Lazimnya orang mengenal Chopin sebagai komposer piano. Banyak menganggap bahwa jika sudah bisa memainkan karya Chopin, maka seseorang menjadi berhak untuk disebut sebagai “bisa” main piano. Kata BISA berada dalam tanda petik, yang maksudnya adalah sangat relatif. Kenapa relatif? Karena untuk dapat memainkan musik Chopin, seseorang mestinya tak hanya berurusan dengan teknik semata. Melainkan kedalaman untuk tahu emosional karya nya dan juga mampu mengkaji secara inteligensia apa yang tersirat dibalik yang tersurat. Sebut saja misalnya TEMPO RUBATO yang menjadi salah satu ciri khas karya Chopin. Begitu banyak orang memainkan Walts karya Chopin dengan tempo yang strict. Persis seperti memainkan Waltz dari Johann Strauss. Beberapa lagi dengan sangat tolol dan bodoh memainkan Waltz Chopin dengan Phrasering atau pengkalimatan yang dipenggal dengan sesuka hatinya dengan dalih ia memainkan TEMPO RUBATO.
Bicara tentang Chopin, kita berbicara tentang satu pribadi yang sangat kompleks. Melafalkan namanya saja banyak yang salah. Orang dengan sok tahu dan sok ke Perancis Perancisan menyebutnya sebagai SYOPANG. Untunglah era internet memberi pencerahan yang luar biasa bagi orang sok tahu, koplak dan songong untuk melafalkan nama Chopin sebagai (Syopen,pen dilafalkan seperti pulpen). Selama hidupnya Chopin bukanlah seorang yang narsis. Ia tidak seperti Pianis Instagram masa kini yang gemar pamer sampai pakai topi kelinci, main Piano dengan menjungkir balikkan badan, pura pura menangis sedih haru di tengah capaian siswanya. Chopin adalah pribadi yang tertutup. Ia pemalu. Ia memainkan musik piano sebagai satu kebutuhan hidupnya dan sama sekali tidak mencita citakan dirinya untuk glamour sebagaimana pianis kagetan yang tenar lewat potongan Instagram.
Hampir bisa dipastikan, setiap siswa Piano di seluruh dunia, termasuk para guru piano, ketika mendengan nama HANON, akan muncul reaksi beragam. Bagi siswa piano yang pendiam dan introvert, dia akan tetap mengerjakan apa yang tertulis di buku Hanon, namun dengan cemberut dan nyaris Depresi. Bagi siswa piano yang didik dengan gaya kekinian, akan langsung protes: “Bosan, Miss.. Please deh Miss..jangan yang ini”.
Bagi siwa piano yang di rumahnya didik dengan cara yang katanya kekinian dan demokratis, meski sebetulnya adalah cara didik yang idiot goblok bodoh, akan langsung protes.“ Aku ini kan belajar piano, kok jadi main ginian sih... bosan tahu“. Anak-anak di kota besar yang parentsnya merasa kaya tajir dan kebarat-baratan,meski tetap suka tempe, akan protes: “Apa sih gunanya? Kenapa juga aku harus main begini?!”
Itulah HANON THE 60 EXERCISE FOR VIRTUOSO PIANIST. Buku piano, salah satu yang terlaris sepanjang segala abad, sekaligus paling kontroversial juga sepanjang segala abad.
Di zaman sebelum kemerdekaan Indonesia, para perempuan akan merasa tersanjung, terbuai sampai klepek-klepek dan bisa salah tingkah jika ada yang menyebut, “Wahhh dik, wajahmu seindah bulan“. Tapi di zaman sekarang, Anda akan digampar keras-keras jika Anda memuji perempuan dengan menyamakannya dengan bulan. Mengapa?Sejak NASA menerbitkan foto wajah bulan yang ternyata bopeng-bopeng dan tidak rata, hmmmm, tentu perempuan akan marah besar jika dipersamakan dengan bulan. Yang berarti wajahnya penuh bopeng dan bergelombang tidak rata.
INSIPIRASI BULAN
Anehnya, meskipun rupa bulan ternyata tidak indah, sejak dulu sudah banyak dan bahkan terlalu banyak seniman terutama komposer yang menjadikan bulan sebagai inspirasinya. Ya bisa saja karena waktu itu mereka belum tahu aslinya bulan. Namun tak semata demikian. Banyak sisi menarik dari bulan. Apalagi sinarnya. Nun lebih asoy lagi sinar bulan pada saat purnama. Mantan Gubernur R. Maladi, membuat komposisi Keroncong yang sangat terkenal yakni “Di Bawah Sinar Bulan Purnama”. Yang melukiskan kehebatan sinar bulan saat purnama, yang mampu membuat kaum miskin marjinal bisa merasakan gembira meski hanya sesaat.
