給愛麗絲的夢

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Last semester, in my Song Interpretation Class, one vocalist performed a song by Barber. I remember the teacher instructed the piano accompanist to make her heart speak too. This reminded me that Barber’s music looks easy but is still challenging. The chromatic melody line not only shows the direction of phrases, but also influences the shape of the dynamics. Personally, I feel that it is not necessary to show the power in the chords, though other pianists may wish to articulate this differently. It is known that Barber did not focus his work on any particular musical style, so there is a big possibility that he was influenced by the sum of twentieth-century theories, including Jazz. In fact, I think his music should be played with a little bit of improvisation, so that it can enjoy a certain loose tension and yet still retain elegance and beauty.

Overall, Barber’s music is wonderfully artistic. I feel sorry that I did not have a chance to understand him further, but I believe that he will be one of my favorite composers in the future.

Barber’s music presents a post-romantic style. His compositions seem beautifully played, with resonant sound and colorful harmony. Barber originally wanted to become a vocalist. Even though he did not accomplish this dream, his music always uses longer phrases and the melody line always exists. Barber did not focus on any particular musical style, but rather tried to reach his listeners in a unique way, composing from his soul. Hence, his music is lyrical, romantic, and accessible to audiences.

In my opinion, this nocturne is written in typical Chopin style: time signatures with compound time and floating grace notes, such as those included in this piece, can also be found in most of Chopin’s work. As Barber himself is a very good pianist, I think performers must have good technique and a very relaxed style to present his music. There is no overdoing of emotions but the simple line of singing, which is more difficult than it seems, can be challenging for some pianists. Although I do not know much of Barber’s solo piano work, I believe that much of what he wrote is outstanding.