Would you play the whole thing?

[Libre]

What happens when you are studying a suite (Ponce suite in a minor to be specific, but question applies to any suite), and you LOVE the suite, except for 1 or 2 movements. I adore the Ponce, except for the prelude, which I can't seem to memorize, or WANT to memorize. I don't hate it, but I'm just not crazy about it. And to learn a piece I'm not crazy about is not something I want to do. Yet, the suite is amazing and deserves to be played in its entirety. I'm just afraid I'll lose my audience while I'm still in the Prelude. It just wonders and does not make the musical statement I wish it did. I normally just skip it and go straight to the Allemande, but I feel like I'm starting in the middle of the suite, and cheating both Ponce and the audience.
What would you do?

[utahpaulo]

hmmm, tough one, Libre...
I guess if it were me, then I'd take a look at who the audience is. I currently play with a group of guitarists once a month. If it were for them, then I'd play the complete suite, because they would appreciate it. If it were just informally for friends or at the park, (which you do a lot of), I'd probably just play the peices of most interest to me.
Just me though...

[Libre]

Yeah, that's what I do. I can't see playing a piece I don't love, when I could lose a listener in 1 second flat. People decide quickly whether to stay and listen, or to move on.
On my CD's though, I don't have to compromise. I'm working on Vol 3, which will have the suite in its entirety.
I just have to wonder if it's the prelude or me. How could the rest of the suite be so magnificent, with a weak prelude. It must be me.
Anybody famililar with this work? It has NOT been recorded much at all - I only have one recording of it (other than my own), by Segovia, from the 1920's or '30s.

[edwardcav]

Curious Libre..

Have you a recorded version of this piece? Perhaps it is your opinion of this performer's interpretation.

If this is the case, I would suggest shutting out that recording, as well as all prior thoughts about the piece (prelude), and digging in as musically and open minded as you can. Have fin with interpretation... Pinpoint important phrases and emphasise them fittingly - make the piece yours.

If, after this you are still upset with its contribution to the suite, think about maestro Ponce and his amazing capabilities as a composer. Each movement has a purpose, just like every note meaning.

Do it for him!!!!!!!!

[Libre]

Ed -
A wonderful, thoughtful answer. I will do as you suggest. I would HATE to dump the prelude. You're right. Maestro Ponce (in my humble opinion, one of the greatest and most underrated musical minds in history) did not just stick the Prelude on there as filler. The Prelude is essential, and it has a musical and an artistic purpose.
Thank you
PS - I've tried to warm up to it before, unsuccessfully, but I didn't write it. It's my job to PLAY it so people will see the beauty of it - even if I can't. :?

[dap22]

Hey Libre,
Ponce is GREAT! While I don't play anything by MMP, I love his works. Especially some of his Sonatina's, mostly the Sonatina Meridional, check out Franco Platino's recording, it is amazing! As far as leaving out a selection from a suite merely because it is not your favorite thing...I would not reccomend. Obviously you have the chops to play all the movements, so first question is why not do it? Ponce has the Prelude in the suite for a reason...it adds an element of completeness. It takes the audience on a journey. Without it, you lose an important element of the piece. Imagine hearing Etude 7 by Villa-Lobos without the scales....it would loose the most important part!
Take Morel's Sonatina for example, and playing only teh first and third movements...sure, you cut out the Andate Expressivo slow movement, but the whole piece looses its element of surprise of whats good to come, it looses a large part of its feel as well as purpose.
We all have had to put up with learning things we really didn't like, but we learn them for a purpose.
If you have a purpose for leaving out the Prelude, then fine, but if the only purpose is because you don't like it, then whats the point in playing it? Its like those old 'Warhead' candys...you have to put up with the sour coating before you get to the sweet taste on the inside.
It would be almost like practicing without a metronome just because you don't like it, as david russell says, the metronome is your best friend, not necesarilly the most fun, yet the most reliable. It is a part that makes up a whole, the Prelude is part of the suite to make it a complete suite. You have the chops to play it, so go ahead and take advantage and play the whole thing!

Best of luck,
Doug

[edwardcav]

I think if you try as hard as you can to play it well enough and musically sound enough to the extent that you yourself is pleased, then it will become a strong part of your repertoire.

just give it one more try, pretend you don't hate it for just a week. and be a muso!!!

looking forwards to vol. 3 marc.
ed

[brian richardson]

libre,
i'm in a similar situation. 6yrs ago learned the 5 impromptus by richard rodney bennett. it took me a long time to get them up to performance
level. what i reasised was that, i couldn't stand them. so here i was
a year or so invested in them and didn't want to play them. put them
on the back burner for a couple of years and forgot about them. recently
i was jonesing for something abstract and not so hum-able. wham! i remembered, oh yeah the bennett! well dusted them off and got going again. got them up to speed and realised-you know what? i still don't like them. now with this amount of effort spent, i keep them up to snuff. somedays they seem better to me. and maybe they will find a permanent place on the list. funny thing is, whenever i play/played them for people i get this look as if to say, 'is that music?' atonal yup. when played for 'music lovers/guitarists' they want to hear them again.
so my long winded point is, when it's for people who will appreciate them i'll play them for those people. if it's a resturant/wedding/cruise well i'll avoid playing them. don't want to make anyone sick/divorced/jump overboard.

edwardcav- :shock: how ya been?

[Beumont_suite]

Libre, I know your pain. A lot of the Bach suites i don't want to learn because i only like a couple of the movements. Is is fair to the audience? Perhaps, if you indicate to them beforehand that you'll only be playing parts of a suite. Sometimes some movements seem to hinder an entire suite, bringing it down. It all comes down to how dedicated you are to the entire thing. Learning something you don't want to learn sucks, and won't motivate you to practice it. For me it just as easy to forget about the entire thing and find something that i like entirely.

[Libre]

To ALL -
As I grapple with this, I am coming to realize I agree with those that side with playing the whole suite, including the Prelude. A suite is more than a bunch of nice sounds - it's a musical work. Somebody said I clearly have the chops to play it (I do!). Beumont said he might forget about playing the suite at all. But I adore it!
The only reason NOT to play the Prelude, is I'm afraid I'll loose my fickle listeners if I don't play it with conviction. There is the answer. It's not that the piece is ugly - it's just not as gloriously beautiful as EVERY PHRASE of the rest. But it does provide a contrast.
I AM GOING TO PLAY IT!!!!!
Thanks, everyone, for helping me to decide.

[edwardcav]

hi brian, been ok, working on audition pieces which have been and gone, festival in a week where I receive another masterclass, move to canberra in a year to study at ANU.

been very busy with music!

[brian richardson]

ed, :D cool beans!!