Essay on BCMF & Franco Battiato's Interpretations of Brahms: A Comparison

Performances would often differ depending on the artist's interpretation of a composition. Besides, the choice of instrumentation might have an impact on the experience that an audience might have. In looking at the BCMF and Franco Battiato presentation of Johannes Brahms' composition, one can see these variations. The focus of the analysis is to look at the BCMF and Franco Battiato performance. One of the performance styles that seem to come out from the BCMF performance of Brahm's music is the use of metric manipulations. The basic idea behind Brahms composition is the use of metric dissonances to enhance and control musical motion in the performances. Therefore, the performer needs to know how the scores read and should conceptualize it and struggle with its attributes (Calloway 2013). BCMF has been able to master this kind of struggle with different notational and phenomenal accents that lead to the articulation and inflexion that generates motion. The groups have been able to also master the idea of the calculated schedule of tensions and intensities (Calloway 2013). With these qualities, one can find that their music is unique even when compared to the performance of Franco Battiato.

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Another aspect that seems to stand out in this performance is the idea of the attention to the implied meter. The BCMF has mastered the art of adopting Brahms approach of an implied meter in the production. For one to effectively perform Brahms music, they need to pay special attention to the time signatures (Calloway 2013). His approach is often to change the time signature to achieve a specific meter. The group clearly shows a better mastery of this approach in the performance (Calloway 2013). Besides, there is special attention that has been paid to the noted meter in displacement dissonances. A good mastery of art helps to bring out the tension and frustration. The approach seems to work well for the BCMF group, and thus they help to deliver the act impressively.

Franco Battiato adopts a flexible approach to the interpretation of the meter and thus focuses on a high degree of tempo variation and rhythmic inflexion in the performances. However, his performance seems to focus more on the brief appearance of a new meter. In this case, the meter is often short-lived, and most of it ranges from one measure to six (Calloway 2013). Battiato seems to shift the declamatory pattern to create new strong beats over specific words. Through the focus of lingering on distinct syllables and vowels, Battiato can emphasize words that resonate with the emotional content of the composition (Battiato 2010). This style allows the hypermetric flexibility. He also uses the art of creating tension between sections with different tempi.

In listening to the two performances, one can get a chance to understand the different ways to interrupting Brahms composition and the impact they have on the performer and listeners. In listening to the two performances on can see that the performance by BCMF seems to show fewer changes in articulation (Calloway 2013). The performer sings the composition with smooth legation articulation that floats over the fluid in the piano. She increases her vibrato as she sings the Ab5s thus creating an impressive arc that flows the melodic contour in both sections (Calloway 2013). Besides, crescendo on the piano part helps to add the momentum in the internal acceleration of the song. Moreover, the BCFM seems to alter the tempo, thus delineating the onset and the end of the text repetition.

Battiato uses quite a different approach that seems to focus more on a slightly faster tempo and a more comprehensive range of articulations. He seems to sing with a 6/4 meter line that also has a semi staccato articulation that helps to contrast with the legato in preceding lines (Battiato 2010). His approach differs from the BCMF since the focus is more on the range rather than the articulation of the words (Battiato 2010). Though it is an effective approach at times, it might supersede the tempo and thus make the listeners have a different view of the music. It is, therefore, clear that listening to Brahm music from various performers would often evoke a different feeling and understanding. The understanding that one gets would, in most cases, depend on the interpretation that the performer has. Besides, Brahms offers a wide variety of explanation to his music and thus allows the performer to bring in their unique analysis when doing his compositions. It is this interpretation that seems to emerge in the works of the BCMF and Battiato.

From listening to the two presentations, I do not think that I have a stylistic preference. I do feel that each performance is presenting a different and unique way of understanding Brahm's music. Besides, it is his idea that a performer has the freedom to interpret the music uniquely. Therefore, it seems to come out clearly that both the two performers are unique and refreshing.

I also think that the BCMF presentation is more formal, while the Battiato presentation is intimate. The fact that Battiato focuses on the variations of the meter makes the presentation informal. On the other hand, the focus on a smooth flow of meter in the BCMF presentation makes it more formal. I did not find anything distinctive.

The venue might have a significant impact on the audience experience. The organization of the stage and the acoustic setting of the hall might have an impact on the quality of sound. Besides, the echoes from the venue might affect what the clients here and thus have a significant impact on the quality of the performances. Therefore, the venue might impact on the audience's experience.

References

Battiato, F. (2010, October 7). Gestillte Sehnsucht,Franco Battiato Live a Segesta.wmv [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGMBnC-KHDg

Calloway, R. (2013, August 14). BCMF Brahms: Zwei GesA$?nge, Op. 91 (Gestillte Sehnsucht) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwZs6bKWWHI