FREE

WITH EVERY ISSUE

40 PAGES OF
JUNE-JULY 2014

SHEET MUSIC
No 78 50+ ONLINE LESSONS
Helping you become a better player PLUS AUDIO TRACKS

11LEARN PIECES TO
ALL LEVELS AND ALL STYLES

3 BEGINNER PIECES
WITH BAR-BY-BAR
TECHNICAL HELP LEARN FROM
THE MASTERS

OUR RESIDENT PIANIST

In-depth lesson

CHENYIN LI
DEBUSSY’S
SHIMMERING
shares her secrets on learning at speed and REFLETS
gives you insider advice on this issue’s scores
DANS L’EAU

TRANSFORM
YOUR PLAYING!
✓ Discover improvising
✓ How to practise slowly
✓ Develop your accompanying

p01_pianist78abc FINAL.indd 1 19/05/2014 12:01

14487 Steinway PIanist ad_Layout 1 23/10/2013 14:16 Page 1

For information on Steinway & Sons pianos or to arrange a private appointment to visit our London showroom,
please call 0207 487 3391 or email info@steinway.co.uk

WWW.STEINWAYHALL.CO.UK
2• Pianist 77

p02 Ads.indd 2 13/05/2014 11:48

 Pianist 78
June - July 2014 CONTENTS
The next issue of Pianist goes on sale 25 July 2014

78

76

70 12 68
4 Editor’s Note 22 How to Play 2 Janet Newman on 78 Innovation & Tradition This year at
Schumann’s ‘Child falling asleep’ from the Frankfurt Musikmesse, Pianist Editor
4 Competition Three lucky winners will Scenes from Childhood (Scores page 40) Erica Worth encountered glass pianos,
each receive a copy of this issue’s Editor’s white pianos, advanced actions and more
Choice CD, Piano Reflections from Ji Liu 24 How to Play 3 Lucy Parham on
Debussy’s shimmering Reflets dans l’eau 82 Clean Machine Keeping your piano
6 Readers’ Letters (Scores page 57) spotless will pay off in the long run, says
Gez Kahan, who tells you how to whip (or
8 News Valentina Lisitsa plays Nyman, 27 The Scores A pullout section of 40 gently dust) your instrument into shape
John Ogdon biography reviewed, sign up pages of sheet music for all levels.
for a masterclass with Richard Goode, Plus, read about our online lessons! 85 Subscribe today for just £4.50 an issue
Riverdancing on your piano and more by Direct Debit and receive a FREE sheet
45 Beginner Keyboard Class music book of Beethoven, Chopin or
10 Expert Talk Tim Stein on raising your Hans-Günter Heumann’s sixth lesson: Debussy worth £9.99
accompanying game, and Cyprien Katsaris Triplets and repeated notes
on playing rare repertoire and arranging 86 CD Review Editor’s Choice this issue
Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ for solo piano 67 A Week in the Life Of Why do goes to the smashing young Jiu Liu, but
we fear the critics, when some of them he had plenty of competition from Martha
12 Chenyin Li talks to Jessica Duchen about are as charming, open and knowledgable Argerich’s Mozart and Federico Colli’s latest
juggling a musical life between recording as Hugh Canning, Chief Classical Music
the Pianist covermount CD, teaching Critic for the Sunday Times? 88 Sheet Music Review Three new
and preparing for her own performances exciting duet albums, folk music, an
around the world 68 Turkish Delight Erica Worth goes to unknown Polish pianist-composer and new
Istanbul to discover the young, dynamic Albéniz volumes are in this issue’s round-up
16 How to Play Masterclass 1 Mark Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tanner on the handy skill of improvising. They’ll be at this year’s BBC Proms, too 89 Classifieds
Hint: it’s not just for jazz pianists
70 Top Marks Love them or loathe them
18 How to Play Masterclass 2 – exams are here to stay. But doing them
Graham Fitch on practising quick pieces helps you focus and improve no end, as
slowly (and vice verse) restarter Ed Balls reveals to us VISIT THE PIANIST WEBSITE
Don’t miss Graham’s online lessons! WWW.PIANISTMAGAZINE.COM
76 Jelly Roll Morton Who invented jazz? to sign up for our regular FREE e-newsletters
20 How to Play 1 Melanie Spanswick The New Orleans-born pianist, free spirit
and composer Jelly Roll Morton is one PLUS Watch our online piano tutorials
on the beginner level Stanford Minuet
(Scores page 30) candidate, as Inge Kjemtrup learns

Cover photo: © Hao LV/Limura Studios. Images this page: © Hao LV/Limura Studios (Li); Amy Zielinski (Balls)
Notice: Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyrighted material in this magazine, however, should copyrighted material inadvertently have been
used, copyright acknowledgement will be made in a later issue of the magazine.

p03_Contents78-FINALish.indd 3 15/05/2014 16:41

 Editor’s note Pianist
T
his week I attended two piano recitals featuring some of the most
technically challenging repertoire there is. Both pianists played faultlessly www.pianistmagazine.com
and I came away in awe. It all seem so easy and effortless for them. But it
PUBLISHER
dawned on me – just one word: ‘Dedication’. It’s so easy for us to brush Warners Group Publications plc
off the success of these players as being down to inborn natural talent or simple Director: Stephen Warner
facility, but the truth is that they work incredibly hard, day in and day out. Publisher: Janet Davison
It’s quite fitting then, to have the wonderful Chenyin Li on this issue’s cover. She EDITORIAL
6 Warrington Crescent,
works with total dedication for Pianist, having to record, to perfection, the pieces London,W9 1EL, UK
inside our Scores every issue. No easy task, when she has just three hours to record an Tel: +44 (0)20 7266 0760
entire issue’s worth of music for our CD. Read her interview on page 12. Fax: +44 (0)20 7286 0748
Editor: Erica Worth
Dedication is also required when taking a piano exam. You can’t just wake up one day and say, ‘Oh, I editor@pianistmagazine.com
feel like taking an exam next week.’ You need months and months of focused, methodical practice before Deputy editor: Inge Kjemtrup
deputyeditor@pianistmagazine.com
you enter that exam room. But it does pay off: you’ll have a real goal to work towards, you’re bound to Designer: Nathan Ward
improve, and believe me when I say the piano exam experience is not as daunting as it used to be. Read
ADVERTISING
our in-depth feature on exams on page 70, plus find out what UK Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has to say Gareth Macfarlane, Advertising manager
about his own exam experiences on page 74. garethm@media-shed.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)845 226 0477
Your own piano needs some tender dedicated care as well. Gez Kahan tells you how to clean, polish and Fax: +44 (0)845 226 0377
maintain it on page 82. More about pianos on page 78, where you’ll find me in Frankfurt walking around
the famous Musikmesse. Those piano makers are nothing if not 100 per cent dedicated to producing such
incredible designs and innovations year after year. READER SERVICES
I too have spent many dedicated hours searching for, and playing through, the Scores for this issue. I’ve
found some real gems (my top choice is the Merikanto Valse lente – I can’t stop playing it!) as well as some
UK & WORLD SUBSCRIPTIONS
firm favourites as Debussy’s Reflets dans l’eau, Schumann’s ‘Child falling asleep’ plus Jelly Roll Morton’s (EXCEPT USA & CANADA)
fabulously eccentric King Porter Stomp (read all about him on page 76). Pianist Subscriptions Department
Warners Group Publications plc
Finally, I saw Dame Fanny Waterman recently at the London debut West Street
recital of another dedicated pianist, last issue’s cover artist, Federico Bourne, PE10 9PH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1778 392483
Colli (that’s me with Colli after the recital). I remember Dame Fanny Fax: +44 (0)1778 421706
Email: subscriptions@pianistmagazine.com
once saying in a Pianist article that if you find your mind wandering
onto other matters during a recital, such as tomorrow’s grocery USA & CANADA SUBSCRIPTIONS
You can subscribe online, via email,
shopping list, then you aren’t involved at all. It fax or by telephone:
takes dedication to be a listener too! Website: www.expressmag.com
Email: expressmag@expressmag.com
Toll-free number: +1 (877) 363 1310
Tel: +1 (514) 333 3334
Fax: +1 (514) 355 3332
ERICA WORTH, EDITOR
DISTRIBUTION
To find a shop near you that stocks Pianist,
Make sure that you keep in touch with me – what I’ve been up to, which contact our distributor:
Tel: +44 (0)1778 391150
pianists I’ve spoken to, exclusive extra articles and interviews – by registering for Email: vickyb@warnersgroup.co.uk
,
our FREE e-newsletter. All you need to do is go to www.pianistmagazine.com BACK ISSUES
To purchase back issues, write to
Pianist Back Issues Department,
Warners Group Publications plc
COMPETITION ENTER ONLINE AT WWW.PIANISTMAGAZINE.COM West Street
Bourne, PE10 9PH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1778 392483
Email: backissues@pianistmagazine.com
WIN A COPY OF JI LIU’S CD PIANO REFLECTIONS, THE EDITOR’S FOR ALL OTHER ENQUIRIES
CHOICE INSIDE THIS ISSUE Contact Janet Davison, Publisher
Warners Group Publications
Fifth Floor, 31-32 Park Row,
Answer the question below correctly, and you could be one of three winners to Leeds, LS1 5JD, UK
receive Ji Liu’s new CD, which is Editor’s Choice on page 86 Tel: +44 (0)113 200 2929
Fax: +44 (0)113 200 2928
Debussy’s ‘Reflets dans l’eau’ features inside this issue’s Scores. From what Registered Address :Warners Group Publications,West Street, Bourne,
Lincs, PE10 9PH. © Warners Group Publications plc. All rights reserved.
volume does it come? Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission strictly
prohibited. Every care is taken in compiling the magazine and no
responsibility can be taken for any action arising from information given
A: Images B: Préludes C: Estampes ENTER ONLINE AT WWW.PIANISTMAGAZINE.COM on the papers. All information, prices and telephone numbers are
correct at the time of going to press. No responsibility can be taken for
unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or transparencies.
Postcard entries are also accepted. Please send to Erica Worth, Editor, COMP PIA0105, Pianist, Printed by Warners Group Publications plc.

6 Warrington Crescent, London W9 1EL, UK. Competition closes 25 July 2014. Quote PIA0105 and Pianist ISSN 4200395 is published bi-monthly (6 times a year / February,
remember to put your name, address and telephone number on the postcard as well as your answer. April, June, August, October, December) by Warners Group Publications
c/o USACAN Media Dist. Srv. Corp. at 26 Power Dam Way Suite S1-S3,
© Amy Zielinski

Plattsburgh, NY12901. Periodicals postage paid at Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Answer to page 4 competition in Pianist No 76: B (Take over the family business). Congratulations to the POSTMASTER: send address changes to Pianist, c/o Express Mag,
three lucky winners: Darren Fawcett (Leeds), Sarah Green (Warwickshire), Andrew Throssell (Sheffield) P.O. BOX 2769, Plattsburgh, N.Y., U.S.A. 12901- 0239.

4• Pianist 64 ISSN 1475 - 1348

p04-editorial78-FINAL.indd 4 16/05/2014 10:28

#40646 - TransAcoustic ad - Pianist_Layout 1 25/04/2014 16:46 Page 1

Digital was never more natural

With a beautiful Yamaha U1 acoustic piano at its heart, TransAcoustic will change your
perception of what a piano can do.
Incorporating specially developed transducers, TransAcoustic lets you play digital samples
of other instruments, including our CFX concert grand, through the soundboard, with total
control over their volume.
Thanks to the piano’s natural resonance, samples come alive like never before and
digital sounds can be blended with the acoustic sound too.
Visit uk.yamaha.com to discover more.

facebook.com/YamahaPianosEurope Follow us on Twitter / YamahaPianosEU

5• Pianist 78

p05 Ads.indd 5 13/05/2014 14:06

 Readers’
Letters
Get in touch
WRITE TO:The Editor, Pianist, 6 Warrington Crescent, London, W9 1EL, UK
OR EMAIL: editor@pianistmagazine.com
STAR LETTER wins a surprise CD. Letters may be edited.

STAR LETTER If you’re looking for a typical backline box to

use either at home or on stage in small hall, don’t
Golf vs piano buy a guitar amp, because the pre-amp distortion
I recently broke a metatarsal bone in my foot while playing golf, and was told to rest for six weeks. that guitarists crave will destroy the piano’s tone.
After the initial despair, I realised that this was a great opportunity to dig out all the back copies of Dedicated keyboard amps are good, as are bass
Pianist magazine and practise some of the wonderful pieces. I am a lapsed Grade 8 pianist and have amps – they’re clean and will handle plenty of
found your help and advice on how to practise invaluable. I always eagerly anticipate the arrival bottom end. The disadvantage is that unless you’re
of the next instalment, and make sure that I am sitting down in a quiet spot with a cup of tea to going to splash out and buy two to place left and
relish the grand opening of the outer cover and to discover both the new pieces and the interesting right of the piano, the sound will be directional
articles. I am now seriously thinking of ditching the golf to spend more time on what has become rather than rich and enveloping. And they’re often
an utterly absorbing pastime. heavy! Another option is powered (also known as
Liz Walker, Suffolk ‘active’) PA monitor speaker(s).
When it comes to larger spaces for public
We are delighted that Pianist helped you through your convalescing period, and may your love of the performance, particularly when playing with other
piano increase even after you are back on your feet again. We say ‘ditch the golf ’! But we might be a tad musicians and vocalists, most keyboard players will
biased. Thank you for your letter, and a surprise CD is on its way to you. go through the PA. The main speakers will take
care of the ‘front of house’ sound (which is what the
audience hears), while on-stage wedges will provide
monitoring for the player(s), perhaps supplemented
Buzzing ragtime festival Amplifying advice needed with a dedicated backline amp set-up.
I would like to bring to your attention an I am a Pianist subscriber who is learning the You local music shop should be able to suggest
excellent ragtime and stride piano festival that piano. I have a digital piano and find it useful solutions to suit your particular requirements (and
takes place in Sedalia, Missouri, USA. Sedalia for practising with the earphones so as not to match your particular digital piano). There may
is where Scott Joplin wrote a lot of his music to annoy the rest of the household! However, also be advice available from the manufacturer’s
and where publisher John Stark printed classic when I listen with the earphones off, I would website or online help desk. Happy hunting!
ragtime music, including Joplin’s. sometimes like to amplify the sound to make it
At the festival, in the centre of Sedalia’s richer than the standard built-in speakers.  CPE or JS?
historic district there are three outdoor events I am looking purely for use in the home but I As soon as I saw the score of the CPE Bach
with two pianos playing music from 9am to wonder if there would be just as much interest Polonaise on page 32 of Pianist No 77, I
5pm, and all free! There are two paid concerts for those wanting a more expensive option to immediately recognised it as a piece I played
every day, one at 2pm and the other at 8pm, amplify sound, perhaps in a large hall. Solving for my Grade 4 Associated Board examination
and an after-hours session starting at 10pm. this problem seems to be a minefield, though, as long ago as summer 1962! Your magazine
There are also seminars and ten dances, and and depending where you look, advice ranges ascribes it to CPE Bach, but my exam piece was
throughout town there are pianos – in church from buying an amp through to getting a PA said to be by his father JS Bach. Both refer to
halls, hotels, pubs, etc – that the public can play. system and even just a good pair of speakers. the Anna Magdalena Notebook, so there appears
I have been the last two years and will be Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  to be some confusion. Can you help?
returning this June. Mark McGuire, Wiltshire Philip Browning, Norwich
Jim McPhee, Kirkcudbrightshire
Gez Kahan, our Makers & Making writer, Our pianist/teachers who specialise in
Thanks for letting us know. If any of our readers are replies: Interesting question! You’re right to say that Baroque piano music respond: It’s actually not
in Sedalia in June, this year’s festival is 4-7 June. buying suitable amplification for a digital piano clear. There were two notebooks published in
See www.scottjoplin.org for details. can be a minefield. The problem is that there are so 1722 and 1725 respectively. The 1722 notebook
many variables: musical genre, size of room/hall and included pieces just by JS Bach himself, while
A lady to remember its reverberation, audience size, other instruments the 1725 notebook included pieces such as the
Alice Herz-Sommer [Obituary, Pianist No 77] involved in performance, characteristics and Polonaise and pieces by other composers, not
was one of the most uplifting and inspirational technical specifications of the digital piano itself and, just JS. The Polonaise is often attributed to
people whom I have ever had the good fortune of course, budget. One size definitely does not fit all. CPE Bach, but we don’t know for certain who
to meet. Thanks to a shared love of music, this For the average home, playing solo piano, a wrote it. For example, the beautiful song ‘Bist
formidable lady kindly invited me over for tea, good pair of hi-fi speakers should suffice (a pair du bei mir’ is by Stolzel. The collection seems
when she was just getting into her stride at the because the sound will be richer than through a to have been partly of things that were precious
age of 103. single speaker, and will allow you to experience to the Bachs – akin to a kind of photo album.
She talked about her past, as well as her stereo effects such as tremolo and chorus if present). Hence the inclusion of pieces by others, and of
future, and gave much encouragement, If it has the appropriate input options, you may pieces that crop up elsewhere in Bach’s output.
concerning my compositions. When I asked even be able to play the piano through your hi-fi There are some mysteries of attribution that will
how she managed to survive Theresienstadt system, but be careful not to overload the speakers – never be solved. Thus we find the theme of the
concentration camp, she looked at me steadfastly excessive volume, especially bass frequencies, could Goldberg Variations here, some 20 years before
in the eyes, and replied: ‘Discipline.’ The music blow a speaker cone. Powered (i.e. containing their the Goldberg Variations themselves – leading to
world has lost a delightfully optimistic soul. own internal amplifier) monitor speakers as used in the oft-asked question whether the theme is by
Gavin Littaur, London studios would be an ideal, if pricey, solution. Bach himself or someone else.
6• Pianist 78

p06_letters78-FINAL.indd 6 15/05/2014 09:32

 Sign-up for a FREE LOAN
of a Casio Digital Piano.
Casio are delighted to offer piano teachers a
FREE 3 month digital piano loan scheme.

