Robert Estrin - piano expert

What does Rubato mean?

Learn what's rubato to improve your piano playing

In this video, Robert explains what Rubato is and how to interpret it.

Released on August 21, 2013

Post a Comment   |   Video problems? Contact Us!
DISCLAIMER: The views and the opinions expressed in this video are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Virtual Sheet Music and its employees.

Video Transcription

So you just can't quite stay with it, can you? So this is how you can check your Rubato to make sure you're doing it without being excessive.

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. Robert Estrin here asking, how do you know if you're playing too much Rubato? Rubato is a practice of expressive playing in romantic music that achieves a speeding up and a slowing down to the top of the phrase and the coming away from it. Adding the emotionalism, when it's done well, it can have a very profound effect upon the feeling of the music, as you can hear here.

Now, if any of you try to tap along with that, you probably could do it. You might feel me pulling you along and holding back, but you could tap to it. How do you know when you're doing too much Rubato? Try to tap along with this one.

So you just can't quite stay with it, can you? So this is how you can check your Rubato to make sure you're doing it without being excessive. Record yourself playing a piece and go back and see if you could tap your foot to it or tap your hand to it. If you can, it might not be excessive. As long as you can feel where that beat is, then you pull your listener along with it. But if you can't tap to the music that you play or somebody else plays, then it might be self-indulgent going too far with Rubato and losing the whole pulse of the music. So that's the way you can check your music. Again, I'm Robert Estrin. This is livingpianos.com, your online piano resource. If you like these videos, a thumbs up will help reach more people. We'll see you next time.
Automatic video-to-text transcription by DaDaScribe.com
Post a comment, question or special request:
You may: Login  or  
Otherwise, fill out the form below to post your comment:
Add your name below:


Add your email below: (to receive replies, will not be displayed or shared)


For verification purposes, please enter the word MUSIC in the field below



Comments, Questions, Requests:

Fulvia Bowerman * VSM MEMBER * on August 23, 2013 @10:39 am PST
Great explanation and demonstration. Thanks, Robert.

Is rubato what is used for the rythm of the Viennese waltz, in which the beats are not 1 2 3 evenly played, but more like a 1-2 3?
reply
Robert - host, on August 23, 2013 @12:48 pm PST
Great question - Rubato is a more specific give and take of tempo than the weighting of beats in waltzes and other musical forms. However, there are some similarities in the concepts of time. The weighting of some beats being stronger than others in different time signatures and musical forms is prevalent in many musical styles. But rubato isn't just having some beats stronger than others, it is a give and take of phrases which are generally larger than just one measure of time.
Toya Harvey on August 21, 2013 @2:50 pm PST
Enjoy your performances ! Thank you for sharing.
Cleuton on August 21, 2013 @12:35 pm PST
Congratulations! very clear explanations.
Questions? Problems? Contact Us.
Norton Shopping Guarantee Seal