing it. ”[7], Frédéric Chopin “You must sing if you wish to play.”[8], Clara Schumann “It is not enough to play the notes; one must feel the meaning behind them and shape the phrase as one would speak a sentence.”[9], Pablo Casals “The music must breathe. You must feel where the phrase begins and ends, just as in speech.”[10], Alfred Cortot “A phrase must breathe, must sigh, must speak. It is the soul of interpretation.”[11], Artur Schnabel “The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes—ah, that is where the art resides!”[12], Wilhelm Furtwängler “Music is not made of notes, but of tensions and resolutions. Phrasing is the shaping of these forces.”[13], Nadia Boulanger “Every phrase must have a reason. You must know why it begins, where it goes, and how it ends.”[14], Heinrich Neuhaus “Phrasing is the punctuation of musical speech. Without it, music becomes unintelligible.”[15], Leonard Bernstein “Phrasing is the way music speaks. It’s how you tell the story.”[16], György Sebők “Phrasing is the way we organize time to make music meaningful.”[17], and Daniel Barenboim “Phrasing is not decoration. It is the way the music breathes and lives within its form.”[18]
All of these phrasing ideas can inform our interpretation of the act of phrasing. Since my working definition is “how a musician shapes music”, how DO I shape music? This leads to the next chapter, «Affordances of Musical Instruments,» as I use an instrument to achieve this. This cooperation and understanding of the agent of affordances influences how I shape my music. It is also ingrained in my teaching methodology to share research discoveries and knowledge with the next generation. I have been teaching at the Grieg Academy since 2012, and this research project is one of the culminations of how I see the modern performing field and what I think should be the focus for performing musicians.
To shape music, one needs to shape the phrases within the music. The parameters used to achieve this are a combined structure of pitch, dynamics, timbre, tempo, articulation, and rhythm. The phrases then shape the music and express the intent of the performer. Phrasing, the performer's musical language, is the essence of a musician's expressive means.
[1] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/phrasing
[2] https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/phrasing
[3] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phrasing
[4] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phrases
[5] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trajectory
[6] Mozart, Leopold. *A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing*. Translated by Editha Knocker, Oxford University Press, 1948, p. 45.
[7] Mozart W. A. «The Letters of Mozart and His Family», Letter to Leopold Mozart, 13 October 1782, translated by Emily Anderson, Macmillan, vol. 2, p. 688 (1938)
[8] Eigeldinger J.-J. «Chopin: Pianist and Teacher as Seen by His Pupils» p. 45 (1986)
[9] Reich N. B. «Clara Schumann: The Artist and the Woman» p. 112 (2001)
[10] Blum D «Casals and the Art of Interpretation» p. 28 (1977)
[11] Cortot A «Rational Principles of Piano Technique» p. 15. (1930)
[12] Schnabel A «My Life and Music» p. 78 1961
[13] Prieberg F. K. «Wilhelm Furtwängler» p. 134 (1986)
[14] Rosenstiel L. «Nadia Boulanger: A Life in Music» p. 102 (1982)
[15] Neuhaus H. «The Art of Piano Playing» p. 56 (1993)
[16] Bernstein L. «The Joy of Music» p. 88 (1959)
[17] Sebők G «Interviews and Reflections» p. 67 (2003)
[18] Barenboim D. «Music Quickens Time» p. 42 (2008)