Register at www.casio.co.uk/loanpiano
or call 020 208 7829

“Exceptional feel and

a precise sound.
Casio Digital Pianos
are ideal for piano tuition
and students.”
Natalia Posnova,
Classical Pianist and Composer
casio.co.uk/loanpiano
7• Pianist 78

p07 Ads.indd 7 13/05/2014 11:51

 News All the latest news from the world of the piano

HOT TICKETS
Risky repertoire from
thrill-seeking pianists
On the surface this issue’s highlighted concerts would seem to have little in
common, but the artists involved all share an unconventional approach to
repertoire and a refreshing willingness to try something different.
Take the Piano Brothers (above), who make their Kings Place, London,
debut on 25 June. They’re actually not real brothers, but they are real pianists,
READER OFFER:
Try Piano Street for FREE!
Pianist magazine is delighted to join forces
with Piano Street in presenting a very
tempting offer – one month free Gold
membership to pianostreet.com.
Piano Street is one of the largest online
resources for piano music enthusiasts
of all levels, providing sheet music
downloads of graded piano repertoire, practice tips, recordings, news,
articles and an incredible amount of information in the forum. With
this special offer, you can try all these features plus Piano Street’s new
Audiovisual Study Tool (AST). The Piano Street team says that this unique
study tool will help you improve your interpretational skills, broaden your
repertoire knowledge, learn piano pieces faster, improve your sight-reading
and effortlessly enjoy the great art of classical piano music.
Pianist readers can take advantage of this special offer of one month free
Gold membership at pianostreet.com (see details below), but act quickly,
because the offer ends 25 July.
To activate your free membership, visit www.pianostreet.com/valuecode and

© Ben Ealovega (Osborne); Susan Schwartzenberg/Peters Edition Ltd London (Cage); © Decca/Gilbert François (Lisitsa); John Millar/BBC Music Magazine (Levit)
and they’ve found a niche for themselves in the piano duo repertoire. From use the code: F698.
UK and Indonesia respectively, Dominic Anthony Ferris and Elwin

VALENTINA LISITSA
Hendrijanto began playing duos as students at the Royal College of Music,
with Bernstein’s finger-flying Symphonic Dances from West Side Story among

plays Michael Nyman’s music

their showpieces. Look for that piece, and some unexpected delights as well,
in their Kings Place concert.
Though Steven Osborne, who graced the cover of
Pianist No 73, has played all the evergreens of the piano
repertoire, you can often find him doing something less
expected. Osborne (right) partners Alina Ibragimova at
the Wigmore Hall on 7 June to play Prokofiev’s two
violin sonatas, Debussy’s Violin Sonata and Pärt’s Fratres.
On 29 June he’ll join the London Symphony Orchestra
to play Messiaen’s epic Turangalîla-Symphonie.
Pierre-Laurent Aimard has been a champion of many
composers, including Messiaen. The Hungarian
composer György Ligeti is his focus at this year’s
Aldeburgh Festival. Aimard made Ligeti’s etudes his own, and he includes a
selection of the etudes in his 23 June recital and oversees a performance of all
18 etudes from the young students he is teaching in masterclasses at the
Festival (24 June). Aimard is also the ringmaster of the
Aldeburgh Musicircus on 22 June. This Musicircus –
a Musicircus is a kind of simultaneous performance
‘happening’, devised by the avant-garde composer John
Cage (left) in the 1950s – involves Aimard, local folk
musicians, bell-ringers, classical artists and the entire
town of Aldeburgh. Something different indeed!
For details and tickets, go to www.kingsplace.co.uk (Piano
Brothers), www.lso.co.uk (Osborne), www.wigmore-hall.
org.uk (Osborne) and www.aldeburgh.co.uk (Aimard)
Valentina Lisitsa, the exciting Ukrainian pianist
who was Pianist No 72’s cover artist, has released
an album of the music of Michael Nyman. The
famous theme from The Piano – ‘The Heart Asks
Pleasure First’ – is included in her new disc,
along with other music from The Piano, from the
Diary of Anne Frank film and more.
Lisitsa has never met Nyman – although she
planned to present the new disc to him for his
recent 70th birthday – but has always been a fan
of his music. In an interview with Erica Worth for the Pianist newsletter,
Lisitsa drew a parallel between Nyman’s career and her own, saying she felt
that ‘he was unfairly dismissed by the classical
music establishment as not being a “classical”
pianist. I have this same issue myself with being
called a “YouTube” pianist. It’s as if it’s some
kind of celebrity thing that will pass – that it’s
not serious music.’
Lisitsa recorded the disc in Wyastone Hall in
Monmouth, and says, ‘It’s not Beethoven, but
a different expression. I had to find a separate
style, and a separate sound.’
Valentina Lisitsa – Chasing Pianos: The Piano
Music of Michael Nyman (Decca 478 6421)

PNOscan
PNOscan does not affect the appearance, touch or
response of your piano yet opens up a world of possibilities,
giving you Internet connectivity, along with all the
capabilities and benefits of a digital piano, plus more.
PNOscan features is fully optical and has no effect
on your action, but is capable of recording the
complete movement of your keys and pedals.
PNOcloud – when activated will
automatically record and store your
performances locally and then send them
to the cloud without the need for turning
anything on. Captures your inspirations,
practice time, and performances without
technology getting in the way.

To find out more, visit our website at www.qrsmusic.com

8. Pianist 77
or call us at 800-247-6557 for more information.

QRS-PianistQtr.indd 1
p08 news78-FINALish.indd 8 7/5/13 09:35:42
15/05/2014 10:30
 BOOK REVIEW:
Piano Man – John Ogdon
During his lifetime, John Ogdon was often known
as ‘the gentle giant’. Charles Beauclerk’s enormously
insightful and well-written new biography, the first
to tell the full story of the English pianist, looks
closely at the words ‘gentle’ and ‘giant’. Tormented
by mental illness in the last part of his short life
and far from gentle towards his wife (who may
not have really been the companion he should
have had), Ogdon had social abilities that were a
mixture of spoiled and helpless. It is disturbing
reading, and Beauclerk does not blame any one
individual for what happened, however, he is hard on those
who failed to help Ogdon at the right time.
Sadly, even today, the story of Ogdon’s turbulent personal life
overshadows the fact that he was undoubtedly the greatest pianist ever to
come from the British Isles. His sight-reading abilities were such that he
could immediately play, faultlessly, an entire symphony from the score
on the piano. He was often asked by concert organisers to step in at the
very last minute for an indisposed pianist and play whatever was on the
© Ben Ealovega (Osborne); Susan Schwartzenberg/Peters Edition Ltd London (Cage); © Decca/Gilbert François (Lisitsa); John Millar/BBC Music Magazine (Levit)
programme, often having learned an entire piano concerto in just hours.
The world became Ogdon’s oyster after his sensational joint first prize
win (with Ashkenazy) at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1962, and he
went on to make numerous fantastic recordings – many of them, such as
his recording of the Busoni Piano Concerto, will remain forever in the
catalogue. His championing of contemporary composers was ground-
breaking. A prolific composer himself, he was in his element sitting at the
piano surrounded by fellow composers such as Peter Maxwell Davies and
Ronald Stevenson. This is an absorbing read, and will come as a real eye-
opener for those who knew little about the gentle giant.
Marius Dawn
Piano Man: A Life of John Ogdon by Charles Beauclerk; Simon & Schuster
(ISBN: 978-0-85720-011-2)
OBITUARY:
Marion Thorpe
Marion Thorpe, concert pianist,
co-founder of the Leeds International
Piano Competition and friend of
Benjamin Britten, died on 6 March
at the age of 87. Born Maria Donata
Nanetta Paulina Gustava Ermina
Wilhelmine Stein in Vienna before
World War II, she was a talented
pianist from a musical home where
Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg
were regular visitors. In 1938, the
family fled Vienna for London, where
Marion studied at the Royal College
of Music and later found work at the publisher Boosey & Hawkes,
where she first met Britten. She became a great friend of his and a major
champion of his music and the Aldeburgh Festival that he founded.
Unfortunately it was not her fine pianism (she played duets regularly
with Britten, a formidable pianist) and incisive musical ideas that
brought her into the national limelight, but rather her two marriages.
The first, to the Earl of Harewood in 1949, ended in a very public
divorce in 1967. This was followed by her marriage to Liberal Party
leader Jeremy Thorpe, who was acquitted in 1979 of having plotted to
murder a homosexual lover.
But if these relationships brought unwanted headlines, surely her key
role in establishing the Leeds Competition with Fanny Waterman (both
are pictured above) in 1963 is a more just memorial.
9:35:42 p08 news78-FINALish.indd 9
Igor Levit’s Beethoven
wins more accolades
What can a 27-year-old pianist bring to the monumental late Beethoven
piano sonatas? If that pianist is the Russian pianist Igor Levit, the
answer is ‘plenty’. In April, Levit won the Newcomer Award at the BBC
Music Magazine Awards, with the jury remarking that his recording of
the late Beethoven sonatas on Sony Classical ‘stands comparison with
the greatest in the catalogue’.
Levit is no stranger to prizes, having turned up at the 2005 Arthur
Rubinstein Competition as the youngest competitor and then walking
away with the second prize, the prize for best performer of chamber
music, the audience favourite prize and the prize for best performer of
contemporary music.
Pianist had spotted the young Russian’s talent early, making his
Beethoven CD Editor’s Choice in issue 75. Reviewer Marius Dawn
cited Levit’s ‘ability to make us listen to Beethoven as if we had never
heard him before.’ Interviewed for Pianist at Work in issue 73, Levit
said of Beethoven, ‘He is by far the most essential composer for me and
I do not have a single day without him.’
JOIN A MASTERCLASS
with Richard Goode at Carnegie Hall
The American pianist Richard Goode is presenting a
masterclass on Debussy’s Préludes at Carnegie Hall
on 27 March 2015. Three pianists will be selected to
participate in the two-hour public masterclass, which
will be followed by a discussion.
To apply for the masterclass, you need to be
between the ages of 18 and 35. You will need to send
a biography, a current headshot, a one-page résumé
and an audio recording of your playing of a Debussy
prélude and a contrasting work. The application
deadline is 14 November 2014.
For full details and to apply, go to www.carnegiehall.org/goode-master-class
RIVER-DANCE ON YOUR PIANO
Fancy dancing on your keyboard? Well, if you’re gripped by the rhythm
but want to spare the ivories, you can do the next best thing with Schott
Music’s new keyboard arrangements of the best songs from Riverdance, the
Irish step-dancing show that became a worldwide phenomena. It’s now
20 years since Riverdance first appeared as a seven-minute interval act
on the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. That hugely popular act featured
music by Bill Whelan and dancers such as Michael Flatley, and was soon
transformed into a full-length show that has been seen by more than
22 million people. Schott’s two new volumes, one of which is an easy piano
version, includes such Riverdance hits as ‘Reel Around The Sun’, ‘American
Wake’, ‘Riverdance’ and ‘Lift The Wings’.
Music from Riverdance – The Show, Schott Music (ISMN: 979-0-060-12782-3;
ISMN: 979-0-060-12784-7 [easy piano])
15/05/2014 10:30
“ EXPERT TALK
The pros share their views
Q&A
with Tim Stein
I have been asked
to accompany a
local choir. I am
not an experienced
accompanist, so I
don’t know who
should be leading
whom and so on. Any suggestions?
A famous accompanist once said that ‘there are
many accompanists who are very good pianists,
but there are not many pianists who are good
accompanists.’ Whether you are accompanying
a singer, an instrumentalist or a small choir, the
role of the accompanist can often be a difficult
one. Who leads? Who should be the dominant
one? Ideally, it should be a symbiotic
relationship, where both you and your partner
(or partners, in the case of your choir) have
formulated your ideas beforehand, but this is
not always the case. Some singers like to tell
you what to do, while some conductors can be
very dictatorial.
Whatever the situation you find yourself in,
the more time you have with whoever it is you
are partnering the better, as this gives you time
to go over such things as tempos, dynamics,
phrasing and so on. Having a solid technique,
being a good sight-reader and transposer
are essential, but pitch your skill set at the
appropriate level. Try to be as familiar with
both your music and the music of your fellow
musician as you can. Just as important is being
able to keep a steady beat, trying not to stop,
even if you keep only the left hand going. While
you don’t want to drown out your partner
by playing too loudly, providing a strong
support always helps. Eventually you can tone
down your dynamics accordingly. If you are
accompanying a singer or instrumentalist, it’s
important to be aware of their breathing – you
need to compensate for this by giving them time
to breathe between phrases.
For those readers who are also thinking about
doing some accompanying, a good place to
start is a local ballet school. Accompanying at
a ballet school might just mean ‘vamping’ your
way through well-worn ballet scores, but it will
improve your overall sense of rhythm, your
improvisatory skills and your sight-reading no
end. You can then go on to accompany a
friendly singer, a student exam or a local choir.
Each will require a different level of skill. Do
as much preparation as possible beforehand if
the time is available before throwing yourself in
at the deep end.
The best practice is just to do it. Whatever
direction you choose to go in, accompanying at
any level can be a richly rewarding experience,
and it will certainly gain you newfound respect
and plenty of new friends.
Go to www.pianistmagazine.com to watch Tim’s
online lessons for beginners, and visit Tim’s own
website at www.pianowithtim.com
p10_expert talk78-FINAL.indd 10
”
WRITE TO: The Editor, Pianist, 6 Warrington Crescent, London, W9 1EL, UK
PIANIST AT WORK
Cyprien Katsaris
Erica Worth talks to Cyprien Katsaris,
a pianist with a love of improvising
and unusual repertoire, about his
Wigmore Hall recital and his new CD
Tell us about your Wigmore Hall programme.
I start almost all my recitals by improvising
on whatever comes through my head. It could
be original themes or themes from operas,
symphonies, songs, etc. There is an exciting ‘risk
factor’ but I believe it is worth it!
You are also playing Schubert’s Sonata D960.
It is one of the masterpieces I have played the
most, and if I were allowed to play only one
piece of music, this would be it. Schubert wrote
it shortly before he died. There is a mood of
resignation in the first movement together with
a questioning about life. The sublime second
movement transports us in a higher spiritual level.
The third movement represents for me a macabre
angel announcing to us the ineluctable. The smile
expressed in the last movement is tinged with a
tear, and right before the ending it seems that
Schubert says goodbye to us but suddenly we hear
a triumphal coda that symbolises, at least for me,
the victory of the spirit over the matter.
Your arrangement of Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’
Concerto for solo piano is also in the recital –
what made you decide to arrange that?
From a very young age, listening to a vinyl
recording of the ‘Emperor’ Concerto by Vladimir
Horowitz with the RCA Victor Symphony
Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner, I always felt
a degree of frustration regarding the magnificent
introductory tutti in the first movement, which
is the exclusive preserve of the orchestra. I was
appalled not to find it in the piano score, and so
I determined to appease my (avowedly selfish!)
longing by making this transcription.
Tell us about your new Beethoven disc.
I wanted to link both versions of the Beethoven
concerto: the original with orchestra and my
solo piano arrangement, which I had already
recorded. Neville Marriner and I had the same
vision, and, as a result, a perfect communication.
We didn’t even use the full allocated time. It is
a real treat to be able to collaborate with such
exceptional musicians as Sir Neville and the
Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
It’s obvious that you enjoy performing more
unusual repertoire.
I have always tried to keep a balance between
famous repertoire and unknown works. I have
played or improvised on Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, Malaysian, Laotian, Turkish, Maltese,
Moroccan, Israeli, Palestinian, Algerian,
10• Pianist 78
OR EMAIL: editor@pianistmagazine.com
Egyptian and Lebanese music. When I recorded
a CD of music of the three Mozarts, I found
that some compositions of Franz Xaver Mozart
remind one of Chopin and Schubert before
those two composers started writing music!
Any unknown gems for an amateur pianist?
Purcell Suite in D, Poulenc Nocturnes Nos 1 and
4, Paderewski Nocturne, Déodat de Sévérac ‘Où
l’on entend une vielle boîte à musique’, Borodin
Nocturne from his Little Suite, Sergei Bortkiewicz
several Preludes, Rameau Tambourin, Lully
Courante and Manuel Ponce Intermezzo.
What’s your greatest technical challenge?
As I don’t like to lie, I’ll tell you the truth: sometimes
I have apprehension concerning the memory.
What’s your typical practice day like?
I practise continuously (my record was 16 hours
non-stop in San Francisco). I have my telephone
next to my piano, so I work continuously. I don’t
care about weekends and holidays: life is too
short and I still have so much to do!
Tell me about your pianos.
For the Beethoven recording, I used the
same Steingraeber E-272 piano, an absolute
masterpiece. I own a concert grand Steinway D
Hamburg. I have no exclusivity with any brand
and there is nothing more pleasant for a pianist
than playing on a great instrument whether it
is a Steingraeber, a Yamaha CFX, a Steinway
or a Bösendorfer. How is it possible to choose
between a blond, a brunette and a red-haired
lady? I love them equally!
Cyprien Katsaris appears at the Wigmore Hall on
9 June, playing his own improvisations, Schubert
Sonata D960 and his ‘Emperor’ Concerto solo
transcription. His CD of Beethoven Concerto No 5
‘Emperor’ original and solo piano versions with
Neville Marriner/Academy of St Martin in the Fields
(Piano 21 P21 051-N) is released the same day.
16/05/2014 13:03
 11• Pianist 78

p11 Ads.indd 11 15/05/2014 10:41

 INTERVIEW

Blue sky
thinking
Chenyin Li is Pianist’s pianist but
also a well-regarded concert
pianist, teacher, and recording
artist. She talks to Jessica
Duchen about growing up in
China, studying in London and
giving advice to students

I
f you’re a regular reader of Pianist, our
cover star this month will need no
introduction. Chenyin Li is the hardy
soul who for the last 20 issues of the
magazine has recorded most of the
pieces that appear in the sheet music
section for the cover CD. It is no small
job to prepare so much repertoire every two
months and to set it down for the delectation and
reference of the thousands of Pianist readers. A
good chunk of what Li records for the CD is
repertoire that she has not played before.
Li has been taking it all in her stride, as you’d
expect from a pianist hailed by the Daily Telegraph
as ‘gritty, fiery and athletic’. Li’s musical career
has developed from her first piano lessons in her
native China, through to studies with top teachers
in New Zealand and London, and victories
at major music competitions to today’s busy
schedule of concerts, teaching and recordings.
In person a lively, breezy character with an
infectious charm and her feet firmly on the
ground, Li is one of those remarkable people
who manages to bring out the best not only in
every situation, but in every piece of music as

LISTEN • LEARN • PLAY

11LEARN PIECES TO
ALL LEVELS AND ALL STYLES

3 BEGINNER PIECES
WITH BAR-BY-BAR
TECHNICAL HELP

HOW TO PLAY
‘Child falling asleep’ from
Schumann’s Scenes from Childhood

BONUS TRACK
CHENYIN LI plays Debussy’s
exhilarating L’ISLE JOYEUSE

SCORES BY SCARLATTI BEETHOVEN STANFORD MERIKANTO

BACH DVOŘÁK REINECKE and more performed by Chenyin Li

pianist78_CDcover-FINALish.indd 2 23/04/2014 14:24

ON THIS ISSUE’S CD
As well as performing all the tracks on
our covermount CD, Chenyin’s bonus track
© Hao LV, Limura Studio

is Debussy’s L’isle joyeuse, which comes

from her Hommage à Debussy CD on
GENUIN Classics (GEN 12228).

12• Pianist 78

p12_interview 78-FINALish.indd 12 15/05/2014 10:33


well. Meeting for a well-earned cup of tea at the
end of a long Saturday’s teaching at the junior
department at the Guildhall School of Music and
Drama in London, she does not seem remotely
tired. But perhaps teaching is a picnic compared
to making our cover disc, which now extends
beyond audio to include a video element for
Pianist’s YouTube channel.
Each recording represents the summit of a
mountain’s worth of planning. ‘[Pianist Editor]
Erica Worth and I email each other constantly,
discussing which pieces to choose,’ Li says. ‘She’ll
often ask what I think about a piece’s level of
difficulty, because sometimes you’ll come across
one that looks simple and straightforward, but is
actually incredibly hard. Also, she receives a lot of
feedback from readers about which works they’d
like included and that is always very welcome,
so she tries to take it into account. Then she has
to select the right balance of different levels for
each issue and make sure they all fit the pages. It’s
a very precise operation and putting it together is
one big jigsaw puzzle.’
At the beginning of their collaboration, the
workload seemed virtually impossible, she says.
‘It was all consuming! But these days, we’ve got
into a really good rhythm.’ Li contributes to the
Up close
a reader learning the pieces, you could follow it
through and suddenly find you have a substantial
work under your fingers.’
Musical revolution
Li’s story began in China, though many people,
she says, don’t realise that she is Chinese
because she has extraordinarily curly hair. ‘It’s
really frizzy,’ she laughs. ‘It’s weird, because
nobody else in my family has this. I’m from
northern China and my skin is a bit darker than
most southern Chinese. I’m also relatively tall.
So, over the years, I’ve been mistaken for being
Maori, southeast Asian and Jewish!’
Today some 60 million youngsters in China
are said to be learning the piano, but when Li
was a child, Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution
had only just come to an end. ‘People had not
been allowed to play any Western music,’ Li says.
‘You couldn’t even sing a foreign tune. We had no
books to study from – just a bit of basic Hanon Up close
CHENYIN LI
and Czerny – and I only started learning the
piano due to a quirk of fate, which was that my
uncle’s piano had ended up in our house.’
At her first school she was the only child having
music lessons: ‘I felt a bit alienated and had quite If you could play only one piece in the
a hard time because of that; I never really fitted whole repertoire from now on, what
would it be?
Bach’s Goldberg Variations… probably.

‘My repertoire used to consist only of If you could play only one composer from

huge, long concert works, but now I have now on, which would it be?
I can’t decide between Beethoven and

enough encores to last a lifetime!’ Schubert!

