Play it Again, Sam: What, Why and When to Repeat.(Book Review)

by Marienne Uszler. The FJH Music Company, Inc. (2525 Davie Rd., Ste. 360, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317-7424), 2003. 62pp. $8.95.

This is a gem of a book. Only sixty-two pages long, it is a treasure-trove of pedagogical wisdom. Addressing key issues about practicing, this book is readable not only by students, but teachers as well. And the format, posing questions and responding with thoughtful and articulate answers dealing with the processes of repetition, makes the reader feel as if he or she actually is participating in a series of lessons.

The first chapter is titled "Listen to Yourself." A seemingly simple concept, but often a teacher will encourage a student to do just that without focusing on what exactly the student is supposed to listen for. Marienne Uszler asks, among other questions, "How many times do you stop to repeat a small detail?" "Do you repeat only until you get it right, or do you play it more, for good measure?" "Do you repeat to correct technical or rhythmic or musical flaws?" "How do you handle the issue of approaching proper tempo in the repetition process?" "Do you (the teacher) find imaginative ways to keep a student in focus when repeating?"

In a chapter titled "Sorting Through Skills," she discusses learning to tap in groups, learning how to play legato (What an artistic teacher one must be to teach this concept to young students!) how to play a smooth two-octave scale and how to distinguish between melody and accompaniment. We tend to take these basis concepts for granted, but they must be taught at some time early in a student's musical experience. Uszler groups the various skills into those primarily physical, visual or mental (another important concept) and syntheses of these skills. In the chapter titled "How the Body Learns," there is a bullet I wish to quote fully:

 
   What may not be so obvious is 
   that the heart of motor learning is 
   the inner feedback. If the learner 
   has not established an internal 
   feedback system and instead relies 
   entirely on something or someone 
   external to report whether the 
   motion is successful, then learning 
   the motor skill is jeopardized 
   because an important link in the 
   learning process is missing. 

The importance of that idea cannot be stressed strongly enough in my opinion.

In her discussion of legato, both as a concept and is a technical process, Uszler states, "Ultimately, legato must be heard. Have the student close his eyes or look away. Play several examples, some with good legato, some with pitches overlapping and some disconnected. Ask for student feedback." And, of course, this takes us into the idea of ear training at lessons, not only pitch but also concept identification. The author observes in a chapter called ...