[Nibbio]

Episode from my former (child) piano life.
I was practising some exercises and the Priest comes in for the yearly Easter benediction.
I take the stave of Gossec's "Gavotte" to play it for the guest, open it on the piano but, as it happens in these occasions, in the meantime there is some small talk between my father and the priest so I do not start playing immediately.

The good chap sees the stave, looks at it attentively for a couple of seconds and to the general surprise starts to tune the motive without having heard it.

Now, I understand that a kind of istinct is at play here which I do not seem to possess. Still, as it will be some time before I get to play a piano again, I wonder...
Is there some software, or book, or interactive thing which might help one to be able to "read the music" without playing it on the piano?

Even if I'll never be a genius a that (because if I had the gift I would know it by now) I would be glad for any suggestion which might help me in improving my "reading" skills.

Thank you so much
Nibbio

[Grenache]

Here are two ideas which I use occasionally...

I use the website free-scores.com to look for free sheet music (in PDF format). Some of the pieces also have MIDI versions to download, so a quick listen to the MIDI while looking at the sheet music can tell me whether I want / am able to play it.

Also, if you have the MIDI file, you can use a program like Cakewalk to view the staff format, and read it as you hear it.

[markymark]

Reading music and getting a sense of the music by 'hearing' it in your head tends to improve with your own sight reading ability. I have found from personal experience that developing experience in reading and especially sight-reading music will help you develop a greater instinct for the music. You'll probably know from your own playing that the shape of the notation will help you sense and anticipate changes in pitch.

I know you don't have access to a piano but I have to say, good sight-reading develops good sight-singing too and vice-versa.

If you visit the Sibelius website, you will find arrangements for a variety of instruments that show and play the music as it high-lights the notes that are being played.

See this website:

www.sibeliusmusic.com

This may be useful to you in the short term anyway. As far as developing sight-reading is concerned, Paul Harris does a good range that guides you through grade-level standards to developing sight-reading skills if you feel that would be useful to you down the line.

[Nibbio]

Thanks to both!!