One pianist, dead or alive, you’d travel

printed material as well, suggesting fingering and
phrasing and researching the pieces’ background.
The recording sessions take place at the Royal
College of Music’s studio. Li and her husband,
the Spanish pianist and teacher Iago Núñez, are
closely involved in the editing process, with
Núñez doing the lion’s share of the technical
work. Recording all that music might seem
intimidating, but Li remarks that it involves less
pressure than giving concerts: she can always stop
and do another take if she is not happy with her
initial results.
Occasionally, though, everything falls straight
into place. One day, she recorded a piece she had
not known before – the transcription by Bach
of the adagio from a Marcello oboe concerto
[Pianist No 62] – which rapidly became a great
favourite. ‘On the day, I played it once through
and everything worked beautifully first go.’
It is one of many unsuspected gems she has
discovered during her time as Pianist’s pianist.
‘My repertoire used to consist mainly of huge,
long concert works, but I was short of encores,’
she remarks. ‘Now I think I have enough encores
to last a lifetime! The pieces we pick are the
perfect length and usually very beautiful – and
we always try to come up with something new.
I give them to my students a lot and they can be
a great reference for teachers.’
Another idea she enjoyed was a serialisation
of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata opus 27 no 2
– Pianist ran each of the three movements in
consecutive issues. ‘It can be exciting to build up
a bigger work like that,’ she suggests. ‘If you’re
in and I was usually at home practising instead of
playing with friends.’ At the age of eight, though,
she was accepted into the Central Conservatory
of Music in Beijing: ‘There I felt that I was
swimming in my type of water.’
The usual timetable at the Central Conservatory
– entry to which was extremely competitive, being
open to the entire country – consisted of a half
day of academic lessons and a half day of music,
with four or five hours devoted to practising.
Leaving home at the age of eight was not easy,
says Li, and school holidays amounted to just
six weeks per year. Still, this intensive training
suited her. ‘I don’t think it was ever a conscious
decision that I would become a pianist,’ she says,
‘but it was certainly the thing I could do best –
and while I know it’s a cliché to say “I can’t live
without music,” that was genuinely how I felt.’
Soon her studies were to take her right around
the globe. Aged 17, she was lucky enough to find
a sponsor, who put her in touch with a remarkable
Romanian teacher at the University of Auckland
in New Zealand, Tamas Vesmas. ‘Choosing a
teacher is so personal,’ she remarks. ‘It’s not like
choosing a university – you have to go for a
particular person with whom you just “click”.’
Vesmas had studied in Bucharest with Florica
Musicescu, Dinu Lipatti’s teacher, and in Paris
with Yvonne Lefébure, among others. Through
absorbing his European heritage, Li says, she came
to feel closer to a wide range of music, from the
Viennese classics through to Bartók and Debussy.
Li went on to win the New Zealand Young
Musician Award, which included in its top prize
▲
long and far to hear?
Rachmaninov.
One concert hall you love to play in?
I love the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.
Any technical struggles?
I don’t feel entirely natural with
every technical challenge, but I enjoy
solving problems.
What would be your advice to an amateur
pianist about how to improve?
Practise very systematically and
analytically [see box, page 14].
If you weren’t a pianist, what would
you be?
I’d try to be a writer.
One person you’d love to play for?
My father.
One composer you’re not quite ready
to tackle?
Scriabin. I just don’t get it. I like music
that is more logical. Perhaps I’m too down
to earth.
What other kind of music do you like
to listen to?
Thanks to my husband I’ve started to hear
more world music and I love that – it’s very
refreshing to hear different approaches.

13• Pianist 78

p12_interview 78-FINALish.indd 13 15/05/2014 10:33

 INTERVIEW
a round-the-world plane ticket. She used it to
travel to the US and Europe to audition for a
number of top international conservatories.
The teacher with whom she ‘clicked’ this time
was, coincidentally, a New Zealander by origin:
Joan Havill, who has long been based at the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The
GSMD gave Li a full scholarship and in 2008 she
became the first student to gain a performance
doctorate from that institution in collaboration
with City University.
‘Joan is an incredibly dedicated teacher,’ Li
enthuses. ‘Her life is all about music and her
students. She works so hard, and I think she has
passed on to us not only that understanding of
music, but also a particular spirit towards how
we work. You have to know how hard it is to
survive in this profession and you have to put
everything into it and make sacrifices, without
giving yourself any excuses. It’s not only about
how to be a musician, but how to be a strong
person. I’m still benefitting from this mentality.’
That strength has helped to carry her through
a series of gruelling competitions – her first
big breakthrough was first prize at the Scottish
International Piano Competition in 2001 – and
debuts in a string of prestigious venues, including
the Royal Festival Hall and Wigmore Hall.
Meanwhile, she has recorded solo CDs of music
by Debussy and Rhian Samuel and published a
book on techniques for memorisation.
‘Music is life itself’
One of the biggest challenges Li faced was
coming to terms with the death of her father
in 2002. She feels her playing changed at a
deep level as a result. ‘When you experience
something human you also experience it in
music,’ she suggests. ‘It’s the human, growing
process; you’re constantly developing, because
music is life itself. Whatever you receive from
life, your music reflects it. You can’t lie through
your playing.’
If a death in the family has changed her, so has
the birth of her son, Milo, who is now two years
old. ‘I gave a concert literally a week before he was
due,’ she recounts, ‘and I almost couldn’t reach
the keys! We were very careful about checking
the local maternity wards beforehand...’ Since
then, she has had to rethink her schedule – more
teaching and a little less travelling, for instance.
Not too much less, though: later this year she
will tour New Zealand and southeast China, both
performing and teaching.
The Asian ‘tiger mom’ syndrome seems to be
passing her by. ‘I think people regard me as quite
a strict teacher,’ she says, ‘and I thought I would
be a strict mum as well, but I’m not at all! I’ve
become really soft.’
Nevertheless, she has a gentle message
for British students about the necessity of
daily practice. ‘I think there’s a widespread
misunderstanding about learning the piano
here,’ she says. ‘On the whole, parents treat
it as a “subject”. Many think it’s like a ballet
lesson, where you practise with your teacher. For
me, though, it couldn’t be more the opposite.
A teacher can show you how to work, but the
bulk of the work has to be done at home. So for
young children it’s important that the parents
are involved – when they are, you see a faster
development in the child’s understanding. I
know it’s hard, especially as you have to start
very young, even before you know whether
you want to learn to play or not. But later, if
CHENYIN LI ON…
you find you do, but you haven’t started early GOING THE EXTRA MILE
enough, then you’ll have missed your chance.’ WITH YOUR PLAYING
Li’s recordings and videos are nevertheless
helping to guide plenty of keen piano learners Often, as a pianist, you can find that you
around the instrument – and, indeed, back to the come to know a piece well and it reaches
instrument. If you missed your chance, you’re in a level where you almost ‘own’ it – but not
the right place for another try. We hope you are quite. At this point you need a period of a
now suitably inspired to go and practise. ■ couple of weeks to ‘go for it’ intensively.
You need to vary the amount you practise.
For more information about Chenyin Li, her Sometimes a small and steady amount
concert dates and recordings, go to chenyinli.com. per day is sensible, but there are stages of
preparation when you need to work at a piece
as hard as possible for a short period of time.
Then your playing of it can reach a new level.

CHENYIN’S TOP PICKS I sometimes have to push my students –

adults as well as children – to persuade them
Chenyin picks out 3 of her favourite pieces to play from that to really go that extra mile you have to
practise very concentratedly for a little while.
this issue’s scores Alter your habits of practising and

1 Merikanto Valse lente [Scores page 42]: Bar 31 is so amazing. I think that’s what sold the piece
to me! You can put all the emotion into it. At the same time, the voicing is hard. You have to make
the melody shine through. Throughout this piece you might have a tendency to accent the second RH
experiment with new approaches. If a
technical challenge seems impossible,
start with some simple but logical ways of
melody note by mistake (after the dotted crotchet first note of the bar), especially when it’s played by analysing the problem. For instance, if you
the thumb. Resist! That note should feel like a continuation from the long note before. always miss a chord because of jumping, try
to work out very specifically what the difficulty

2 Bach Bourrée from French Suite No 5 [Scores page 50]: You need good finger articulation and
it’s great for practising your trills. Really know your fingering when it comes to the trills. Your
hand needs to be in preparation, a second earlier, over the note, before you trill. The LH poses some
is: you should know exactly which notes you
are missing and exactly which finger needs to
go to them. Then taim like mad. As Joan Havill
challenges too, as it’s quite contrapuntal. You need to split half your brain to focus on the LH, especially always says, ‘If you want it hard enough, you
around bar 22 onwards. I love the harmony in bar 16 – it’s quite ‘crunchy’! And I love the harmonic will get it!’ Sometimes it’s not that you can’t
resolution around bars 16-18. do something; it’s that you haven’t directed
the focus to precisely where the problem is.

3 Debussy Reflets dans l’eau [Scores page 57]: I had never learned this piece before, but had
always wanted to. I so admire it as a composition. What a perfectly written piece it is – how the
opening comes back in a slightly varied format. When the opening returns at bar 35, it just feels so
On the other hand, once you have solved a
technical problem you have to forget how you
do it, because your conscious mind can start
‘right’. It incorporates the golden ratio principle, so no wonder. Be careful at the end (from the Lent) – interfering. You have to let it go and allow
the rhythm is difficult to grasp. You have two beats, and a triplet within the two beats (bars 83, 87, 88, your body to do it – because if you think too
etc.). I will definitely be programming this piece in my future recitals! much, that’s not good for your playing either.

14• Pianist 78

p12_interview 78-FINALish.indd 14 15/05/2014 10:33

 SS 2014 300x110:Layout 1 07/05/2014 22:38 Page 1

Chetham’s International
Summer School &
Festival for Pianists
March 27, 2015
Artistic Director: Murray McLachlan
Richard Goode Part One: 14–20 August 2014
Master Class Part Two: 20–26 August 2014
For Pianists The Friendliest
Three young artists (ages 18–35) will be selected Piano Summer
to participate in a two-hour public master class led School in the
by renowned pianist Richard Goode that explores
Debussy’s preludes. World!
Application Deadline: November 14, 2014 Faculty includes:
Joseph Banowetz,
Apply now to participate in this Mark Bebbington,
tuition-free master class. José Feghali,
Margaret Fingerhut,
Visit carnegiehall.org/workshops Philip Fowke,
or call 212-903-9741 to apply or for Peter Frankl,
more information. Thomas Hecht,
Leslie Howard,
Workshops and master classes are made possible, in part, by Mr. and Mrs. Nicola Bulgari
and The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. Eugen Indjic,
Photo by Steve Riskind.
John Lenehan,
Leon McCawley,
Murray McLachlan,
Noriko Ogawa,
Daniel-Ben Pienaar,
Artur Pizarro,
Graham Scott,
Mark Tanner,
Nelita True,
Ashley Wass.

With daily concerts,

lectures, jazz,
improvisation,
composition,
intensive one-to-one
coaching, duets, organ
and harpsichord.

For further information call +44 (0)1625 266899

Richard Goode or email info@pianosummerschool.com
15• Pianist 78 www.pianosummerschool.com

p15 Ads.indd 15 16/05/2014 10:35

 play HOW TO
Risk it all – learn to
Improvising isn’t just for jazz players – and learning to extemporise will help your Schumann, Bach and
much more. Pianist and teacher Mark Tanner shows how to free up your fingers and mind
T
here can surely never
have been a time
when improvisation
did not play a pivotal
role in the creation
of music. Even the
most elaborately
structured works that form the backbone
of Western art music will likely have
been by triggered by instinctive impulses
somewhere along the line, quite probably
while doodling at a keyboard. An ability
to extemporise a prelude was a cherished
skill in Bach’s time, while Handel, Mozart,
Beethoven, Clementi, Chopin and Liszt
were all highly revered improvisers.
Though these days the live improvisation
of a cadenza in a concerto is a rare
event indeed, the cadenzas written out
by composers from Mozart through to
Rachmaninov provide invaluable insights
into the musical imaginings of these
formidable musicians.
Today, improvisation for pianists
tends to be synonymous with jazz, and
not without some justification, for a
degree of ‘on the hoof ’ skill is non-
negotiable for jazz players. That said,
classical pianists who underestimate the
possibilities for improvisation overlook
a rich heritage in which such skills were
hard won and highly prized.
I believe that we can all gain a
great deal and build confidence and
competence by improvising in a variety
of styles with which we are already
thoroughly familiar. In doing so, a
more genuinely inventive artistic vision
becomes a realistic goal. The helpful
addition of rubato in Schumann for
example, or the thoughtful placement of
a vocally conceived nuance in Mozart,
relies upon an awareness of how one
might intervene beyond what has been
laid down by the composer. Above all, an
instinct for improvisation may awaken
in us the understanding that musical
performance is a creative, not merely
re-creative process, one that necessarily
involves a readiness for risk-taking.
Organists seem to have improvisation
hard-wired from early on in their studies,
and there is no reason for pianists to
shudder at the thought of going freestyle.
Let’s take, by way of example, Bach’s
Prelude in C major from The Well-
Tempered Clavier Book I [in the scores
P16 HTP Tanner-FINAL.indd 16
IMPROVISE
section of Pianist No 67], for there is Concert pianist, teacher, writer
ample scope to use the first four bars as and festival adjudicator Mark
the trigger for an improvisation – a point Tanner has also published over
not lost on Gounod, whose Ave Maria 30 volumes of compositions,
borrowed the harmonic scheme of the arrangements and editions
entire piece to excellent effect. You’ll for Spartan Press, pitched
likely achieve the best results when the at Grades 1-8. He edited the
left hand provides a little momentum complete piano works of Peter
(slowly moving block chords formed out Wishart (Edition Peters) and
of Bach’s broken chords, aided by pedal), John McLeod’s epic Haflidi’s
while the right hand plays melody notes Pictures (Europa Edition). Two
using longer time values an octave or so pieces from his 11-volume
above. Nothing very inventive will come piano series Eye-Tunes are on
from restricting your melodies to notes the current London College
taken solely from the chords, however, of Music syllabus. His new
so don’t be afraid to experiment with Scapes series is an evocative
slightly dissonant effects as long as they 4-volume collection. Find out
resolve nicely at the next chord change. more at www.marktanner.info
Be content to ‘loop’ around this first
little sequence of these four bars for some
time before moving on to reworking the offers rich pickings for triggering
next four bars. By this process you can improvisation, and it’s all fair game.
conceivably evolve your improvisation Some other examples are Satie’s
into quite an epic-sounding piece! Add Gymnopedie No 1, the Andante
some ornaments here and there, to sostenuto first movement of Beethoven’s
keep the playing anchored in a Baroque ‘Moonlight’ Sonata and Chopin’s Prélude
style, but if this begins to lose its in E minor [in Pianist No 77’s scores].
flavour, try altering the rhythm of the Jazz-minded pianists can get a lot
accompaniment – make it jazzy perhaps out of improvising around well-known
(as Jacques Loussier famously did). melodies. Christmas carols are excellent
Involve some dotted rhythms, or else fodder, simply because their tunes and
mutate it into an off-beat reggae and add harmonies may be thoroughly ingrained.
a few bass notes into the mix for good There’s a potential for colouring these
measure – the possibilities are endless! familiar chords with certain ‘added’
From this exercise you’ll quickly notes. Added major seconds (and
see that the standard piano repertoire therefore ninths, when shoved up the
5
octave), major sixths and major sevenths
all have the effect of enhancing chords
TOP
TIPS FIVE TOP TIPS FOR with the bonus of not affecting their
IMPROVING YOUR IMPROVISING directional impulse in the way that,
say, a dominant seventh, augmented or
diminished chord will tend to do. Hence,
1
Risk-taking is imperative – break your bond with overused
patterns once and for all. a humble C major triad of CEG can
become CDEG (added second), CEGA
2 Listen intently to the sounds your piano makes, and savour new
effects even if you’re not sure how you achieved them.
(added sixth), CEGB (added seventh).
Jazz pianists often dispense with
formalities when it comes to such matters
Improvisation needs a lot of practice, regardless of which as chord inversions – if configuring a
3 genre(s) you are engaged with; don’t think of it as an easy option
for reluctant readers.
chord in a convenient and musically viable
way means inverting it so that it fits tidily
with the chord that follows it, then they’ll
Use stimuli from a variety of sources, such as paintings, novels not hesitate to do so. Remember that the
4 and poems. snazzier the chord, the more important it
becomes to think about voicing, or else
5 Gauge success not so much by how your ideas turned out but by
the enjoyment you had while trying.
we may be left with an unintelligible,
dissonant mush. Experiment with
configuring chords in lots of different
16• Pianist 78
15/05/2014 09:33

