Practice makes perfect … you may have heard this phrase, especially if you took music lessons when you were young. There’s only one problem with this phrase: there’s no such thing as perfect. Perfect is not the goal of practice because perfect is not possible. Practice is its own reward, when practiced with intention.
Beethoven’s words point to the path that opens when one practices their art. You not only practice to reveal and create, but to explore and expand the art enough to embrace its secrets. What secrets? The ones that only you can discover. By bringing yourself – your vision and attention – you will pry open secrets that are designed for your revelation. Sharing these secrets with others who are practicing, builds on and amplifies the art that is being created.
Beethoven probed music’s secrets, revealing its unexplored possibilities, particularly in his chamber music. Don’t practice for practice’s sake – dive in to reveal the unknown.