The piano is pretty much intimate instrument that work
fantastically for solo, group ensemble or orchestra. But not many know that
piano alone or a bunch of guitars can be an ensemble of its own and entertain
us with a rich range of melodies. A piano that is played by two people, three
people, or even four people could actually give you less monotone and a more
interactive performance to watch.
The importance of the solo pianist in the world of music is beyond
question, but the life of solo pianist can be lonely. The piano ensembles offers a unique
opportunity to make beautiful music with another person at the same instrument.
While the basic principles of solo performance also applied, playing piano
ensembles could be really challenging, for some of the pianists have found
themselves playing “duels” instead of “duets”.
One of the hallmarks of any fine musical group is its ensemble.
The music should sound as if played by one person. Not only the notes should
come precisely together, but in the terms of style and flexibility, allowing
the music to breathe...
Piano ensemble is the art of playing music together in the form of
1 piano 4 hands (two people at one piano), 1 piano 6 hands (three people at one
piano), 2 pianos (two peoples at two pianos), and 2 pianos 8 hands (four people
at two pianos).
The piano ensemble is, on the one hand, a genre or musical medium
that stands independently on its own merits, while on the other hand it can be
considered chamber music, like string quartet, where the players must be
prepared to change roles instantly, from soloist – shaping & projecting
melodic lines, to accompanist and back to soloist. Play with different character,
and almost limitless possibilities of its own to create a beautiful music.
This is fascinating and ongoing task because music is like a
kaleidoscope, constantly changing. That’s
why both verbal conversation in rehearsal and real musical dialogue are
essential. A different background, temperament, and preference of each person
will bring a colorful musical experience. Certainly, both partners must
submerge their egos for the good of the music itself.
The process of merging with another individual in a duo or larger
group of musicians, or with an audience, is the essence of communication. This
communication is made possible by the silent rhythm that connects everyone.
This is what allows for spontaneous magic to lift people into a perfect
synchrony where everyone can perform and experience the music as one.
One of the best reasons to play an instrument is to play with
others. Not only does it improve your playing. It’s great fun and a great way
to make connection with the others in all sorts of ways and locations.
“Never
shall I forget the time I spent with you.
Please
continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours”
–
Ludwig van Beethoven –
WHY PIANO ENSEMBLES?
Nowadays music lovers often turn to recordings, television, and
youtube when they want to enjoy listening at home. In the late 18th & 19th centuries,
however, it was both a necessity and a great pleasure to make one's own music
at home, often in the form of piano duet. The need for 20 Fingers at the piano,
rather than 10 Fingers, was partially due to the desire of music lovers to play
piano transcriptions of orchestral pieces, chamber works, and even opera, this
being their only way of hearing such music at their own convenience, and
finding that two hands were quite inadequate for this task.
This "reading" of the scores led to a much deeper
understanding of the structure and the melodic, harmonic, rhythmic content of
the music than the merely passive listening in which we indulge today. The
piano ensembles provided the opportunity to hear and study music compositions,
and to enjoy a social interaction - making music with a friend, relative, or
colleague. The use of the piano ensembles as a means of re-hearing and
studying orchestral pieces was only the beginning; the best was yet to come.
Beside the joy that playing together brings, and the recital
potential of the young ones (pedagogical use), it also develops musicianship.
The ultimate goal for piano ensemble playing is to pay more attention, listen
to themselves, others, and hence, to the total sound. "Listening,"
in this context, compels players to stay together and balance their parts. The
art of piano ensembles playing incorporates the many aspects of beautiful,
effective solo performance (singing tone, balance, rubato where appropriate,
sensitive pedaling, etc.)
PROFILE
Jelia Megawati Heru,
M.Mus.Edu.
Music
Educator, Lecturer, Music Advisor, and Pianist
Jelia Megawati Heru started learning the piano at the age of 5.
She continued learning Classical Piano with different music teachers in
Jakarta, such as: Helen Gumanti, BA (USA) and Angelita Chandra, M.Mus.
(Belgian).
Then in 2002, she started her study in Music Education for
Instrument (Instrumental Pädagogik) at Fachhochschule Osnabrück Konservatorium,
Institut für Musikpädagogik – Germany, majoring in Classical Piano with Prof.
Ljuba Dimowa-Florian (Hungaria), minor Vocal with Torsten Meyer, Dipl. Mus.