voicings (while keeping the same notes)
and you’ll hear that some work far better
than others depending on the context.
Incidentally, this is why close-harmony
vocal groups tend to operate in the
middle to higher range of notes. In the
equivalent register of the piano you can
get away with virtually any configuration
of chords, together with added notes. As
soon as you delve deeper into the piano’s
subterranean register you’ll notice that
the same configuration sounds muddy
and indistinct. One way around this is
to spread out the notes as far as possible
when working lower down the keyboard,
which may mean taking one or two
harmony notes in the right hand. An
example of a nicely voiced jazz C major
chord bulging with potential would be
CGC (in the left hand, with thumb on
middle C), and EAD (in the right hand).
Try it for yourself, even if you don’t
regard yourself as particularly interested
in jazz, as you may well gain an extra
insight into the practices of composers
such as Ravel.
Improvising in a newly learned key,
with a tricky cross-rhythm or a recently
learned pedal effect, constitutes an
ideal inroad. After all, an instinct for
improvisation might get you out of
a hole one day, when a memory slip
occurs during a performance, when a
page-turner slips up or when faced with
a seemingly impossible sight-reading
task in which something semi-plausible
can be substituted to save the day. For
pianists who prefer to sense the music
in their fingers and are less comfortable
with learning by reading, a modest
amount of theoretical know-how coupled
with a little courage for improvising may
open the door to a magical world of
piano playing.
Uninhibited improvising
Important though knowledge of harmony,
style, theory and structure undoubtedly
are to high-level improvisation, we
should not overlook the possibility of
enjoying sound for its own sake. Nor is a
solid technique in itself a prerequisite to
meaningful improvising. Ironically, some
of the most attractive and uninhibited
improvisations I’ve heard have come from
the fingers of people who have never
played the piano before, who seem able
to feed upon their own unquestioning
wonderment. Work with what you
have rather than to become hung up on
perceived shortcomings. Many pianists
can really begin to blossom in confidence
once they open the piano lid, turn the
lights down low and reach for the keys.
For inspiration, take a piece of poetry, an
image of an erupting volcano, a scene
from a novel you happen to be reading or
even a cat video clip, and try to turn it
into sound. Listen with new ears to TV
soundtracks and you’ll doubtless spot how
little actual ‘music’ there often is – usually
P16 HTP Tanner-FINAL.indd 17
the priority is to underscore a haunting
scene such as a stark Scandinavian
landscape by means of a repeated
three-note motif or a rumbling bass.
Initially at least, success should not be
determined by the outcome, but by how
enjoyable the process felt. Improvisation
is not always a great spectator sport, and
although some people, such as cocktail
pianists, are paid to improvise, for most
of us it’s about coaxing out sounds from
our beloved instrument and forming a
lasting relationship with its idiosyncrasies.
Other ways into improvisation
• Be subversive at every opportunity –
shake things up!
• Try playing melodic shapes in the LH
and accompaniments in the RH
• Try pentatonic and whole-tone scales
alongside modes/jazz modes
• Keep colour and atmosphere high on
your agenda
• Experiment with register, pedal/
harmonics effects and so on
• Keep a notepad or recorder handy to
log good ideas as future triggers
Improvising offers the blessed relief of
not having to be on your best behaviour.
The only ‘rules’ you might break are the
ones you set yourself, so be open-minded
about your efforts and, as with any
learning process, be prepared for mixed
results in your pursuit of betterment.
I think it was Count Basie who
reflected that ‘all the best improvisations
are well rehearsed’, and this is actually
quite a sensible comment, not a
facetious one. In reality, most confident
improvisers start with clichés – be
they blues or 12-bar sequences and
‘licks’ for jazzers, or more conventional
scale/arpeggio figurations for classical
players – and from there proceed to
inch their way into a more genuinely
innovative domain. At first, improvising
may feel more like problem solving
than something genuinely creative as
you learn to move, note by note, in a
direction of your own choosing. Indeed
the very open-endedness of this process
can, for some, be the crux of the problem
– how will I know whether what I’m
doing actually works? Remember the
importance of cadences. A useful exercise
is to start improvising in one key and
aim to end up in a pre-decided unrelated
key (say, from G major to D flat major)
perhaps working backwards in intervals
of fifths, though sometimes a more
daring chromatic side-slip can do the
trick with rather fewer moves.
Pay close attention to the look and
feel of the keyboard: we pianists are
fortunate to have all the shapes in front
of us if only we care to look! Keep your
improvising fun, maybe inviting a duet
partner to indulge in call-and-response
games at first. Stepping outside one’s
comfort zone is never easy, but a little
17• Pianist 78
MASTERCLASS
FREE WHEELING
Mark Tanner’s top tips for adding an element
of improvising to 3 of this issue’s scores
1 Merikanto Valse lente [Scores page 42]: Oskar Merikanto’s
Valse lente is a splendid little piece, with plenty of expressive
detail carefully marked in. Really, all those short-lived tempo changes
are rubato in disguise, and although you need to take note of the
music’s natural ebb and flow, don’t overlook the need to adopt an
experimental view. The LH’s first four bars provide an excellent
starting point for an improvised melody; from here you can extend
your improvisation in four-bar chunks to great effect.
2 Dvořák Little Pearl No 1 [Scores page 44]: Entitled ‘In a Ring’,
this certainly is a little gem. The music needs to be kept light and
dainty throughout, notwithstanding the shifts from staccato to legato
and the vivace tempo marking. As with the Merikanto above, you can
have great fun improvising your own melodies to the opening four-bar
sequence, while the walking-bass beginning at bar 25 simply oozes
with improvisational possibilities, especially in a jazz style.
3 Jelly Roll Morton King Porter Stomp [Scores page 52]: This
is a captivating ‘stride’ piece in which the LH has to sustain a
regular supply of rhythmic notes (usually octaves) to support the
whimsical tune. Enjoy the little freedoms that are peppered about the
score, such as at bar 12, where you might ease off a little and gently
steer the listener back on course. The ‘Trio’ section, which follows hot
on the heels of the RH octave section by means of an abrupt change
of key, is clearly a place to cool off a little, but the ‘stomp’ section at
bar 57 is where you really need to get your hobnail boots on and give
it some pizzazz. The score overall might appear a little unremitting,
but take your time with it and mark in the places where a little fresh
air might be let in to good effect.
goes a long way in improvisation, so be
content to think in small, manageable
packets and become more ambitious
as you get braver at stringing these
together. Scribble little notes to yourself
to remind you of possible chord patterns
or other devices you can use if you
happen to dry up, and consider turning
your best creations into something
a little more concrete by means of a
notation program such as Sibelius or a
sequencing package like Garage Band.
Work with less familiar keys. One
downside of muscle memory is that it
tends to steer us towards familiar territory;
it’s as if the hands wilfully gravitate
towards what they’ve become used to
doing, causing us to revisit the same old
patterns and tunes time and time again
with Groundhog Day predictability.
We won’t get closer to what I call really
knowing your instrument without
considerable effort and a thoughtful
approach, for improvising is anything but
a cop-out. We tend to be good at what
we like and like what we’re good at, so
the positive cycle ought to start early on
before tension, self-consciousness and
embarrassment have a chance to wheedle
their way into our minds. ■
In the next issue, Mark Tanner will
talking about dynamics.
15/05/2014 09:34
 play HOW TO

The importance of
SLOW PLAYING
Ever wonder why slow practice is so crucial? Teacher and performer Graham Fitch lists the
many reasons why you should practise slowly – and when you really need to speed things up

S
low practice is both rudimentary and universal. It’s an activity
shared by beginners and professionals, and we never outgrow
its usefulness. The vast majority of pianists and teachers across
the world swear by slow practice, but it would seem that many
have not learned to appreciate and enjoy doing it. In this article,
I would like to share my enthusiasm for slow practice, and to offer some
suggestions on how you might approach it. I’ll also cover the value of
practising slow movements fast, something that might not seem so obvious.
There are a number of benefits to slow practice. You can use it for training
the ear as you actively listen to, feel and control each and every note. What
note comes next, and with which finger? What sort of sound do you want
to produce? Then, after you play each note, there is a tiny fraction of a
second where you can evaluate your result as right or wrong, good or not
quite there yet, easy or effortful, and then decide whether to go on or to go
back. Laying solid foundations like this is essential when you start learning
a new piece. You use slow practice to form muscular habits and to keep on
refining them until they are perfect and in the automatic stage (when you Graham Fitch is a pianist, teacher, writer and adjudicator. He gives
no longer have to think consciously about your fingers). And let’s not forget masterclasses and workshops on piano playing internationally, and is in high
that you can use slow practice to correct errors that have crept in: wrong demand as a private teacher in London. A regular tutor at the Summer School
notes, sloppy fingering or smudgy pedalling. Even when you have learnt for Pianists in Walsall, Graham is also a tutor for the Piano Teachers’ Course
a piece, slow practice is something you should return to regularly to make EPTA (UK). He writes a popular piano blog, www.practisingthepiano.com.
sure you keep the piece in tip-top condition.
When learning a new piece, you will find that it takes discipline to to the slow speed, but persevere and I guarantee you will feel enormous
practise slowly and to do the slow work for long enough (over the course of benefits. Ensure that each finger articulates very clearly, and that there is no
several days). You’ll need to resist the temptation to go over the playing at rhythmical weakness or any lumps and bumps. Stop immediately for errors
speed too soon – do it slowly one day, and then again the next, and again of any kind and back up a bit. Remember to do this with each hand alone
the day after that. Running through something at speed prematurely can too, especially the left hand.
wipe out the effects of careful practising. The satisfaction at this stage has to I wouldn’t want you to think that slow practice is purely mechanical –
come from doing the work; you need to call upon your inner craftsman not you can make it very musical with all the details of phrasing, pedalling and
only to trust the process but also to enjoy it. colour. In this example from the first movement of Ravel’s Sonatine, let’s
So how slow is slow? When students demonstrate their slow practice take a fast note value and use that as our measure for the slow practice:
speeds to me, I generally find that the speeds are never slow enough. For

### 2 fj f f
a fast piece that needs a fair amount of dexterity and control, I recommend Modéré doux et expressif
using half and even quarter speeds. Let’s take the Bourrée from Bach’s f f
G major French Suite, which appears in this issue’s Scores page 50, as our & 4 ‰ ® f f ® f f f®f f f f f f f f f f f ®f f f f f f

{
first example. Here are the first couple of bars: ®
### 2 ‰ fr ≈ ≈
p

Mf™ f µ
f™
32
& 4 f ff ≈ f ≈ ff ≈ f ≈f ff ≈ ff f
#C f f J
3 2 3
f
f f J
2 1

&

{ ? #C Œ
f f
‰ J f f f f f ### f f f f f ≈f fj f f
pp subito

& ® f f ® f f ≈ f ®® f f ® f f f®f f f f f f f f f f f

{
3 4 ®
## ≈ f ≈ f ≈ f ≈
3

#f f f f f f f & # ff f f ≈ f f ≈ f ≈ f ≈ f ≈
f f f J
4 3 2 1
& f f f f

{
>
?# f f f f f f f f f f
f f f f
mf
## f f f f
& # f® f f f f f ® f f f ® f f f

{
11 3 5 3 2

If my ideal performance speed is h = 88, then half speed will clock in ## ≈ ≈ ≈

at q = 88 and quarter speed at e = 88. You can practise with or without a & # ff ≈ ff f ff ff
metronome, of course, but be extremely strict about keeping precisely in
time. The first time you do this, you will probably find it difficult to stick
18• Pianist 78

P18 HTP Graham-FINAL.indd 18 15/05/2014 09:34

 MASTERCLASS

Resist the temptation to go over
the playing at speed too soon –
running through something at
speed prematurely can wipe out
the effects of careful practising
Aim to practise in sections at x = 60. This is extremely challenging and
will take a lot of control. Listen attentively to how every note fits into the
bigger picture, making sure of the correct tonal balance between the two
outer lines and the lighter accompaniment figurations. Also listen carefully
to how the pedal blends the lines. In this particular example you won’t
want much rubato, but in other pieces that do require it you can also move
forwards and backwards within the slow tempo.
Imagine a painter involved in close-up work on a small corner of the
canvas. He will occasionally need to step back to see how what he has done
fits in with the overall picture. If slow practice enables us to concentrate on
every single detail, then its drawback is that we risk losing the overall sweep
of the music. It’s a question of finding the right balance between slow and
up-to-speed practice. Keep in mind that too much playing of fast passages
at speed will adversely affect our motor control and we lose finesse – this
is why we need to return to the slow work from time to time, to keep
everything in top form.
Because slow music often expresses grand, noble emotions it might feel like
sacrilege to trivialise it by skipping through it faster. I feel this is a big part
of why we don’t play fast in our practice. As long as we keep in mind that
fast music practised slowly is just as distorted as slow music practised fast,
we will accept it because we appreciate its value.
Practising slow music twice as fast as intended effectively shrinks the
music, the benefits tangible after doing it just once. It is a bit like looking
at the piece from a bird’s eye view – we are able to see the topography of the
whole in a single snapshot. I urge you to try it!
When practising slow music fast, focus on the main beats of the bar and
try not to get lost in all the surface detail (the shorter note values between
the beats). Think of the main beats as pillars or columns that hold up a
building, and the notes in between as drapery that adorns but made of
softer material. You can even omit some or all of the faster notes as you
practise like this, and just play the main events. Be selective, and above all
be creative. It may help to count the main beats out aloud, subdividing
where necessary (‘1-and-2-and’, etc.). When you return to the intended
slow tempo after a bout of fast practice, you’ll sense the hierarchy between
the main events and the surface decoration – everything will slot into place
and feel just right. 
In my video demonstration on the Pianist TV channel, I show how
fast practice can shrink a phrase from the Adagio from Mozart’s Fantasy
in D minor. I also show how it can help keep the opening of Beethoven’s
‘Pathétique’ Sonata rhythmical. If the dotted notes are not possible at this
speed, make a skeleton such as this, hearing inwardly what you have left
out. Try my skeleton below, playing it fast of course!:
b4 j
& b b4 j ‰ ff fff ‰
n FFF

{
Superfast motions played slowly
FF
F n fff n ff f
Slow practice prepares you for playing at speed. In the following example
? bb 4 F #f f ‰ F f f ‰
from the opening of Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccioso, you can practise b 4 FF J J
slowly but use physical motions that are superfast: F
f # f f f. ff. ff. f. f
Presto

#6 f f f #f ff ff. ff. ff. f. f b ff fr ≈ ‰ nff f nff bfff f Œ j

& 8 f f f #f & b b #nFFF f ff # f ff nff n f

{
f

{ ? #6 ‰
8
pp leggiero

f ‰ & f #f f f. f.
f
f. f f f
. #f
f
ff
? bb
b
F f nf
R ≈ ‰
f nf bff b ff
J ‰ f
f
f
f
j

# . f. f ff. f. f. So, I end where I began, with slow practice. When you practise slowly,
& f #f f #f f #f f #f f fJ ‰ you need to be fully engaged not only in fine-tuning your physical

{
movements but also listening to every nuance of phrasing and tonal
balance. The quality and intensity of your practice determines the quality
# and reliability of your performance, and practice can be truly enjoyable and
& #ff #f f
f f #ff f . .
effective when you are engrossed in it.
ff
f. f f. f . f. I wrote about the value of slow practice in Pianist No 47 and returning to
the subject five years later, I’m delighted to be able to demonstrate my points
more vividly on the Pianist TV channel (www.pianistmagazine.com/tv) –
The instant you let a key go, move like lightning to the next position please be sure to have a look! ■
(even if it close by) and stay there until you need to play. If you do this
well, the motions will actually be faster than performance tempo! Success In the next issue, Graham talks about learning techniques that will help to
comes from concentrating the mind on these fast reflexes while playing at ensure that trouble spots within pieces are securely mastered.
a slow tempo. This process is especially useful in passages where the hands
move quickly from one position to another, where you need to build in
speed and precision in measuring these distances. It is only possible to WATCH GRAHAM ONLINE
control such matters when the tempo is slow; at a faster tempo, automatic Don’t miss Graham Fitch’s video
pilot kicks in, allowing the fruits of your labour just to happen. (Try this lessons, which you’ll find on
out with some of the quick, jumping pieces inside past issues of Pianist such the Pianist website at
as the Gershwin Prelude No 1 in issue 70, and even the Dvořák and Jelly www.pianistmagazine.com.
Roll Morton pieces inside this issue.) Graham demonstrates everything
that he discusses on these pages –
Practising slow music fast and more. His current lessons are
Sometimes our playing of a slow piece seems to get slower and slower as the filmed at Steinway Hall, London, on
days go by, and we often do not realise we are doing this. The music loses its a Model D concert grand. There’s
shape and meaning as we struggle to relate one note to the next note, or one nothing like watching the expert!
phrase to the next phrase. The solution is to practise it deliberately faster.
19• Pianist 78

P18 HTP Graham-FINAL.indd 19 15/05/2014 09:34

 play
Ingasas

’T MISS
DON NIE
MELA K’S
N
SWIC Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
LESSO
TRACK 3 SPAN BEGINNER
PIECE
ON THIS E Minuet, No 3 from Six Sketches

HOW TO
PAG
20

Though he is perhaps best known as a choral composer, Charles Villiers Stanford also
wrote fine keyboard pieces. Born in Dublin, educated at Cambridge and Trinity, and
a student of Reinecke, Stanford was a leading light in the revival of British music at
the turn of the century. Six Sketches dates from 1918; No 1 was presented in issue 72.
Count in the 3/4 time silently for a couple of bars before you begin: you need to
feel that lilting waltz-like time signature before you play. The RH has the melody
most of the time in this piece, however, the LH shines from bar 17. Remember to
bring the LH out at this moment. The melody returns at bar 33. Most important is
to feel the phrasing and to round of phrases smoothly. This sweet piece has a pastoral
feel to it. And there’s lots here to work on!
Take a look at the technical tips within the score and read Melanie Spanswick’s
step-by-step lesson on this piece on page 20.

FULL SCORE ON PAGE 30

Pedalling:There are no pedal markings. Fingering: Ample fingering has been Phrasing: Make sure to study the phrase markings (the
We suggest no pedal at all except just a added. This will help to ensure as arches). Some phrases are just one bar, some two bar,
dab at the end of phrases, if you are able. good legato playing as possible. others four bar, and so on.

Find a good lively

dance-like tempo.Try
the crotchet = 176 Allegretto q = 176
suggestion.
2 3

3 f
1 5 2 4 5 4 2 1

& b4 f f f
2 1 3 2 1

f F f f™ F f f f f f f
J

{
We are in the
key of F major.

p Little crescendo Then diminuendo

Again, small crescendo... ... then diminuendo.
to the top F. back down again.

? b 43 FF ™™ FF ™™ FF ™™ F™
∑
3 4 3 2
5 5 5

6 Observe both
rests below. 1 5 3 1 5

f f f f
&b f Œ Œ Œ
4 4 1 4

f
4 2 2 2

f
1 3

f f f f f f f f

{ ?b F™
F
F
ff f
f Œ Œ
nFF ™™
f f f nFF ™™

CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD

3 5 4 5 1 3 1 1
4 5 4

It’s worth counting out loud here, between bars

12-16, to keep the tempo and rhythm even. The piece has modulated into the key of
D minor. Note the C sharp in the previous bar.
12
f
3 1

#f f f f™ f #f f
&b f Œ Œ Œ
1 3 5 3 1 5 4 3
3 2

f f f J

{
Three LH notes to be

f.
staccato (detached).
f f #f
f f. f.
f.
?b f f f f f F
3 1 3 1 5 3 1 4 2 2 1
5 5 5

Even though it is not marked, a little crescendo towards the end of

this page will add some dramatic feel.

Minuet, No 3 from Six Sketches

30• Pianist 78

P30 Scores STANFORD-FINAL.indd 30 15/05/2014 16:33

For her first How to Play lesson, teacher and author Melanie Spanswick explains how being able
to summon up a rich, warm sound and a steady pulse will bring this beautiful dance to life
Ability rating Beginner/Elementary
Info Will improve your
Key: F major 3 Finger legato
Tempo: Allegretto 3 Sense of rhythm
Style: Late Romantic 3 Articulation
Dublin-born composer Charles
Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) wrote
many works for the piano. By all
accounts he was an excellent pianist
who gave his first public recital aged
just seven and who once played for
Sigismond Thalberg. Though he
became a composition professor at both
Cambridge University and the Royal
College of Music, he remained an ardent
fan of the piano. His pieces are seldom
performed, yet they offer a wealth of
ingenuity and variety, with some having
treacherous technical demands.
This Minuet in F major is the third
piece in a charming group entitled
Six Sketches. Stanford, like many
composers of the post-war period,
realised the need for worthwhile
educational piano music and wrote
several sets of little pieces purely for
this purpose. [No 1 from Six Sketches
appeared in Pianist No 72.]
This beautiful little dance illustrates
Stanford’s love of melody. Before
you start to learn it, listen to the
performance on this issue’s CD, so you
get an overview of the general tempo
and character. The general feel is light,
elegant and typical of a simple dance
movement. The key of F major is warm
and vibrant; a suitable tempo would
be a swift one-in-the-bar feel, which
will keep the dance character alive as
the Allegretto tempo marking suggests
(perhaps a crotchet pulse of around
176 beats per minute, as indicated).
When tackling any piece for the
first time, you should work hands
Melanie’s Top Tips
• Warm up with an F major scale and arpeggio before you start
your practice session.
• Always sink into the keybed in order to produce a really beautiful
singing tone.
• When practising the LH chords make sure you use total legato,
© Fabrice Rizaato
Melanie Spanswick is a classical pianist, teacher, adjudicator, author
and presenter. She regularly conducts workshops and masterclasses
in the UK and Germany as well as for EPTA (European Piano Teachers
Association). Forthcoming events include lectures at Ulverston
Festival and performances of MELodramas at Steinway Hall in
London and the Radcliffe Centre at Buckingham University with
pianist Anthony Hewitt. Melanie’s book, So You Want To Play The
Piano?, has been critically acclaimed and featured in the News in
Pianist No 77. Find out more at www.melaniespanswick.com and
www.soyouwanttoplaythepiano.com
separately before playing together. and balanced at all times. This can be
Experiment with different fingering very helpful in sections such as bars
until you find the most comfortable, 17-22, where counterpoint becomes
and one that will allow for a completely a focal point. Always observe the rests
legato or smooth touch (I have too, particularly at bar 8 where there
suggested some fingerings on the score). are two complete crotchet rests; it’s all
too easy to rush onto the next section,
Stanford is specific about phrasing, rhythmically distorting the character.
often contrasting one- or two-bar
phrases with those of four bars. The work’s climax (bars 22-24) can be
While it’s necessary to be aware of these transformed by an exquisite singing
markings, each musical line requires top line. The prevailing thirds in the RH
a rich, warm sound and an unbroken will require a careful layering of sound. If
legato approach, which can be achieved you follow the suggested fingering, you
by keeping the sound going without any should be able to achieve a continuous
short breaks or abrupt pauses, even at legato line; the fourth and fifth fingers
the end of phrases. Keep a completely will need slightly more pressure, a
fluid yet even tone, while marking the flexible wrist and some basic arm weight,
climactic points within each phrase. In in order to create the essential expressive
the first four bars, for example, the notes singing tone in the top voice.
that will require the most sound in the
right hand (RH) melody are the third The climax could be even more
note of bar 1 (the F, an octave and a effective with a slight pause or
half above middle C) and a D at the end fermata before continuing. (Fermata
of the third bar (an octave and a note means ‘hold’ or ‘pause’.) Contrast this
above middle C). Your sound level immediately with very soft playing,
should rise and fall away from these notes weaving around the chromaticisms
(a crescendo followed by a decrescendo before finally returning to the main
in each case). This will add colour and theme. Make sure the RH melodic
musical interest to your performance. material is correctly balanced with the
LH accompaniment here (bars 25-29).
A notable swelling of sound (or The melody should be predominant at
crescendo) occurs at the end of the all times. The reprise could be played
first page, where the music briefly fortissimo, with plenty of gusto and élan
modulates to D minor (bar 16). This before dying away completely at the
adds a more sombre, reflective nuance. end, observing the short phrases and
The staccato markings are vital here, staccato markings that close the work.
acknowledging the change of mood, so
you’ll want to work on neat articulation. Stanford disliked the use of too much
pedal, possibly due to his love of the
The linear passagework, particularly organ. So pedal judiciously at the very
in the left hand (LH) (bars 12-16), ends of phrases, if at all. Minimum
would benefit from slow rhythmic use of pedal will ensure you really
practice, perhaps with a metronome. listen to your playing, free from any
Complete rhythmic accuracy is muddy sustaining pedal distractions,
paramount. Sub-divide the crotchet beats encouraging clean articulation and

and play them sotto voce (‘under the voice’).

into quavers (or even semiquavers) and fingerwork resulting in precise piano
• Silently count a full bar at the intended tempo before beginning
count every beat aloud while playing, playing. Your legato playing will
in order to establish a reliable pulse.
just to make sure the pulse is steady improve too. ■
20• Pianist 78

P20 HTP Melanie-FINALish.indd 20 15/05/2014 16:34

 One hundred years of setting
the standard for the piano tuning profession.

