The collaborative pianist – Skills and excellence

Abstract

This article aims to conduct a study on the skills of the collaborative pianist. His role changed during centuries, in terms of requirements and deeply understanding of the repertoire. He became equal to the soloist, especially after 1770, with the arrival of the fortepiano. The keyboard’s importance has increased in the Classical period. Aspects of technique and interpretation highlighted the capacity of a performer. This study refers to the accompanist as a complex figure, with functional pianistic skills, being able to differentiate types of accompaniments, the attributes of different musical eras and sight-reading capabilities. The analysis plays a very important role in the development of the collaborative pianist. For guiding the musical interpretation of a piece, aspects regarding style, musical form and character of the chosen repertoire lead to a deeply analysis and continuous learning in the accompanist career. Excellence in performance, especially when it comes to an ensemble, can be obtain through a list of steps, starting with solving the technical problems, analysis and understanding the meaning of music, the collaborative pianist being the complete musician.