Effect of Instruction in Appropriate Rubato Usage on the Onset Timings and Perceived Musicianship of Musical Performances

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how instruction in the use of specific rhythmic nuances influences the performed timings of a musical performance. Volunteer participants were asked to learn and musically perform an excerpt from Mozart's Concerto for Horn and Orchestra, No. 2. They did this using computer software titled Instant Pleasure. As the title of the software implies, no prior musical training is required to perform a piece of music using this program. The only element that the operator controlled was the rhythmic onset of each pitch. Pitches, amplitude, and all other musical variables were controlled by the computer. When the participants had generated a performance of the concerto with which they were pleased, they recorded it using the same software. Participants were then taught the rhythmic tendencies that have been identified in the finest performances of this excerpt and practiced them until they believed they were prepared to make a second recording which served as a posttest. All digital onset data were calculated and analyzed to determine if participants had successfully integrated the given rhythmic tendencies into their performance. Results indicated that subjects did indeed use significantly more rubato in their posttest performance and that usage more closely reflected the model performance. In a further analysis, a single aggregate performance rhythmically representing subjects' pretest performances and a single aggregate of subjects' posttest performances were evaluated on the basis of musicianship by a select panel of musicians. Results indicated that the aggregate posttest performance was somewhat more musical.