How to prepare a score?

Studying a simple 4-part a cappella choral work is obviously different from studying a complex orchestral work. But there are also parallels. The difference is mainly in the duration of the study. For a complex orchestral work, the study will be significantly longer than for the other example.

Preface

Because of the wide spread of media it appears logical to study a musical work from a recording. Especially for those who do not or almost not play the piano, this can be a good way to be introduced to a new musical work. If you insist listening to a recording, then listen to different recordings. You will become acustomed to just one recording quite quick, especially a work unknown to you and it will interfere with your own perception of the work. Try to study scores at your desk, with or without an instrument (eg piano). This way of studying is cumbersome and takes longer, but eventually leads to a better understanding of the score.

Gathering information.

We could say that the reason for studying a score is to gather as much information as possible. With that information we try to construct the best possible image of the music. We use this image to achieve the best possible performance.

How do we best collect information?

We can gather information in a lot of ways. I will describe here a way to gather as much relevant information as possible in the shortest possible time. In other words: in an efficient manner.

The best way to do this, is to work from overview to detail, or studying from the perspective of a skydiver. A skydiver sees the whole area at the start of his jump (the entire province). As he descends, he sees more details (region, city, district, meadows). At the end of his jump, the landing, he can so to speak see the blades of grass from the meadow he lands in. Working from overview to detail is an important principle. What does it mean when studying a music score?

 General Information

We begin by collecting general information. In many cases you do not even need a score:

• Who is the composer?
• When was the work written? In what period?
• Can we speak of a cultural-historic period?
• What kind of work is it? E.g.: a large orchestral work or a short overture?
• What is the duration of the work? A one minute work "feels" different and requires a different attitude of the conductor than a 75 minute symphonic work
• What is the orchestration?

To many this may seem obvious observations, however it really is essential information about a musical work.

Read - Overview

The next step is to start with the procedure I called "... studying from the perspective of a skydiver." in the preceding text. First we only 'view' the score. Spend sufficient time on this when learning a new, unknown score. With a known work, the procedure might be a bit different. The layout of the score and the image the notes form is of great importance.

At this stage you are not yet concerned with what is played or sung, or what it sounds like. If you do this too soon, you riks losing sight of the 'greater shape' and may never get hold of.

Start with 'scanning' (browsing) the score and try to answer the following questions:

• What is the structure of the work? Are there several parts or sections?
• If there are several parts or sections, is there a different orchestration?
• If there are several parts or sections, what can you say about the duration of these parts?

From large to small

In a large multi-part work, we now turn to a smaller unit, such a the first part of the work. From this level, knowledge of musical forms and structural analysis is useful handy, in order to recognize musical forms (sonata, song form, etc.). But even without this specific knowledge, valuable information can be obtained. The above questions (building, sections, orchestration, length) are the same. We will now have a look in more detail, but we still start with browsing the score. Our questions are somewhat different this time:

• Is there a particular treatment of voices, or the instruments? For example: are voices often treated in pairs? / do some voices have more, or shorter note values ​​than others? Is the orchestration fairly constant or continually changing? Does the composer often write in instrument 'blocks'? For example: only strings or only winds or in opposite groups? Are there any other noticeable deatils in the score?
• Can I get an overall picture of the piece by gathering the information above? What impression does the music in the score make on me?
  Calm / busy / complex / loud / 'edgy' / slow, etc? Why and how?
• Are there (major) changes in metre, rythm, tempo, orchestration or dynamics?
• Does this part consist of even smaller sections? How can I see this? - Often from the score layout. If so, how do these smaller units relate to one another? Are there repetitions? If necessary, highlight the smaller sections with a pencil.

Take one of the smaller units and -beside the questions above-, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I see repeats, prominent spots, for example: All voices are in unison, all voices play loud, only one or two voices play, there is a section marking (double line), etc.
• Is there a wide variety of note values (short / long) or are more or less  the same note value used?
• Is the rythm rather static or does it often change?
• Are melodies being used? How is the melody divided over the different instruments / voices?
• Are there repetitions? Are canonic or fugal principles applied?
• Does the score use keys?

• Also try to mark 'periods' in the score. Periods are groups of 2, 3 or 4 bars (sometimes seperate bars) that belong together. Many scores are structured in periods of 8 (= 2x4) bars.
• Try singing the voices. Try to visualise the other voices during singing.
• Try to recognize melodies and themes.
• Try to recognize keys (for instance dominant-tonic).
• How is the interaction between the voices? Do the voices exchange material?
• Can you say something about places that are likely to be difficult? In view of the rehearsals: How can you best address these places? Are there ways to help the players / singers?
  
  

When is a score well prepared?

Ideally, you're well prepared if you can write down the score you have been preparing on to a blank sheet of music paper. Fortunately you do not have to reach this level in order to achieve very good results.

It is difficult to say when you've reached this level or when the 'picture' is complete. For example if you are able to take over and sing any voice at any time and place, you are well prepared particularly for the first rehearsal and you have what it takes to have a work "on track" quickly. But that is not all. At the same time you need to form an 'image' of the entire work and the music behind the notes.

As a guideline during preparation you can ask yourself the following question: "Is there any question about the score I do not know the answer to?" If you can think of a question, try to find out the answer! "Is there any place in the score I do not know exactly how it should sound?" As a guideline during rehearsals, you could ask yourself the following questions: "Am I happy about the result?" "If not, why not?" "What do I want to sound differently and how can I achive this?". Don't be easily satisfied and do not assume that your singers or players will not notice the difference anyway. Also less good singers and players will notice the result getting better!

Spent sufficient time to prepare your scores. A thorough preparation is half the result.

In summary:

• Collect information to achieve the best possible 'picture' of the music.
• Preferably, try to study at your writing desk.
• Especially in the beginning of the learning process, try to 'read' and 'look' a lot.
• Work from 'overview' to 'detail' in steps. Do not work in detail too early, always keep an overview of the larger form.
• Keep asking yourself questions to check if you really know the score.
• Spent sufficient time to prepare your scores. A thorough preparation is half the result.

Good luck!

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