The association aims to provide the music

profession and general public with a first class
professional service in which they can trust.

Membership is dependent upon passing

tests in piano tuning and repairs.

For further information, membership

enquiries or a list of members in your area,
contact: Annette Summers on 0845 602 8796.

www.pianotuner.org.uk

92x136advert.indd 1 28/11/2012 16:42

21• Pianist 78

p21 Ads.indd 21 13/05/2014 11:57

 play
Ingasas

’T MISS S
DONNEWMAN’
N Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
LESSO
JANET
TRACK 6 PIECE INTERMEDIATE
ON THIS E
PAG Child falling asleep, No 12 from Scenes from Childhood op 15

HOW TO
22

Robert Schumann wrote his Scenes from Childhood (Kinderszenen) in 1838. Even if
the 13 pieces in this volume are children’s pieces, in order to play them well, one needs
to have a mature vision and technique. Indeed, Schumann described Scenes from
Childhood to fellow composer Carl Reinecke (see page 36 for one of Reinecke’s pieces)
as ‘reflections of an adult for other adults’.
Playing and pedal tips: This is such a dreamy piece. Notice those accents in the RH
top notes? They should sound like soft ringing bells. Bar 9 sees a new, more hymn-like
section. In bars 9 and 10, play the bottom two notes of the second-beat RH chords
with the thumb (see fingering in the score). It’s not as hard as you’d think! But the
main technical challenge throughout is to play the chords pianissimo. It’s a difficult
technique to master – one needs to hear every note sound. Play bars 27-28 with
incredibly tenderness and then just die away at the end (the child has fallen asleep!).
For the pedal, Janet Newman suggests two pedal changes per bar, as marked.
Read Janet Newman’s step-by-step lesson on this piece on page 22.

FULL SCORE ON PAGE 40 #2

& # 42 Œ
& 4Œ
Moderato e = 92 (72)
Moderato 1 ee =
Moderato = 492
4
92 1(72)
1
(72)

f
4 >>
f™
f f f f f™
1

f f f
1
1
2
2
2 f
>>
f™
f f f f f™
f f f
f
f
f >>
f ff f ff ™™
f
2
2
2
4
4
4
2
2
2
f
f
f
f ff

{
p
p
p 1 2

f™ f™ f™ f™
1 1 1 2
2
1

? # 42 fff ff ff #fff f ™ fff

f
f ff #fff f ™
f
fff f ff nfff f ™
f
fff f ff #ffff f ™
1 1 1
1 1
1 1
2 2

? # 42 f #ff
2 2

#ff nff #ff

2 2
f f ff
° øø ø øø ø sim.
3

°
5
3

ø ø sim.
3
5
sim. 5

> >>
>f ™

SCHUMANN
4

# ff ™™ f™ ##
5 4 4 1
f f f
1
f
f ff ######
4

f ff ff ff ™™
2

f ff ff f ™ f f f™
4

&# f
5 4 1 1

f f f f
5 1

f f f f
2 1
2

& f f f f

{ ? # fff #ff
f™
? # ff ff ff #ff f ™ ff
fff
f f f ff ™™
f f #ff
#f
ff ff ff f ff ™™
fff nnfff
f ff ff f ff ™™
f
fff ##ffff
#
#######

4
5 4

# # fff f f f f ff f f f f f
4

fff f ff ##ffff f f fff

9 3
5

& #### ff
5 3

fff f f ff
2
3
?
9 3 3 5 3
9
f
&##f
1
2 3
?
3 5

fff f f f f
2
? &
1 3 5
1
&
f fffff f f fff &

{
1
pp 1
1
pp
pp

?# #
1

f f f f
? ###### ff ff f f f f f ff f f f f f ff f f f f f
2 1 1 1
2 1
2 1
1 1
1

f ff f f f
f ff f ff ff f ff f f f ff ff ff
f f f

Child Falling Asleep, No 12 from Scenes from Childhood

4
4
4

40• Pianist 78

P40 Scores SCHUMANN-FINAL.indd 40 15/05/2014 09:20

The continual lulling rhythmic motif of this tender piece demands fine control of the instrument,
including subtle pedalling. Teacher and performer Janet Newman guides you through it
Ability rating Intermediate memory. Once you have done this, then It is also important to take care not to
Info Will improve your play the top part of the LH and the rush the foot when pedalling. Imagine
Key: E minor 3 Tone control answering voice of the RH, listening out that you are ‘squeezing’ the pedal and
Tempo: Moderato 3 Dexterity of thumb for the same kind of smooth line created avoid any quick, grabbed movements as
Style: Romantic 3 Piano and pianissimo control by your harmonic practice. this will mean that you fail to catch the
bass notes – this will guarantee a very
Schumann builds the entire piece bumpy performance!
Robert Schumann’s music has a upon the same rhythmic motif – with
peculiar intensity and energy, and
the soundworld he created remains
the exception of bar 20 – and this
constant repetition gives an almost
Learning Tip
unmistakably his. So much has been meditative, lulling effect to the music. Use the pedal as an extra aid for
written about Schumann and his It is such an imaginative and effective legato fingerwork
musical genius, his deep abiding love device and makes picturing the almost-
for his wife Clara Wieck and his sad but-not-quite asleep child vividly real. At the next double bar, the key moves
death in the sanatorium of Endenich. to B minor and a beautiful series
Scenes from Childhood (‘Kinderszenen’, The first four bars of the piece repeat of chord progressions signal the
to use the original German title), up to the double bar. However, in emotional heart of the music. Voice
written in 1838, contain some of the bar 5, the addition of the octave (B-B) the top of the RH bars 17-20. I suggest
most popular, famous shorter pieces in the RH is an important musical high practising the RH separately to begin
ever written, with ‘Träumerei’ (No 7) point. Take a little time here to fully with to check that you are really doing
being amongst the most recognisable. express this moment. There is a heartfelt what Schumann asks in terms of the
Schumann originally composed 30 quality throughout the piece, and for part playing. The suspensions created
pieces, but chose 13 from them to form me, a rather dark, sombre character as by the ties must be observed, as they are
the Scenes from Childhood collection. well, which feels more in keeping with so expressive and magical. Let the LH
The other pieces eventually became part the final ‘falling asleep’ that at some play very sensitively under the RH here,
of a different collection (Bunte Blätter). point, all of us will share in. Although being aware that the rhythmical motif
these pieces are conceived as an adult has moved solely into the bass part. At
Much of the challenge of this view of a child’s innocent world, I can’t bar 21, play out a little more now in the
beautiful piece lies in tone control. help but feel that much of the darkness LH as it possesses the theme until the
On the page, the music seems simple of Schumann’s own inner life spilled RH joins in at bar 22. You can afford to
and clear, and certainly, there are no into everything he composed, and warm your tone somewhat until dying
great demands made of the player my own interpretation of the music is away again before resuming the theme in
from the point of view of technical influenced by that. the original key at bar 25. The previous
obstacles. If you look at the score, bar can be as slow as you like so that you
you will see that the dynamics remain Moving into the middle section, you can linger on the D©, which leads you
limited from p to pp, and by the end might choose to help the intimacy back into the home key of E minor.
after the ritardando, you will need of your tone by using the una corda
to play as quietly as you possibly can pedal. This is because the music needs The last few bars are deeply tender,
without losing the sound. Controlling to be very hushed and introspective especially with the answering
the instrument becomes the main issue, at this point. The change of key into suspensions between the hands rising
as essentially you need to work against E major is significant– perhaps it and falling so sublimely. Give a little
the percussive character of the piano to represents a happier moment in the more weight to the dotted quaver in the
create the most translucent, gentle tone child’s world? Relax into the chords RH part – it starts at bar 27 – as this
in which to express the musical picture in the RH, trying to keep your arm forms part of the five-note falling-scale
suggested by the title. soft but the fingers a little gripped on figure that was Robert’s code to Clara –
the key surface. Again, take time over and which he wove into all of his music
I would suggest that you start by the phrase endings, especially when for his adored wife. ■
playing the chord structure on its the hands play at an octave apart in
own. This amounts to playing the bars 9, 10, 11 and the corresponding More to explore
first and second crotchet beats of the bars further on. Let the tone die away Other pieces from Scenes from
LH. Use the pedal too, so that you as the music moves into the lower Childhood in Pianist’s scores: ‘Träumerei’
coordinate the hand and foot carefully. register, almost as if the child is finally (No 7), in issue 28, has some hard
Janet Newman is Head
Make sure that the chords are matched, succumbing to sleep and just slightly stretches, but great for legato and
of Keyboard at the Royal
and that they are even and without any reawaken the tone when the music bringing out the melody line. ‘A Curious
Grammar School in
sudden bumps in tone. This is also quite repeats at bar 14. Employ the method of Story’ (No 2) and ‘At the Fireside’ (No 8),
Guildford. In addition to
a good way to help with memorising practice that you used in the first section both issue 55, need subtlety and control,
her teaching, she is in
should you choose to do so, as here so that you understand where the as Parham says in a lesson. For keeping
demand as a freelance
understanding the harmonic structure music is going to harmonically and that inner voices quiet, ‘The Entreating Child’
© Arnie Scull

pianist and is an examiner

gives you a firmer grasp of the musical your pedalling is nicely synchronised (No 4), issue 47, is an excellent exercise.
for the ABRSM.
direction, as well as aiding muscle with the hand at all times.
22• Pianist 78

P22 HTP Janet 78-FINALish.indd 22 15/05/2014 16:33

 PianistJune14.ai 1 11/05/2014 13:57:27

Peregrine’s Pianos

CM

We are here to sell and hire out fine, modern upright and grand pianos, and to provide a unique working environment in central
MY

CY
London for the music profession. Peregrine epitomizes the musician seeking to facilitate good music-making; integrity and an
CMY
aspiration for quality are important, and we work to standards.
K

Peregrine's Pianos is the exclusive dealer in London for Schimmel pianos and we stock August Foerster, Feurich, Seiler and
Samick instruments. In addition we offer a range of preowned modern pianos. Our hire service includes both long-term domestic
hire, and concert and event hire.

We have vast experience in the smooth running of comfortable rehearsal facilities for the music profession. Our premiere music
rooms, which can accommodate up to fifty people, are the first choice for orchestras, opera and media companies, teachers and
large numbers of independent professionals.
www.peregrines-pianos.com Exclusive dealer in London

Peregrine’s Pianos, 137A Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8TU Tel: 020 7242 9865

April 2014, recording of the Beethoven “Emperor Concerto”, Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Cyprien Katsaris with Steingraeber E-272

„The magnificent Steingraeber E-272 has proven once more to be an „Such a pleasure to work with Steingraeber instruments.
ideal companion … The sound is always perfect and never gets hard.“ Perfect for the soloist, the orchestra and the conductor!“

Cyprien Katsaris www.steingraeber.de Sir Neville Marriner

23• Pianist 78

p23 Ads.indd 23 15/05/2014 10:50

 play HOW TO

DEBUSSY
Reflets dans l’eau from Images Book I
Concert pianist and teacher Lucy Parham shows you how to swap a wishy-washy sound in favour
of tonal and rhythmic clarity in this most shimmering of Debussy’s Images
Ability rating Advanced that as the phrase repeats in bars 3 and 4, you something to hold on to. The RH
Info Will improve your there is a small crescendo. need to keep the same fingering of
Key: D flat major 3 ‘Jeu perlé’ playing 1-3-5-4-2 and make sure you have a
Tempo: Andantino molto 3 Tempo changes/rubato Take a small breath on the semiquaver
Style: Impressionist 3F inger distribution rest at the beginning of bar 9. Each
of the phrases in bars 9-12 represents
Learning Tip
Of all Debussy’s piano music, this a type of question and answer between First learn the climax, which starts
piece is one of my favourites. While the ascending statement and the at bar 56 where the piece goes into
technically very difficult, ‘Reflects dans descending single note. This descending E flat major
l’eau’ is a wonderful enveloping and RH three-note phrase (the reply) can
comfortable piece to play. It lies well also be played with just one finger – I light touch. This is what the French call
under the hand but the virtuosic passages like to use the third finger. ‘jeu perlé’, where you literally scratch or
are highly demanding and take a lot of pluck each note in a small movement –
practice. The colours and sonorities that At bar 13, note the più p indication as if you were almost flicking something
you need to find from the piano also and try to create a completely off the key towards you.
represent a constant challenge. different colour. In bar 14, keep the
RH flexible in the wrist and make the As you get higher and higher up the
Debussy hated being labelled an Lucy Parham performs top line very expressive. The LH also is keyboard, crescendo poco a poco
‘Impressionist’ composer, even though Odyssey of Love with very important for support here. The and keep moving the tempo forward
his soundworld is different from Henry Goodman and chord you reach at bar 15 should have until you reach bar 24. In bar 22, the
anything that came before. But don’t Harriet Walter at the a real quality of tension about it and LH crotchets must be brought out, as
imagine that ‘Impressionist’ means this Winchester Festival make sure that the B¨ resolves to the A¨ you will see in the score they have a
music offers an excuse to put the pedal (13 July) and at the (the second semiquaver in the RH). weighted accent. Try to really sink into
on and paint in wishy-washy colours. Llandeilo Festival with these notes to follow the chromatic
Everything must have clarity – both Henry Goodman and A beautifully judged ritardando at the descending line. In the second part of
of thought and fingertip. Pedalling is Joanna David (15 July). end of bar 15 will take you into the bar 23 (where there’s nothing written in
crucial. Don’t think just because this She performs Rêverie ethereal chords of bar 16. These chords the LH), take some of the notes in the
is Debussy, you can just put the pedal with Henry Goodman almost represent a very slow glissando, LH. I would suggest the fifth to 11th
down! You need subtlety of footwork at the Cambridge so you must keep very close to the key hemidemisemiquavers to be taken in the
here. A lot of flutter pedalling is required International Festival (26 here, like a glove gliding over the piano. LH – i.e. B¨ to B¨. 
and be harmonically aware with your July) and at the Petworth Practise this first without your thumbs
foot, too. Similarly, with your left foot, Festival (28 July). and then without your fifth fingers. The It is crucial to observe the ‘mesuré’
the una corda should be used sparingly. The CD of Odyssey two quavers in the second half of bar 17 marking at bar 24. Debussy is always
of Love, with Juliet need to be ‘plucked’ out of the piano. meticulous in his markings, so it is
Although this piece is marked Stevenson and Henry The rhythm in bar 18 is crucial – make most important to follow them. He
Andantino molto, a certain flexibility Goodman, will be sure your triplets are exact. was a stickler for detail! Through this
within the tempo should always be released later this year measured (and rather difficult) RH
in place. There is always a danger of on the Deux-Elles label. When you reach bar 20 you have passage, the LH needs to cut through
the piece becoming too ‘foursquare’. To For other dates and begun a cadenza, which sweeps you like a beautiful muted horn solo. I
prevent this, always try to get over the details, please visit through into the next section. Follow suggest using a flat fingertip here to
barline; fluidity and flexibility are two www.lucyparham.com. the LH diminished line here as it gives cultivate a warm and rounded sound.
of the key words here. There is a natural At bar 27 try to find a new colour with
rubato but not to the extent of losing this beautiful change of harmony. It is
the basic framework of the piece. also important to make every note in
the RH speak almost like a little row
At the start of the piece, aim to keep of pearls. It needs clarity of touch in a
your right hand (RH) wrist flexible at Classical tradition. Think of Scarlatti or
all times. The RH chords, which must Mozart, and avoiding making a vague
be as legato as possible, provide a wash of sound.
beautiful counterpoint to the left hand
(LH) single notes which themselves In bar 30 take the last four
need to drawn out of the keyboard like demisemiquavers of the second beat
bells. Try using just one finger (the with the LH ( i.e. D¨, B¨, A¨, G¨ after you
third) on the LH crotchets in bars 1 and have played the D¨ LH octave), as you
2 and try to create the sound of a bell. are already in the right position to take
You can best achieve this with a long this over. Now crescendo through the
© Sven Arnstein

slow upward movement. The RH must following triplet from mf to forte. The
keep close to the keyboard here – effect of echo and pp at bar 31 should
jumping about is not a good idea! Note be immediate – and the first half of bar

24• Pianist 78

P24 HTP Lucy 78-FINALish.indd 24 15/05/2014 16:31

 Ingasas

’T MISS
DONPRAHAM’S
N Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
LESSO
LUCY
TRACK 11 PIECE ADVANCED
ON THIS E
PAG
24
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

Debussy wrote two books of Images; ‘Reflets dans l’eau’ (Reflections in the water) is
the first piece (of three) in the first Images book, which was published in 1905. ‘I love
pictures almost as much as music,’ Debussy once said, and his passion for creating
colour and visuals with sound is clearly manifested in this piece. It has been said that
he even had a specific image in mind for ‘Reflets dans l’eau’: a stone thrown into calm
water and rippling the waters before stillness returns.
Playing and pedal tips: When you listen to our house pianist and cover artist
Chenyin Li play this on the covermount CD, you will no doubt fall in love with the
piece and want to learn it, and you should! This piece is all about evoking colour –
dappled reflections in the water of course. Pedalling is not marked into the score. This
was common practice for Debussy, who expected the performer to know how to use
the pedal. There are lots of notes, and it will take you a long time to learn, but it’s
worth the work. Learn in small sections – that should help.
Read Lucy Parham’s step-by-step lesson on this piece on page 24.

