the art of piano transcription
The art of piano transcription is as old as the piano itself, yet it’s one of the most overlooked aspects of a pianist’s training. It is the practice of taking a piece of music and transcribing it, or notating it on paper (or more recently, on a computer). The result is that when you play the transcription, you are playing the original composition, or at least an exact representation of it, exactly as it was written down. This can help you become more familiar with the original composition, and also gives you a tool that will allow you to recreate the original work if needed.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, chamber and orchestral music was often transcribed for piano, so that it could be played at home by people who might not have access to a live concert. This continues to be a popular practice today. For example, many of the great chamber works by Mozart exist in two- and four-hand arrangements for piano, as do some of the major orchestral works from the same period.
Some composers have even transcribed their own musical ideas into other forms, such as the piano. A good example is the famous “fate motif” from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, which was transcribed for piano and published in its entirety by Ludwig van Beethoven himself. This compositional technique is sometimes called a reduction.
the art of piano transcription as represented in works
Another common use of the process is to record and preserve musical works on a piano roll, as was done for Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. These recordings are sometimes referred to as piano rolls, and are an invaluable tool for musicians of any age or level who want to listen to the actual performance of a particular musical passage.
A final benefit of the process is that it can help musicians become better acquainted with other instruments, and the timbres they produce. For example, transcribing a piece for violin and viola can teach a player how to evoke certain textures and colors from these strings, which may not be possible on the piano. For this reason, it is important to practice transcribing as part of an overall musicianship and learning practice.
The best way to get started is to find a piece of music you love and know well, and choose something from it that you would like to learn to play or perform. When you are transcribing, try to do so in small chunks: for example, one bar or two bars, or even just one beat, depending on the complexity and tempo of the music. This will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed and discouraged, and will allow you to really focus on getting a clear picture of what is being played. This will then make it much easier to transfer that information to your keyboard. This will also save you time and energy compared to trying to quasi-memorize and notate long musical passages. Ultimately, this will help you learn the pieces faster and more accurately.