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What does it really mean to "interpret" a piece of music?

Like I'm starting to learn Chopin's 2nd Sonata. What exactly is there for me to "interpret"?

Well, there's dynamics, there's tempo, there's pedaling. I guess there's also phrasing. But it all seems a little superficial.

I suppose there's also "style", but it's not like I'm gonna play Chopin like Gould plays Bach.

So exactly what does "interpretation" involve? What do I need to realize to have my own interpretation and understanding of any piece?

If I were you I would listen to different performer's of the piece (as many as you can find), and keep the score in front of you so you can 'read along'. You will hear that there are many many things different. Its actually harder to explain (for me at least) than if you would listen to it yourself.

I think interpreting means to portray a form of art. Therefore you must analyse a score and see which emotions fit in where, what the piece is trying to say, or more importantly, what you are trying to say with the piece.
But we must be careful not to get caught up in our own performance.
In my opnion, we as humans can feel each other's emotions; each other's happiness and each other's plight, etc. So if the performer can accurate portray an emotion then the audience can relate to it. This is what music is really about, afterall, it is art and can be enjoyed by everyone, just like a painting, or poetry.
I always try to imagine i'm part of the audience also, by enjoying the music, and letting my hands do the work, and i usually find it easier to fluctuate tempos and dynamics without turning the piece into some abstract Stravinsky or a painting by Dali! (sorry, i just don't like Stravinsky's music..or Dali's painting either).

Oh an by the way, Cziffra performs Chopin's 2nd sonata beautifully.

Sometimes I find the limiting factor in an interpretation is one's technique. Anyone feel the same?

Ow thats definetly true Rui725. Before I really master a piece, I'm not able to give it all the expression it can have.

Thanks for the replies. So after my original post, I gave it some more thought.

I don't have anything unique to say, is it still worth playing a piece? Like some of Chopin's Nocturnes. I don't have a particular affinity to them--other than the obvious fact that they're just beautiful. If I don't think I have a unique voice for those pieces, are they still worth playing? Maybe it just becomes a learning experience? Am I supposed to "expand" my musicianship through this kind of exercise?

I listen to Horowitz's Mozart playing. It's beautiful... with all kind of tricks. Not necessarily consistent I suppose, so should his version be considered an interpretation, or simply "beautiful playing"? I feel like an "interpretation" needs substantial meat behind it, like Gould's approach to anything he plays. Not always beautiful, but always consistent and logical.

What I am worried is that how I would get caught up in Chopin's beautiful melodies, which would distract from my "interpretation". And I would have nothing but a series of brokenness strung together.

So at this stage, I still don't know what "interpretation" means.

I'll go listen to Cziffra's playing maybe I'll learned something about him other than his ridiculous technical prowess.

There's probably more than one valid way to look at it - but here's what I think.

Your interpretation is not something you add on. Your interpretation is simply your honest normal way of playing the piece. There is no need to consider "Hmm, what is my interpretation" - asking yourself that question will lead you to create a fake answer.

When an actor performs a classic play, he doesn't need to change or add to what the playwright put on the paper. He just does what is written, in what he considers to be the right way. No two actors' performances turn out the same, simply because they are different people. Neither of them has to mess with the text in order to distinguish himself from his colleagues.