FULL SCORE ON PAGE 57

Andantino molto
f
(Tempo rubato)

f ff ff fff f ff f
b 4 f f ff f ff fff
& b bbb 8 ≈ f fff ff ≈ ff f f f
ff ff
≈ f ff ff fff f ff

{
ff f f f f f
- ff
- -
f
pp
Πf f fff
? bb b 48 ‰™ r
bb F f FF &
F

f ff
ff ff fff fff ff f ff f fff ff
b f fff ff f f fff fff
4
f f ff ff
& b bbb f ≈ ff ff≈ ff f
f ff
f ff ≈ ff
f f ff ff

{
fff f f - f fff f ff f
- -
f
pp
Πf f fff
b f fff
& b bbb ff J
‰ ?
f ‰™
r
f FF &
f f

. . . . .
f . ‰™ pp
f f . .. .
≈ ff r
pp
ff ff fff fff ff f f
8
b f f ff fff ≈ f fr 3 f ff f 4
& b bbb ff ffn ff ff f f f
fff ff b ffn ff ∫ fff bn ff b ff 8f fffbbfff 8

{
f nf f ∫f bf n f f
pp pp

b f fff ‰ ? ≈ r 3 f™ 4
& b bbb ff J f nf f bf f bf nf f bf nf f 8 f 8
f nf f bf f bf nf f bf nf f f f

57• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 57 15/05/2014 09:23

31 needs a really ethereal quality yet
it must still contain true clarity of
touch.
At bar 34 Debussy in effect writes
out his own ritardando by
doubling the length of the notes
from semiquavers to quavers. These
three notes at bar 34 should sound
like a muted horn and must be
perfectly in rhythm and weighted.
This leads us into a new section in
which the opening returns, but it is
now embellished. The RH makes an
arabesque around the LH, but you
are now playing note by note in
triplet form rather than one chord at
a time. Check that there is real clarity
at the end of bar 36 – it is easy to
swallow up the end of these phrases,
which must be avoided at all costs!
Also, note that the crescendos in
these passages occur in every other
phrase. It is vital that bars 35-36 and
bars 39-40 do not have a crescendo,
and that you, as the performer, can
clearly show the difference. In those
bars the LH is again drawing the
sound out of the piano like a
beautiful bell. When you reach the
‘en animant’ at bar 43, this must
have a long, seamless line because
from here we are leading up to the
climax of the piece at bars 56-57.
There is a whole-tone ascending
scale in the LH in bars 43-48.
Start softly with these octaves (they
form the foundation of this passage)
and use them to build up to the big
chord at the beginning of bar 47.
From here on, the effect you are
trying to achieve is one of waves –
it is almost swirling. In bars 48-49
I suggest taking the top note (B)
with the LH. It is more brilliant, and
lies much better under the hand.
try to ‘sink’ into the octave LH and
really get in to the bottom of the key
bed with both hands in the triplet
arpeggio, as this needs to be very
strong. At bar 57 you need your LH
for support – it is vital not to neglect
it. Keep driving through the melodic
line until you reach bar 62, when
things begin to unwind little by little.
Take your time at bar 64 and
really melt into the next bar. You
are trying to create a totally different
soundworld and colour here. It is
easy to misread the rhythm in the
following few bars so really check
your counting is correct. At bar 71,
Debussy writes ‘1er tempo’ (which
means the tempo of the start) but
you must also remember that you
are winding down the tempo until
you reach the end. There is also no
crescendo here, so keep it very still
and gentle.
The LH triplets at the end of bar
78 must cut through like a muted
horn. Bar 81 needs to sound veiled
and distant, as it helps to sink into
the bass note (fifth) on the LH
to achieve a really warm sound in
the chord. The following crotchets
(which are broken in the RH) are a
throwback to the beginning, but now
just as a distant memory, as if heard
from afar. Play them on the beat
(RH thumb with LH note). Make
sure the rhythm is correct here and
also that you can distinguish between
a triplet and a duplet! It is a common
mistake to not make this distinction.
You must use the soft pedal in this
section as you need to achieve such
a level of pp. Gently break the rolled
chord at bar 93 and then let the final
octave fade away before releasing
your hands from the keys. ■

At bar 50, the ‘au mouvement’ sign More to explore

(which means ‘a tempo’) must be
strictly observed. Make sure you are
at the tempo with which you started
this piece. ‘En dehors’ (outside) means
the RH needs to project over the
LH. I feel it is like sunlight cutting
through the cloud. Again, in these
two bars (50-51), the LH highest note
(i.e. the ninth demisemiquaver) can
be played in the RH.
At bar 54 you are pushing towards
the climax at bar 58. When you
arrive on this E flat major chord,
If you have enjoyed learning this
piece, Lucy Parham suggests these
other Debussy masterpieces, which
are on the same technical level: 
‘Poissons D’Or’ (No 3 from Images
Book 2), ‘Pagodes’ (No 1 from
Estampes), ‘La soirée dans Granade’
(No 2 from Estampes) and ‘Les
collines d’Anacapri’ (Préludes Book
1). Also see Parham’s lesson in issue
56 on ‘Pagodes’ and issue 61 on
Debussy’s ‘Jardins sous la pluie’
(No 3 from Estampes).

P24 HTP Lucy 78-FINALish.indd 25 15/05/2014 16:31

 Improve your playing with

PIANO
TECHNIQUES

Bringing together some of the best

articles from Pianist magazine with
expert advice on chords, fingering,
memorising, sight-reading, and more!
INCLUDES 18 PIECES TO LEARN in over 50 PAGES
of sheet music, with audio tracks and video tutorials

Download the app today!

14• Pianist 76
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE CREATORS OF PIANIST MAGAZINE

Piano Techniques advert.indd 14 09/01/2014 16:30

 Pianist78
{
{{
&
?
&
27
27

&bb ˙™
27

27 b - .
&
? b œ˙™

b
b
{
{{
?
&
?
&
24

-
˙™
-
-
˙™
b b

œ
œ œœ nœ.
24
Track

bœ
bœ.

? bœ . œ. œ. .œ œ

b
b
.
œ
.
? bœ . œ. œ. œ œ Œ
.
&bb bœ bœ. bœ. œœ . . œCla
24 8

24 b œ. b .œ b . . .

œ
Œ
Œ
œ

œ.. nœ.. œ. œ. . .œ-

nœ .
.
.

.
.

. bœ. bœ. . œœ. The

œ. œ. œ. œ.œ. œœ œ.œ œ.-œ . . œ5 . œ

. . . œ- œ .
.
œ

œ œ
.
. ude
œ œ. œ. œ. . DE
œ. œ œsnow
bœœ œœ.. œœœ. œœœ. œ.œœ. œ.œ. œ.œœ. .œ . w
œ .
& b . bœ. bœ.Œ. . . .œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. bœœ. bœœ œ.œ œ. .
.œ œ Œ œ œ.œ œ. œ.ŒŒœ. œ. . œ. œw
. . œisœdanc

.œ. . œ. œ. .œ œ Œ.

-
Œ

.
.
œ œ œ. œ.œ œ. œ. œ5 bœ.. bœ.œœ . .œ. . .
.

. œ . œ. œ. wing,
œ

. œ
œ

5.

? œ-œ. œ. œŒ. œ œŒ œ œ. . œœ. œ. œ. œ. .œ. œ. œŒ œœ œ w œ. . nœ. . œus. .theœ.nearest

Œ . Œ. . œ-œ. œ. .œ. œ. œŒ œ œ.
.
.
œ
œ. w bœ. No

œ.

.
BU SSY (18

.
.
.

? œœ-. œ. œ. œ œŒ œœ œ-œ œ. œ. .œ. bœ. bœ.ŒŒœ. œ.œ. œ.œœ.. .œ. .Œœœ.. . œœ.. œ œ-. œ.œ. nœ.œ the
.

.
.
.
Œ

- œ œ . bœ bœ. œœ. œœ.œ œ. œ..œœ œ. œ. w

b -. œ. . nœ.ŒŒœ. œ. œ. œ.Œœ.. . œ.. .œ.œ. œœœ. œ œ5œ. . bœœœ. bœ.œ. . œ.œ. œ.œœ. œ.œ œ.œ . . w-
œ
bœ. . œ. 62-
bœ. bœ. 4 œœfrom

.
œ
.
Œ.
. . œ. œ. .œ. œ Œ œ œÓ œ. œ. . œ. . œ. œ˙œ. .œ. .Œœ.. 
œ
œ
. œ. Child

œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œœ. œ.œ œ.œ œ. più

.

.
Ó
œ œ
. œ. œ. œ œ -2
Ó
. . œ. œ. œ œ. œ5

.
.
.
bœ bœ . .Ó. . œ œ . . œ œœ. œ.œ-˙ œ.œ œ. .
191 8)più
œ. œ. . œ. ˙˙- . .
œ. œ. ren’sœœ. Corn

. œ œ . œ. œ. w œœ.. nnœœ. We
. œ œ
œ œ œ . . w
. . œ. œ
.

-
-
5
-2

œ. œ œ. the
b
b


œ


œ œ

- p  For Examp
più p

. . œ-2.5 œ. œ œ -œ œ  œŒ œ. œ.   

œ
b
b

œ Œ   œ.
œ
œ


. piùerbœ. bœ. œ.  œ. ˙4-4 INTE

œtrack
-
œ
- 13b

˙ p.


pœ bœ . . ˙

.
.
.
.
œ

œ5-2. . œ. œ. -œ. œ.  œŒ  œ     

. 
Œ
 - 


œ

œ  4. . œ œœ. œ.
.
.  - . œ œ. 

œ
œ
œ
4

- (Track 13) I’ve

Œ œ œ. ˙. .  .Œ.  .     

œ

œ  Œ. . 

œ. areœ. œ. howœ. the

œ. œ.seeing
Now let’s 

œ fourth


œ.œ. 
œ.œ. essentia
second general


consider

œ. 
œ. toœ.the
and


œl.œ.bluesœ.œsound

œ

œ
.

œ. œ. œœ. frequen
.
le 3

. 


     

.



œ
œ

 . . 
the entirety

ly being

. desired


œ. fifthœ.thatœ.œœ.is (this
. RMED
.



- œ œ œ. œ.


œ



œ


.


JOHN





œ    
œ


.
IATE


œ. t use of chord


œ. . 
 of 
œ. is Sometim

omitted . 


the blues

œ. effect
of importa




KEMB


added a few 
more notes

 
  


    

 
scale.
es, though,
also the case


IV togethe

with Exampl



       

b





r with 

In any key,


ER Ke

     

  


    
 

the 
as in Exampl blues







        

the A (minor

scale
e 3 above,

 

yboa

for the RH, 

but still keeping


              


  


 third)






is more



          
 


  
rd c


to a simple 





        

        

influenc


minor

 e the ‘blue-ne


  ss’ of tone.
than
major,
lass

repeate

 
   



d motif:

{


June - July 2014
Track 10
LUCY PARHAM

oN tHis

Brahms was
111 when

      Adagio

  # 3 œ3


 

   & #83




  °


#

he

mf

& #8 œ œœ œ œ œ5 œ
p
DON’T MISS
’s

PiECE
leSS

57 years old

pp
SSON
page 24

œ œœ
ON

in 1890 and
to this resolutiresolved to give up compos
collection of on, instead produci
three Interme
piano pieces,
Brahms biograph
opus

5
Joh ann es

had just complet

ø
and are very

con molto
œ
œ

œ
Ϫ
J Jœ œ
BR AH MS
Intermezzo

ing altogeth ed the String Quartet

ng some profouner. However, he did
zzi and a conclud116-119 (1892-1

  Clara Schumann, writing nald describes this

 you know
noting that
them?
er Malcolm
ing Rhapso
dy.

veiled,
d last works,
893). The including
opus 119 set

 They look as if they wereto Brahms, likenedInterme

MacDo
zzo as ‘ravishin
it to ‘a grey
precious.’

pedale
œ
4
pearl.

œœœ
4
op 119 no

opus
not stick
the

Do to do

œ
Ϫ
?J œ œ
(18 33- 189

J
1

Playing tips:
execute this It’s often said that

really good
controll
piece. Its deep,
comprises sound, colour, phrasin

through

œœ œœ œ
out
g,

’s in-depth

5
7)

you need to
introverted

g pp –
voices. Trying
be a real

with musical this piece. So the reason to keep the notes

See Lucy Parhamissues than flashy
lesson on

≈ œ ≈ œœ œ#œ œ œœ œ œ 1

≈œ œ œ
°ø ø
it is classifie
finger techniq
this piece
ue.

≈ œ ≈ œ nœœ#œ œ

œ
Œ
J 1
5
right

on page 24.

œ
ADVANCED

quality requires musician to successf

for practisin rather than just playing
the
the perform
er to think
g’, challenging sound in the inner never easy to get exactlynotes accurately. It’s of
ully

– and it’s goodalso

even and soft for
d as Advanc

œ œ
is a
ed has more
Scores
Contents
 the major 

 nce to the e9  despite 

. . .œ. œ. œŒ œ. w . œ. theœ. ‘perfect ø ø 5 ø1 etc.


 pianist. Unlike on the opposite page). third is used each the sixth

LEARN { MORE WITH OUR

œ. 

{
- œ. are
 time in chord note and the
œ
 
that we 
œ. slaid– œ.out
 other jazz It
Examples

can 
achieve

 instruments is the careful use I
4-7  
with  of the extra without losing -
Œ . œ œ
our  the pianist
- œ
fixed-pitch 1

. w. . œ. note œ. referred
’ interval below.  instrum is unable note
Examp  to ‘bend’ notes between
Œ

œ. The

œ. toC inhas
the scale. 
are le 4 (Track ent.
 
œ.
unchan
œ 


{{
 ged, while 14) is the and this gives
.
b   
.
bracket the blues scale
s around
 and the seventh 
third  
of F. Here
30 Exampl es 5, 6 and –
it that’s

because  notes are 
the fourth

 extra note  
and


b
 it is an flattene
 fifth notes
ises the #
30 7. 6
&b 2. . . . 1
In Examp d, which
 above
the key note
œtone
2  squeezed 
further
# ‘extra’
les 5-7 

bœœ ofœnœ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ
  emphas
& œ œ œ œ 1
(Track
&It is the
 betwee

œ. œ. œ. œ. -œ^-^. œ.. œ. œ.. . . .

passing note (either 
s 15-17)  
 n the fourth –
accented  , that  and the fifth. minor
≈
extra, 
œ
or not) or‘in-betw
≈ œ

œ
a C , as it
^ ≈ n
b

œ##œœ nœœ ≈ œ œ œ
een’
 
≈œ
would look   
œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ. œ. œ.. -^. . . . 1 2. . .  
30 as a grace note

– the  
œ#œ œ œ œ
show the clumsy and
pp^ 2
 note. flattene
  

note  unnecessarily Note: In Exampl 
d

nœœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ
fifth – is an

30 b
. 
additional
enharm


  

& . . 
e 5, I have 
^ œ œ œ œ -œ^. œ. œ. œ. ≈≈1 2. . Examp
onically
ppœ .
 awkward 
. œœ œ. œ. œ. 1
, and
. . 
much to read as  interval that is
œ œ œ œ w œ bœ œ. œ.le ≈4 (Track
written out
?
clearer to

? b w-^wœ-. .2 œ.. œ.œ. œœ. œœ. œ1-^. œ. œ.œ œ. œ. œ^ . . .

 b a C grace
  
read the best

. œ.14)œ. œ.
 note followed by a flattened fifth as a B used as a
as such.
 œ #œ œ™ œ
& wv œ bœ œ œ ≈ œ   ? # better to œ œ
§ C . For this §
 rather than

bpp51 œ œ. œ. . œ. . -^œ. œ. œ. wœ-. œœœ. œœ. œœ œ.œ -^ . œ œ œ ≈

 

    # ≈ œ
exercise, it’s
œ


.. œ . . ≈1v 2. . .  . œ œ. œ œ    œ

.  .    
.œ . tracks
? ppw-^œ5.1 œ. œ. œ œ œ. œ œ. . œ. w-^ œ. . œ. œ. œ. œ.. œ. œ.. ^œœ.. œœœ. œœ. œ14-17w .  
-. . . . œ. . œœv1. œ2œ. bœ. œ. œ. ≈ œ œœ. œ. œ
Example
     & nœ œ œ
5 (Track
b . . œ. œ. œ ^œ. œ œ œ ‹œœ#œ
15)

? w-œ51. œ. œ. œ œ . w- . œ. œ œ1 œœ œ œ œ w≈. œœ.. bœœ. 



. œ.. œ. œ.. .

≈      nœ œœ
1 
œ œ œ




 œ
Ϫ


œ2. œ œ. œœ œ œœ œ 


b . . œ. œ. œ œ. œ . . . œ


. w- . œ. œ œ1 œ . œ. œ. œ 2 œ5..
v

  
     J Jœ œ ?

{
. œ
Ϫ

{
. . . œ. œ œ .  œ
J J nœ


. œ
1

. œ œ. œ. . œ

1


5

. œ. 


5 1   

œ. œ2 Examp 

{{
. le 6 . œ œ.    

VIDEO LESSONS
. œ5 œ. (Track
28 SCARLATTI
œ 116)  
33 1

&bb ≈ .. .. .. .. ≈ . . . . Cédez un œpeu     . .

Cédez un 
2 
33
. 
peu 
. . . .
  & ## œ œ œ ≈
12
& ≈ œ bœ œ œ ≈ . . . . Œ 5   1      . .
w œ. œœ. œœ. œœ. œœ.. œ.. œ.. œ.. œ. œ-33 -2


v œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ Céde


   


w


œ
Example
33
v œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ. œ- -œ2 ˙-1  
7 (Track
   ≈ # œ
≈# œ ≈ nœœ ≈ œ œ œ ≈
≈ . . . . . .      
17)

33 b pp œ nœ ≈#œœ ≈nœœ ≈œ œ 4 - 5
 5

& œ ˙-  
pp z un peu 1  4

 œœ œœ œ
 -5

œ. œ bœ. œ œ ≈ . . . Céde
? pœ. un .peuœ. en. 3 . . 3
3œ
      #œœ ≈ œœ œ
rit.
? b ≈œw
3

un peu enœdehor


Œ. z un ppeu 3œ œ s . .     ≈ œœ #œ œ ≈ œr #œ 1 3
.v .œ. . . œ. . œ.œ. œ.œ. œ pp dehors œ 3œ œ. œ

Minuet in C L217
œ


-3 -2 1 


&  # #œ œ. j
pp 

?
w œ œ.bœœœ. œœ œ œœ≈.. œœœ. œ œœ œ. œ&. Œ . .. œ... 3œ. ..œ. œ.. œ. .œ. œ.. . .. 3 2œ ˙-
b pp  œ. ≈œnœ œ œ # œœ œ ≈ œœ œœ ™™ œ
n œœ ™™ œ
œ 33œ œ #≈ .
≈ œ œ #œ.


? pp œv . œ. & ≈œ œ bœ œ pœun peu œ en .dehor 3 .