(Hochschule für Musik u. Theater Hannover, Germany) and Jazz Piano with
Wolfang Mechsner, Dipl. Mus. (Hochschule Vechta & Münster, Germany).
During her stay in Germany, besides actively performing and
teaching music, Jelia attended many seminars and forum, such as: Forum
Musikpädagogik I with Prof. Dr. Hans Günther Sebastian (Frankfurt am Main
University); studied Solmisation Technique and Kodà ly Technique from Prof. Dr.
Malte Heygster (conductor of symphony orchestra Recklinghausen & Bielefeld,
head master of Bielefeld music school, chapel master of chamber orchestra Köln
and also an author for “Hand Book of Relative Solmisation” – Schott).
She became an active participant in various chamber music and
master class in Germany and other countries, such as: Chamber Music -
Prof. Gerard Chenuet (Nantes, France), Conducting for Ensemble and Choir
- Prof. Folker Schramm (UDK, Berlin), Contemporary Music – Prof. Imgard
Brockmann (Osnabrück, Germany), Choir Studio, Chamber Choir, Acapella and
Arrangement – Prof. Michael Schmoll (Dean of FH. Osnabrück Konservatorium,
lecturer, composer and conductor).
Then she received her Master Degree in Music Education (as Master
of Music Education – Dipl. Mus. Pedägogin) in 2005 from FH. Osnabrück
Konservatorium with cum laude. In the same year, became an active
performer for “Benefit Concert Tour for Aceh” in Hannover, Münster and
Braunschweig - Germany.
In 2006 Jelia went back for good to her homeland Indonesia, was a
keynote speaker in Universitas Negeri Jakarta (UNJ, Rawamangun) for Comparison
Study of Education System in Indonesia, active as an educator in Deutsche
Internationale Schule (DIS – German School, BSD Tangerang) and joined Institut
Musik Daya Indonesia since then as lecturer for subjects, such as: Music
Education, Music History, History of Music Instruments, Ear Training, Music
Theory and Major Piano.
In 2007, she was a Dean of Institut Musik Daya Indonesia (IMDI)
and Faculty of Music Pedagogy & Head of Piano Department.
In 2008, She's a member of the National Music Ministry of National
Education Consortium, which is tasked to develop music education curriculum for
music schools in Indonesia. In
cooperation with Tjut Nyak Deviana Daudsjah designed and developed Curriculum
of National Standarization for Music School in Indonesia (validation by the
Federal Government of National Education, known as DEPDIKNAS.
In 2009, to contribute for the development of music education in
Indonesia, she wrote books in cooperation with DEPDIKNAS “Piano Teaching’s
Guide: Note-Reading and Piano for Beginner” and “Basic Music Theory (for
all Instruments)” as guideline books for general music course in
Indonesia.
Now she is active as a music educator and academic
advisor/consultant in various music schools - for updating & upgrading
music school curriculum standard, conducting workshops to build & develop
music teachers competencies, and conduct teacher’s concert (chamber music and
piano ensembles).
Also active as seminator and keynote speaker in various cities in
Indonesia - Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Tegal Council of Arts, Sinfonia Music
Bandung, First Media Design School of Indonesia, Amazing Music Jogja Festival,
and many more...
Performer in collaboration for music education’s sake, director of
piano ensembles projects „Golden
Fingers“She created event that showcased the young teachers
that she developed to participated in her music program. The Golden Fingers is
not just an usual piano ensembles group, but a pilot project to implement the
concept of “Music from Passion”. Jelia believes that the piano ensemble is
not only about playing piano together, but it is an actual effort to liven up
the music. “Golden Fingers Piano Ensembles” was invited by the Tegal
Council of Arts on March 4th, 2012 at Taman Budaya Tegal, Central Java – as the
soft opening for the most representative cultural arena theater of the city
with capacity of 1000 seats, professional lighting, and stage.
Read Golden Fingers Piano
Ensembles Reportage
on Kawai Newsletter No. 29, 2012
(distributed all over the world):
Michael Gunadi Widjaja "Medley Indonesian Folksong"
Albert Lavignac "Gallop March"
Writer for STACCATO - the first classical music magazine in
Indonesia, and her blogs (www.jeliaedu.blogspot.com& www.piano-ensembles.blogspot.com) – to
shares thoughts and point of view about actualization & the importance of
music education to teachers, practitioners, musicians, music lovers, students,
and parents; so people could appreciate music more, feel the enjoyment of
music, and get inspired by the power of music… “Music from Passion &
Music for Life”