. 3œ .œ œ-. -. 1. 
b . œ . œ. . pp ≈4œ. .œ b3œ..œpœ.œ3œ œ œœ œ≈œ 3œœ œœ œs œœ œ œœ œ œ. bœœ. œ˙-. œ.. .. . œ. œ .  ≈ œ œ nœ ≈#œœ ≈#œœ ≈ œ
? œ. . œ. œ œ. œ. . œ & pp 4 . . 2.un peu. .. en≈.dehor . .s.œ . .3œ .œ œ≈ œœbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ. 3 œ.œ œ #œ œ œ ≈ p
35 2 . .
b œ. . œ . œ b .
. œ. œ ≈. œ œ.5œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ . œ . œ . . .. ... ..œ . .œ ≈œ. .œ œ.œ œ 3œœ œ œ ≈ œ ≈ œ ≈ nœœ œœ œ
5

œ.
5

œ. œ & 4 . .
œ≈ 5œ bœ3 œ œ2 . œ . Pianist ≈. œ . œ . œ . œ œ bœ œ . œ . . .. . . ..œ
p45-48_K 46• Pianist
R œ
œ
J
œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ . œ . ≈..œ . œ . œ . œ ≈œ. œ œ. œ œ . œ .
eyboard-F 65
INAL.indd
p49-65 Scores2-F 54• 46 p49-65 Scores2-F 63• Pianist

4 .
≈ .
65

œ
INAL.indd 65 INAL.indd

. œ œ œ . . . œ
54 63

. b œ œ œ
5

. . . . œ . .
. ≈ . .œ œ œ ≈œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œœ.
5 3 2

. . . .
5

29 HORÁK
. . 5/3/12 16:08:20

5/3/12 16:12:00 6/3/12 09:17:03

Scherzino, No 112 from Children’s

Piano School

30 STANFORD
Minuet, No 3 from Six Sketches

32 BEETHOVEN ARR.
HEUMANN
Allegretto from Symphony No 7
(Intermediate level)

36 REINECKE
Minuet in C

40 SCHUMANN
Child falling asleep, No 12 from
Scenes from Childhood op 15

42 MERIKANTO
Valse lente op 33

44 DVOŘÁK
In a Ring! No 1 from Two Little Pearls
B156

45 KEYBOARD CLASS
Triplets and repeated notes

50 JS BACH
Bourrée from French Suite No 5
in G BWV 816

52 JELLY ROLL MORTON

King Porter Stomp

57 DEBUSSY
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from
Images Book 1

Typesetting by Spartan Press

Music Publishers Ltd Quick guide to
UK/North American
note value terminology

w = semibreve/whole note
h = minim/half note

WWW.PIANISTMAGAZINE.COM q = crotchet/quarter note

e = quaver/eighth note
For a full list of Scores from past issues, go to www.pianistmagazine.com x = semiquaver/16th note
Tel: +44 (0)1778 392 483 E: backissues@pianistmagazine.com y = demisemiquaver/32nd note

p27_Scores_Intro-FINAL.indd 23 19/05/2014 11:55

 TRACK 1
Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757) BEGINNER
Minuet in C L217

This minuet, or minuetto, is the middle movement of three in a C minor sonata This is a nice elegant piece for the beginner pianist and a good sight-reading exercise
composed by Domenico Scarlatti, and dates from the late 1730s when he was living for those more advanced. On the CD, our pianist doesn’t repeat bars 13 to the end,
in Spain. Scarlatti was a virtuoso keyboard player as well as a composer, and his but the score suggests that (with the double bar lines and the dots).
catalogue includes some 500 keyboard sonatas, many very demanding to play. Take a look at the technical tips within the score.
The notes should be very even, in both sound and articulation, with
Andantino no ‘bumps’. There’s no need for any crescendo or decrescendo.

fF
3Andantino f F F
ffF
1 1 1 1 1

&4 f f f F f ffF ff fF
f

{{
3 f fF 1 1
F f
1
F 1
fF
1

fF
& 4 f f f f F f F
The key is Andantino
F f f f f
Ff f F f f FfF f F
C major (no
f FfF f F
mp

? 33Andantino f FfF f
1 1 1 1 1
sharps or flats).
& 44 mp f f F f f f F f f F f
fF

{{
F f F f F F f F f
? 3 f fF 1 1
F f
1
F f 1
f
1
F f F F f
& 4 Keep f f
the pulsefsteadyFin the left hand.
f accompaniment, f f F f f F f f
4 2

f F
1 1 1
mp
F F f f F f
F f F
? 43 mp
As the
it has to keep the momentum going.
4 2 1 1 f 1 f
F f F f F
Be prepared in advance for bars 10-12.This is thef
F that the RHf F F f F
? 43 has to be more nimble. Make suref that all the notesfirstaretime
4 2
f
f f
#
1 1 1

F b F
8
F f f even.
f f f
4
f ff f f f f F™
3 1 3

8& f f
F ff ™™ f F f
1 4

{{
f f f f f f F™ F #f f F b F
4 2
F
1 1 1

f f
4
f
3 1 3

8&
F f f f f ™ f f
1 4

fF f f ™ mf f
f F # F f Fsoftly
bPlay
p
F f f f f f f F™ f f f
4
f
3

?
3 1
F f f f ™ f F b f
8& f f
F f
1 4

f f f f f F™ ™
™F f F suddenly.f

{{
f F
mf p
F F f ff f f f f f F ™ F f #f F f b F
? f f b f
4

F f
3 1 3

& fF f f f F f f f f ™ f f f
F
1 4

f f F™ ™F f
1 1 1 2 2 2 3
F
5 3 mf p
f f
? 1
f F 1
f f f f f f f F ™ The LH™™ mfFhas to jump around quite a bit here.
5 1 3 2 2 2
f Make bpF sure that fthe
3

F F just before you strike the note.

f the keys
16? f f
F f F of the short RH trillF f bF bF f
fingers are ready over
f ™
2 2

#f f Ff Don’tfrushf through
1 1 1 2

ff fthe two bars of quaversfbelow.Alwaysf make fF ™ The first™ note

5 3 3
3
3 3
f evenness f fand sound,f remembering f f
2 3 2

16& f f of touch fshouldf fstrike f ftime as

1

f f fhere f the same

{{
sure that there is an
#f F f bF
13 1 1 2 2 2

f fcresc. f f ff f
5 3 3

f f f f f f f f f F
to make a gradual crescendo too towards bar 19.
3 the bass note D.
3
f
2 3 2

16& f
1

f f f f
f b F f bF f
#f f F mf sub. p
f f f f
3

? # f f F
3 3
f f f
2 3 2

nf f F
f f f
16& F
1

f f ff f mff f f f f sub. f p fF
b

{{
# f
cresc.
F f f
? f f b
& F F nf #f cresc.
f f F
3

f F f
f f ff f f f f f f mff f f f f f sub. F
3 3

fF fp f b fF f f
1 2 3 2
2 4 1 1 2
4 4

? F nf #f cresc. f f F f
f mff f
2 4 1 1 2

F p f bF
4 4

f
sub.
f
22? nf #f f F
F f fF f f f f ‘Sub.’
2 4 1 1 2

F f
4 4

f f‘suddenly’).
above isshort for ‘subito’
4
F
1

22& f f
F F f f 1
f f (which means f f f F™
4
™™
f f f f

{{
f 2
F
4
f 1
f fff f
1 4 1 2

F f F
4 4

F f f f F™ ™™
1

22& f f f f
4

f f f
Fcarry all the way to theFend. f f f f f f f your hands
F f
cresc.
F f
4 Make a nice bold ending and take
Start to make a crescendo, which should 1

? f F F F
f f 1
f f f f f f off atF™ ™
22& f Ff f f f f
4

fF f f fF F™ ™™
the same time.

{{
F F f
cresc.
F f f f ff f f f f f
? Ff fcresc.
1 4

& fF
4
f 2
f F
1
4 1
f F F f f
2
f f 2 1
f F™
4

F™ ™™
f
1

f F f f F F f f f
? 4 2 4 f 1
F
2
f f f 1 2 1
F™ ™™
F f f
f F f F
cresc.
? F 4 2 4
f 1

F
2
f f f 1 2 1

F™ ™™
4 2 4 1
F f 2 2
f1
1

28• Pianist 78

P28 Scores SCARLATTI-FINAL.indd 28 16/05/2014 09:11

 TRACK 2
Eduard HORÁK (1838-1893) BEGINNER
Scherzino, Children’s Piano School No 112

Born in Bohemia, Eduard Horák was a pianist and teacher who moved to Vienna to This tender piece covers many basic principles of piano playing such as phrasing,
seek his fortune. The distinguished music school he founded there in 1867 is the producing different types of articulation (such as staccato, legato) and producing all
predecessor of today’s Franz Schubert Conservatory. Horák wrote a number of works different levels of dynamics.
for his students, including the Children’s Piano School (Kinder-klavierschule). Take a look at the technical tips within the score.

The first four bars should be a ‘question’.Then the next four bars the ‘answer.’

Rasch ( Allegro, qq = 84 ))
... f... fff...
Rasch
Rasch (( Allegro,
.
Allegro,44 q =
= 84
84 )
3Rasch f . f fff
f . f ff f fff
5

338 fff ( Allegro, f f fff

2

JJJ ‰‰‰ ‰‰‰

5

q = 84 )f fff
5

f
2

& f f J JJJ
2 4 5

f
5

& 88
& f JJ f
2

JJJ
2 5

fJJ

{{
2

Key of C major.
3 mf J f . notesfto. be staccato.
f. f.Observe the rests. f
4

f f
5

f f
2

J ‰ ‰
5

& 8 mff f ff Jjj J f

2
RH
J
mf
Jff f
f
fffj ff ™™
ff
ff j jjj
? 333 mff fJJ
2
ff™
? ∑∑∑ fffjj
2

? 888 f™
f
Jf f™ ff ™™
2

j &
& ffff fff ###fff f
ff f f f & ff fj f
? 38 J ff ™™ j
2
f™ ∑
1 1 3 3 2 1 1
1 1 3 3 1
fff ff #f f
3 2 5 5 2 1 1

ff
1 1 3 3 4 3 2
&
3 2 5 5 1
3 2 1 1
2
3 2 5 5 1
3 4 3
5 4 3 2
Keep the accompaniment quiet.We want to hear the RH melody. 3
5
5
1 1 3 3 1

fff... fff...
1 2 1
3 2 5 5 2
Diminuendo in bar 7 to the B in bar 8. Start to crescendo in both hands. 3 be strong4and resolute!
These notes should 3

fff U
‰‰‰ U
7

fff... fff
7 5

fff
5

JJJ U
1 3 4

‰‰‰ ‰‰‰ fff ‰‰‰

2 2 5

fff
7 1 3 4

& ff ff f fff JJJ

2 4 2 5

& f... f... ff...

1 3

7&
2 2

JJJ JJJ

{{
f f. f. U
f.
f
5

f J
1 3 4

‰ ‰ f ‰ ‰
2 2

& f. f. f. f ff cresc.
Jjj
J Jff
cresc.
fff cresc.
fffj U
j fJJ fff ™™ fff ™™™ U
1

fff. jj U
‰‰‰ ‰‰‰ f ∑∑∑
1
?
& Jf
1
? f™ f™
&
& fff... fff... fff..
?
fj
cresc.
.. ff f ff ™ ff ™™ U
. j J
1

‰ ‰ ?
a pause.You ∑
2 1 1 3 2

&
2 1 1 3 2
2 2 3 2 5 4 Above, release hands and take
f f f.
5 1 1 3 2

RH and.LH notes. to be staccato.

2 5 2 3 2 5 4

f.
5 3 2 5 4 can even take more
1 1 3 2
of a pause on the repeat.
2 2

fff... ff... ff...

5 3 2 5 4
13 Try to be exact with the rhythm of the dotted notes.
Fine
fff
13 4
fff
1 1 1 Fine 3
f™ fff ™™™ fff ™™™ fff
13 4 2

& fff fff fff

1 1 1 3
Fine
fff ™™™ fff f™ f f f™ fff
4 2

13&
1 1 1 3
f™ f™
2

{{
& f™
f f. f. f. Fine
4
f
1 1 1 3
f™ f™ f™ f
2

& mf
ff ™™™ f f pp f f™ f f
fff ™™™
mf pp mp
fff ™™™
mf pp Suddenly play mp
? fff ™™™ f™ fff ™™™ very quietly. mp
?
? mf f™ f™
f™ pp f™ &
& fff fff fff ##ff ff fff
f™ f™ f f #ff ff
mp
f™ & f f
? f™
1
1
1
1
f™ ff ™™
3
3
2
2 1 2

#ff quiet.
5 5 5
This is where & ff ff the LHffaccompaniment
3 2 1 2
ff ff
1
5 1
5 5 4 4
1
4 2
4
5 5 5 the 4 4
3 2
piece ends, second Keep
1 1
5 5 5 time around. 1
Da2
4 Capo al Fine
jjj ‰‰‰ ‰‰‰
4 Da
Da Capo al
al Fine
19 4 3 2 4
19 1
1 2
4
1 3
1 2
1 4
2 Capo
3 Fine
fff fff fff
19 4
1 3 2 4

& fff fff fff fff

1 2 1 1 2 3

& fff ™™™ fff f™ ffffff ffffff f

###fff Da fffCapo ###fff alnnnfffFine
2 1 1 1 2 3
f™

{{
19 & 1
2
f™ 4
1f f f 3
1f f f 2
1
4
2
fj ‰ ‰ 3

& f™ f f f™ ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff #ff ff #f nf 1 2 1
1 2 1

‰‰‰ ?
1 2 1

&
&
& ffffff ffffff ffffff ###fff fff fff fff ™™™ ###fff fff fff ™™™ fff fff
?
?
f f f fff ™™™ fff fff ff 1 2 1
2 1 1
f ‰?
& ff ff
3 2 1 2 2 2 2

#ff #f f
3 2 2 1 2 1 2 3 2 3
1
ff ff f™
4 4 1 1 3 3

ff f
3 2 1 2 2 2 4

f™ f f™ f
4 4 3 3

f f
4 4 4
4
2 1 2 1 2 2
3
4
2
4
1 3 3 Return to the beginning
4
and end at bar 16.
Bring out the LH melody here.

29• Pianist 78

P29 Scores HORAK-FINAL.indd 29 15/05/2014 16:34

 S
MIS
DOMN’TANIE
E
SPAN
L
SWIC
ON
K’S
Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
LESS
TRACK 3 BEGINNER
IECE
HIS P
ON TPAGE Minuet, No 3 from Six Sketches
20

Though he is perhaps best known as a choral composer, Charles Villiers Stanford also
wrote fine keyboard pieces. Born in Dublin, educated at Cambridge and Trinity, and
a student of Reinecke, Stanford was a leading light in the revival of British music at
the turn of the century. Six Sketches dates from 1918; No 1 was presented in issue 72.
Count in the 3/4 time silently for a couple of bars before you begin: you need to
feel that lilting waltz-like time signature before you play. The RH has the melody
most of the time in this piece, however, the LH shines from bar 17. Remember to
bring the LH out at this moment. The melody returns at bar 33. Most important is
to feel the phrasing and to round of phrases smoothly. This sweet piece has a pastoral
feel to it. And there’s lots here to work on!
Take a look at the technical tips within the score and read Melanie Spanswick’s
step-by-step lesson on this piece on page 20.

Pedalling:There are no pedal markings. Fingering: Ample fingering has been Phrasing: Make sure to study the phrase markings (the
We suggest no pedal at all except just a added. This will help to ensure as arches). Some phrases are just one bar, some two bar,
dab at the end of phrases, if you are able. good legato playing as possible. others four bar, and so on.

Find a good lively

dance-like tempo.Try
the crotchet = 176 Allegretto q = 176
suggestion.
2 3

3 f
5 2 4 5 4 2 1

f f
1

& b4 f
2 1 3 2 1

f F f f™ F f f f f f f
J

{
We are in the
key of F major.

p Little crescendo Then diminuendo

Again, small crescendo... ... then diminuendo.
to the top F. back down again.

? b 43 FF ™™ FF ™™ FF ™™ F™
∑
3 4 3 2
5 5 5

6 Observe both
rests below. 1 5 3 1 5

f f f f
&b f Œ Œ Œ
4 4 1 4

f
4 2 2 2

f
1 3

f f f f f f f f

{ ?b F™
3
F
F
5
ff
4
f
f
5
Œ Œ
nFF ™™
1
4
f
5
f
3
f
1
nFF ™™
1
4

It’s worth counting out loud here, between bars

12-16, to keep the tempo and rhythm even. The piece has modulated into the key of
D minor. Note the C sharp in the previous bar.
12
f
3 1

#f f f f™ f #f f
&b f Œ Œ Œ
1 3 5 3 1 5 4 3
3 2

f f f J

{
Three LH notes to be

f.
staccato (detached).
f f #f
f f. f.
f.
?b f f f f f F
3 1 3 1 5 3 1 4 2 2 1
5 5 5

Even though it is not marked, a little crescendo towards the end of

this page will add some dramatic feel.
30• Pianist 78

P30 Scores STANFORD-FINAL.indd 30 15/05/2014 16:33

 TRACK 3
Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) BEGINNER
Minuet, No 3 from Six Sketches

Remember to notice all the different dynamics, Gradually play the notes softer, one after
decrescendos and phrase markings. the other, in this little descending scale.

bF bff
17 4 3

f f f f f nFF
2 3

&b ∑ ∑
5 2 1 5 4 3
f™
2
f f
1 1 1

J f

{ ? f #f
b
mf

3 5
f
1
F
2
f
3
F
4
f
2
F™
3
&
mf

f nf f
3
5
1
F
2
bf
3

Bars 23-24 are the climax of the piece. Remember to play forte, and
take time to pause on the chord with the curved/dotted fermata sign
(fermata means ‘hold’ or ‘pause’).

bU
5

FF ™™ b f f f bf f bf f
3
4

bff f f bf f
23 4 4
FF f f f f
5 5 5
2

b
4 3
f
1 2 1 2 4 2

&
1 3 1 2 1

{
f p
U b FF
f nF ™ n FF ™™ FF ™™ ff
&b F ? Œ Œ Œ
2 3 2 1 2 1
1 4 3 4 3
Notice the sudden dynamic change from
forte in bar 24 to to piano in bar 25.

See how long the phrase below is (four bars!). It is the longest phrase in the piece. The melody returns, calmly, at bar 33.

29
f
1 1

&b f f f f f f f
5 4 3 2 3 4 2 1 2 1
f f F
5 5 5

f f
4 3 2

f F f f

{
f
p

? b nFF ™™ f f f f f f F f FF ™™
∑
1 3 2 1 2 4 2 3 4 3
4 5

Observe the two staccato

35 (detached) notes below.

j U
1 2 3 4 2
3 2 4

&b f ™ f. Œ Œ
2 1 2 1 1 2 1 2
F f f f f f f f f f f f
4

f f f

{
.

? b FF ™™ FF ™™ F™ f f f f f f. ff. Œ U
Œ
4 3 2 3 1 3 2 4 1 3
5 5 5
Make a nicely tapered decrescendo to the end.
31• Pianist 78

P30 Scores STANFORD-FINAL.indd 31 15/05/2014 16:33

 TRACK 4
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN arr. HEUMANN
Allegretto from Symphony No 7
Before you say, ‘didn’t I see an arrangement of this Beethoven symphony movement
in the last issue?’, take note – it’s not the same arrangement! Last issue’s arrangement
was for the beginner. This issue, Hans-Günter Heumann offers up an intermediate
level piece, exclusively created for Pianist.
Playing tips: This arrangement offers a really good exercise in voicing your chords.
It starts off at an easy level, but soon gets more complicated as the inner voices start
32• Pianist 78
P32 Scores BEETHOVEN-FINAL.indd 32
INTERMEDIATE
appearing at bar 20. Lots of fingering has been offered to help you with keeping the
lines smooth and legato. You also need to build up the dynamics gradually over the
four pages. We think you will enjoy this arrangement!
Pedal tips: Heumann just has suggested pedalling for the opening chord. Little is
needed elsewhere. Bar 53 though, should definitely have some (two pedal changes
in the bar works well). Dabs here and there will make things sound more sonorous.
15/05/2014 09:08
 TRACK 4
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN arr. HEUMANN INTERMEDIATE
Allegretto from Symphony No 7

33• Pianist 78

P32 Scores BEETHOVEN-FINAL.indd 33 15/05/2014 09:08

 TRACK 4
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN arr. HEUMANN INTERMEDIATE
Allegretto from Symphony No 7

34• Pianist 78

P32 Scores BEETHOVEN-FINAL.indd 34 15/05/2014 09:08

 TRACK 4
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN arr. HEUMANN INTERMEDIATE
Allegretto from Symphony No 7

35• Pianist 78

P32 Scores BEETHOVEN-FINAL.indd 35 15/05/2014 09:09

 TRACK 5
Carl REINECKE (1824-1910) BEGINNER/
INTERMEDIATE
Minuet in C

Carl Reinecke was a composer, pianist and conductor, as well as the teacher of Charles
Stanford (see page 30), Grieg, Albéniz, Bruch and Janáček, among others. The fact
that his students had such different compositional styles speaks volumes for his
teaching, but then he himself studied with Mendelssohn, Schumann and Liszt.
Unsurprisingly, Reinecke wrote many works for the keyboard at all different levels.
Playing tips: Here’s something out of the ordinary: this piece starts out with the
LH having the melody and the RH with the accompaniment! In fact, the whole piece
is almost like a duet between the RH and LH – the melody constantly shifting
between the hands. Remember to hold down the dotted minims at the start of the
bar in such places as bar 3, bar 4, bar 7 and so on. You have to hear it all the way
through the bar. Bar 25 is the start of a middle section, which is more recitative-like
– here the RH has the entire melody. ‘Melt’ back into bar 41, where the opening
returns. A truly gorgeous little piece.
Pedal tips: Look at the markings in the score.

Moderato q = 92 - 96

3Moderato
3

‰ f f f f f
2 1
q = 92 - 96
& 4Moderato
1

f f f f f ff ff ff ff ff ff ff

{{{
3 f f f q =f92 - f96
3

‰ f f f f f
2 1

& 4Moderato
1

f f f f f ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
3 mff f f q =f92 - f96
3

‰ f f ff ff f
2 1

& 4 ff ff ff ff ff
1

ff fff™ f#ff fFf ff ff ff f f f f ff

3 mf f
3

f‰ F ™ f f ff ff f
1 2

& 443 ff‰ ff ff ff fff

?
1
1 2

ff fff™ f#ff fFf ff ff ff ff

{
f
1
f f f f
? 43 mf‰ f fF ™ f f f f
2

ff
? 43 ° f fø f f fø ™ # f Fø f f f f
1

fø F ™ f f f f
2 3 5

‰ f f f f
mf 2

ff
? 43 ° f fø ™ # f Fø f f f f
1
ø fø F ™
2 3 5

‰ f
2

°
3
4 3

ø ø ø ø
2 3 5
f™
2 1

& f™ f ° F 3
ff ffø ff ffø ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff

{{{
4 3

ø ø
2 2 3 5
1

4
& f™ f F 3
2 ff ff ff ff ff ff 3
1ff ff ff ff ff ff
4
& f ™ ff f Fff ff ff ff 3
2 ff f f f
# ff #ff ff ff fff 3
1 fff ™ ff ffF ff ff
#f
ff
? fF ™ f f Ff f f f
1

& f‰f f f f fff fff fff ™ ff ffF ff ff ff

# ff #ff ff
2

#f

{
f f f f f
? fF ™ f f f f f
1
2
‰ f
f f f f f # f #fø f f fø ™ # f Fø
? fø F ™ f fø f f f ø
5 1 2 1
2
‰ f
ø f fø f f f ø # f #fø f f fø ™ # f Fø
7 ? fF ™
5 1 2 1
2
‰ f
ø f f øf Œø f øf f f f f øf >f ™ øf F
5 2 1

‰
5 2

& ø f f ø f f f
1

f f øf >f ™ øf F

{{{
7
Œø f øf f f
5 2 1

f f f f
& ‰ f f
5 2
1

f f f >f ™ f F
7
f f f f f
& ‰ ff fff ff ff ff fff Œ
5 2
1
7
f fF ™ ff ff ff ff ff >f ™ ff f ff ff ff ff
? f fF ™ f Ff f f
& ‰fF ™ ff ff ff ff ff fff Œf
5 2

Œ
1

f ff ff ff ff ff
fF ™ ff ff ff ff

{
? fF ™ ff ff ff ff ff f fF ™ f
f Πf ff ff ff ff ff
? fø F ™ ff ff ff ff ff fø
f °fF ™ f fø F ™ ff ffø ff ff
1

Œ
3

f f ff ff ff ff ff
11? f
fø °fF ™ f fø F ™ f fø f f
1

øF ™ 3

f Œ
ff ff° ff
1

‰ fø f øf f
4

& ‰ø #ff ff ff ff ffø

2
ff ff ff f
2 3

{{
11
ff ff° ff
1

fø f øf f
4

& p‰ø #ff ff ff ff ffø ‰

2
ff ff ff f
2 3
11
f f f f
4

& p‰f #ff ff ff ff ff ‰

mf 2
ff ff f fFf ff ff ff f
2

ff ™

{{
11
? ‰ f f f f f ff ff ff ff ff
4

‰
mf 2
ff f fFf ff ff ff
2

& pf #f f f f f ff ™ f F ™ ff ff ff ff ff
? f f f f f
mf

pfø fø ™ f Fø f F ™
ø f f f f ff
?
1 2 1 5 1
mf
fø F ™ ff ff ff ff
3

f f f f f f Fø
? ø
f fø ™ ff
1 2 1 5 1

fø F ™ f f f f
3

ø ø ø
1 2 1 5 1
3

ø ø ø ø
1 2 1 5 1
3

36• Pianist 78

P36 Scores REINECKE-FINAL.indd 36 15/05/2014 09:12

 TRACK 5
Carl REINECKE (1824-1910) BEGINNER/
INTERMEDIATE
Minuet in C

14
>f 1

f™ f f f #f f
2

‰ f f f f f
1 2 3

& f™ f f bf
1

F
1

{
f f f f f
p
F ff f f f f f
? fF ff ff ff ff ff F f
1

f Œ
2

Πf
°
5 2 1 2

ø ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
5 3

18
‰
2 1

f f f f™ f F
& ff ff ff ff ff ff f f

{ ? f™
ø
#f F

ø
fF ™

ø
ff ff ff ff ff f
fF ™ f

ø
ff

ø
ff ff ff

#
21
f f f
3

& ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ‰ f f f Œ Œ
2

ff ff ff ff

{ ? ‰
# f #f f f f

ø
2
ø
f™ # f F

ø
1
ø
fF ™

ø
ff ff ff ff ff ff

ø
f Π#

#
25
™ ‰ f f f f™ f
& ‰ f f f f f
F F
3 1 2

f #f

{
p dolce
f FF ff FF ff FF fff FFF
?# f
1 1 1

°
5 3 2

ø ø ø ø ø ø
4
ø
#
29
#f f f f f bff
4

& ‰ f f f ‰ nf F ™
5 1 2
1

f f f f #f ™

{
p
F #f FF #f nF ™
?# F™ ff
3 2

F™ f nf
5 1 2

ø ø ø
4
ø
37• Pianist 78

P36 Scores REINECKE-FINAL.indd 37 15/05/2014 09:12

 TRACK 5
Carl REINECKE (1824-1910) BEGINNER/
INTERMEDIATE
Minuet in C

# ‰
33

f bf f bf ™ f bF ‰
bf nf f bf f bF
2 2

& nf ™

{
f
pp

? # bbff F
F bbff FF bff FF nbff FF
1 1 1 1

° ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
4 2 3 4

# n
37

& ‰ ‰ ‰
1 3 2 1 2 2

f f™
f f #f f #f f f f f f #f nff ff ff

{
nf f f
p

? # bff FF bf F nF f ff n
nf F F f Œ
3 1 1 1
f
ø
5
ø ø
4
ø ø
5
ø ø
2

41
‰ f
2 1

& ff ff ff ff ff ff f f f
ff ff ff ff ff ff f

{
mf

f f f #f F ff ff ff ff ff
? ‰ f f f™ fF™

° ø ø ø ø
44
f™ f F
& ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff

{ ? fF™
ff

ø
ff

ø
ff ff ff
f # f #f

ø ø
f f f f™

ø
#f F

ø
47
f f f >f f f f f f f
& ‰ f f f Œ

{
f
ff ff ff ff ff ff f ff ff ff ff
? fF™ Œ fF ™ f
f
ø ø °
38• Pianist 78

P36 Scores REINECKE-FINAL.indd 38 15/05/2014 09:12

 TRACK 5
Carl REINECKE (1824-1910) BEGINNER/
INTERMEDIATE
Minuet in C

>f ™
50

f F ‰ #ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
&

{
p
ff ff ff ff ff f f f f f f F
fF
? ™ f f™

ø ø ø ø ø
2 1

53 >f
f f f f
& ‰
2 1
f f f f™ f f f™ f f #f

{
mf

? fF™ ff ff ff ff ff f ff ff ff ff F ff
fF ™ f F
ø ø ø ø ø ø ø
56

‰ ff ff ff ff ff f
ff ff ff ff ff ff ‰ f f f f
2

bf
1

& F

{
p
f f f f f
? ff f f f f f f™ # f F fF™ f f f f f
f Œ
ø ° ø ø ø ø
60
f™ f F
& ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff

{ ? fF™
ff

ø
ff

ø
ff ff ff
‰
ø
# f #f

ø
f f f f™

ø
#f F

ø
63
f f f
5 1
f f
& ‰ Œ Œ
3
3

f f f #f f f nf ™
1 1

{
f f f f
f p dolce
F™ 1
F
1

? F f fF f Œ f Œ
3
f ff
3 4 5 4
f
1
f
1 f
°
5 5 1

ø ø ø ø
39• Pianist 78
ø ø
2

P36 Scores REINECKE-FINAL.indd 39 15/05/2014 09:12

 ISS
’T M N’S
DONNEWMA
T
ON Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
LESS
JANE
TRACK 6 IECE INTERMEDIATE
HIS P
ON T AGE
P 2 Child falling asleep, No 12 from Scenes from Childhood op 15
2

Robert Schumann wrote his Scenes from Childhood (Kinderszenen) in 1838. Even if
the 13 pieces in this volume are children’s pieces, in order to play them well, one needs
to have a mature vision and technique. Indeed, Schumann described Scenes from
Childhood to fellow composer Carl Reinecke (see page 36 for one of Reinecke’s pieces)
as ‘reflections of an adult for other adults’.
Playing and pedal tips: This is such a dreamy piece. Notice those accents in the RH
top notes? They should sound like soft ringing bells. Bar 9 sees a new, more hymn-like
section. In bars 9 and 10, play the bottom two notes of the second-beat RH chords
with the thumb (see fingering in the score). It’s not as hard as you’d think! But the
main technical challenge throughout is to play the chords pianissimo. It’s a difficult
technique to master – one needs to hear every note sound. Play bars 27-28 with
incredibly tenderness and then just die away at the end (the child has fallen asleep!).
For the pedal, Janet Newman suggests two pedal changes per bar, as marked.
Read Janet Newman’s step-by-step lesson on this piece on page 22.

> >
Moderato e = 92 (72)
Moderato 1 ee =
Moderato = 492
92 1(72)
(72)
>f ™ > >> 4

## 2 f™
4 2 2

ff f ff ff
4 1 4

ff f f™
1 2 4

Œ ff ff f ™ f f ff ff f ™
1 1 2 2
2

& 442 Œ
& f f f™ f f
2 2
2

{
f f f f f f
p
p
p 1 2

ff ff f™ ff ff ff ™™ ff ff ff ™™ ff ff ff ff f™
1 1 1 2
2
1

ff ff f™ ff ff ff ff f™
1 1 1

? # 2
1
1 1 1

##ff ##ff nnff ##ff

2 2

? # 442 ff ff ff ff
2
2 2
2

f f
° øø øø øø øø sim.
3

°
5
3
3
5
sim.
sim. 5

>> >> 4

# f™ f™ f™ ##
5 4 4 1
f™ f f f f
1

f ff ######
4

f ff ff ff ™™
2

f ff ff f ™ ff f ff ff f ™
4

# ff
5 4 1 1

ff ff ff
5 1

&
2 1
2

&

{ ?# f
f
? # ff
f f
f f f
#ff
f™
f #ff f™ ff
ff
f
ff f ff ff ™™
f #f
#ff
ff ff ff ff ff ™™
ff
f nnfff
ff ff ff ff f™
ff
f ##ffff
f™ #
#######

4
5 4

###### ff ff f f f ff f f f f
4

ff f ff ##ffff f f fff
9 3
5
5 3

ff fff f f f
2
3
?
9 3 5

&##
3 3
ff f f
9
&
1
2 3
?
3 5

fff &
2
?
3 5
f ff f

{
fff f f ff
1
1
&
&
1 fff ff
pp 1
1
pp
pp

? #
? ####### f ff f f f ff f ff f f f ff f ff f f f f f
1

f f
2 1 1 1
2 1
2 1
1 1
1

f f ff f f ff f f ff f f f ff f ff
f f f ff ff ff
4
f
4
4

40• Pianist 78

P40 Scores SCHUMANN-FINAL.indd 40 15/05/2014 09:20

 TRACK 6
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) INTERMEDIATE
Child falling asleep, No 12 from Scenes from Childhood op 15

#### ff ff f ff f
f f #fff f f
13
fff fff f f
3
ff
5
?f f
& # ## ff f ?f f f #ff f f
13
ff f ff
13& #
fff f f

{{
ff
3 5

ff ff f f fff f f ff f f
13 #### fff f ff fff ff f #fff f f
fff f ?f f
3 5

& #### ff f f f f f
? f f f #f
ff fff f
3 5
ff f ff f
& # f fff f ff
f f
? ## # 2
f f fff f ff
? #### f
f
f
f f
f
f f
2
ff f f
ff ff ff f f f f f f
ff f ff f f f
f f f f f f f f ff f f f
? #### f f f f f f f f f
2 1
2

? #### ff f
2
f f
f 1
2
ff f ff
2
ff ff fff ff fff ff f ff f f f 4 3
f f f f
4 3

f ff ff ff ff f ff f f f
5

f f f
2

f
4 3 4 3
2 1 5

f 5
2 1 2
5 f f f 4 3 4 3

nf fff nf FFff f ff
4 5 2 4 4 3 4 3

17? # # n f
17 5 5

### fff
5 4 5 5

fff f #ffff f fff nff

4
ff nf ff f ff & ff
4

? # f ff
#

{{
5 5

# nf fff f #fff f ff nff

4

f f
5

ff nf FfFf f ff & ff
4 5 4

17? # # n f
17 5 2 1 2
f 3
fff nf ff
? ###### pp
5 5 5
ff fff f #ffff f fff nff
4 4 1 4

f ff & fff pf
2 1 2
pp 3

f f f
f n f f nff nn ff f
5 5

fff f #ffff f ff
1 4
f
? #### pp & f p 2

f f f f nnpfFF n f f f
f
2 1 2
f
3

? #### f f f f f ff
21

f f
2 1 2 3

f f f f f f f f f f f f pf n f f f n f f
1

#
ppf ffff f f
? ## # f f f f f f f f f f f nfF n f f f n f f
2

f ff f 3 3

# f ff
? ## # f f
2

f f f f f f f f f f f f nF
f
3

f f f f ff f
3 3 3
4

f
3
f f f f f f f af tempo
3

f f f f
4
f
f f f
3 3

f f f f f f
ritardando 4

22 # #
3 5
22
#
3 3 1

f f f f™ f f f
5 3

#
2
1 4 a tempo
#
4
ritardando
Œ
1 3 4

#
43 5

& ## # n ff nf f nf f f ff f f nf f # aŒtempo f f f f f™ f f f
f
3 1

f
1 4 5 2
4
f n
1

{{
f n
3

f
4

& f nf ffritardando
ritardando
f f
ff nf f nf f # a tempo f
f 4

22 # # n f nf f f f f f
5

n
22 1
f™
5

# ff
1 2

# ff
4

Œ
1 3 4

& #### n ff nf f nf f f ff
4 5
f n # f f f f
1
ff f™
5

f f ff
1 2

ff nf f f f pŒ
4
p
n
24 1 2 3 2 1 3

& n ff nf f n f f f f f f f
f
n n ff n f f n fff nf f f nff f
f f™ f™
2 1 2 3 2

# f f nf f f f f f f n f f f f f f f f
? ## # nf f f n f f nf f #nff f f # ff f f#ff
f f f ™ fff f f#ff f™
f
1 3 2

# n n f f nf
F n f f f p
? ## # nf # f
1 3 2
f
2
1 2 3 2

nF n f n nf # f p
#ff f ™ f #ff f™
n
1 3 2
f
2 2

f f
? #### nff ff nf n f ff nffF n f ff ff n f f nff ff #nff ff ff # ff f ff#fff f ™
1 3 2
f f
fff f ff f™
fff f f#ff
3 3

? #### nf nf n
1 5

#
4
f f
1 3 2

n # # f #f
5 3

nF f
3

f f f
1 4 5
5
3
ritardando - - - - - - - - - - - 1
3

U
4 5

f™ f f™
5

# f
ritardando - - - - - - - 3 - - - -
f™
3
f f™ -
27 2

-U
1
ff- FF ff
4 52

f™ f f ™ f -f Œ
52
27
&# f f f fritardando
2
f- f- f ™ - f- f- f f f™ ff- F ff Œ

{{
2 - - 2

27& f f f fritardandof - f- f- - f- f- f - - -F
U
27 #
f™ f 2
f™ f f™ f
-
f™ ff UFF ff Œ
2 2

&# f f™ f f f f f™ f f f f f™ f f f f f™ U
2

f™ ff FF ff Œ
2 2

& f f f f f f™ f f f f™ f f fff U FFF fff

f™ ff f f ff f ™
2 1
f ff ff f f
3

f™
1 3
fff f f ff
2 3

?# ff
1 2

f f f ff #ff f f fff FFF fff Œ

2 1
f ff ff f f
3 1 3
ff f U
2 3

?# ff
1 2

f f™ ff f™ f™ #ff ff FF ff Œ
f™ ff f f ff f ™ f f U
2 1
f ff fff FFF fff
3 1 3
fff f ff f f™ f
2 3

ff
?# #fff f ff
2 3 1 2

ff f f ff Œ
2 1
f ff ff f f ff FF ff
3 5 3 1 3
fff f
2 3

?# ff
2
5 3 1 2

f #ff f F ff Œ
3 5
5
2
3
3
5
f
5
2 3
3 5
5

41• Pianist 78

P40 Scores SCHUMANN-FINAL.indd 41 15/05/2014 09:20

 WATCH THIS LESSON ONLINE AT WWW.PIANISTMAGAZINE.COM
TRACK 7 Oskar MERIKANTO (1868-1924)
Valse lente op 33
Oskar Merikanto is maybe less known than his son Aarre, who taught a generation
of Finnish composers, but he was the first to compose the first opera in Finnish,
Pohjan neiti. Oskar Merikanto studied in Leipzig and Berlin, returning to Finland to
make a career as a conductor, organist and composer. This waltz dates from 1898.
Playing tips: This is a romantic piece, full of sweetness and charm. The LH is the
accompaniment to a lyrical RH melody. Bar 17 sees a change in atmosphere – keep
INTERMEDIATE
the RH wrist supple here, or it might become tight. Take note of the sudden pp at
bar 25. It’s very dramatic. The main melody returns at bar 37. You will notice a lot
of changes in tempo throughout (‘rall’, ‘a tempo’, ‘poco rall’ etc), and yes, you need
to work on that ebb and flow, but don’t even forget the underlying pulse.
Pedal tips: There are some helpful markings on the score. Our pianist Chenyin Li
advises that you should remove the pedal whenever you see a rest in the LH.

Tranquillamente
f- ™
rall.

b3 -™ F- ™ f f f f™ j
1 4-1 5

&b 4
1 4 2
1

f f f F
3

f f nf f ™ f f

{
f™
mp
ff ff fff fff ff ff ffF nf ff
? bb 43 ΠΠf f f f
f Œ
f f f f f
° ° °
5 2 1 1

ø ø ø
1 2 5
4

a tempo poco rall. a tempo

b ™ -™ F- ™
7
j
4

&b f f f f f™
4 2 1

f f f f nf f ™ f f f F

{
f™
ff f ff ff fff fff ff ff
? bb f Πf f ΠΠΠf f
f f f f f
° sim.

. (un poco più mosso)

f
5 5 5 5
(quasi Adagio) a tempo
5
3 3

-f ™ f f
poco a poco 4 2 3

ff
5 5
∏∏∏∏∏

ten. 1 1 2 1

™™ ™™ f ™ ff ff fff fff- ™™™

2 1

™
3

b
4
13
f f f ™
5
f
f f f f f f fff Œ
fff ff fff
&b
4

#f

{
f™
.
ff ff f f
? bb ff Œ f Œ f Œ Œ Œ ™™ ™™ f #f f f
f
∏∏∏∏

f f f f. f.
f 5
5 5 5

rit.
5 5
5 4 5 5 5 5
4

f ™ ff ff fff fff- ™™™ fff ff fff ff- ™™ ff fff fff FF ™™

4 1 4 4 4 4
19 1

b ™
1 1 2 2 1

™
5

& b nfff ™™ f#ff fff fff FF ™

5 3

f f™ f
3

f™

{ ? bb
f.
f
ff
mf

f.
f
f f
f.
f
ff
f. f
ff
f.
f
ff
f. f
ff

42• Pianist 78

P42 Scores MERIKANTO-FINAL.indd 42 15/05/2014 09:20

 WATCH THIS LESSON ONLINE AT WWW.PIANISTMAGAZINE.COM
TRACK 7 Oskar MERIKANTO (1868-1924) INTERMEDIATE
Valse lente op 33
(Andante)

b f- ™ bf- ™
2 3 4
1

b
25 1 2 5 a tempo

&b nff ff ff FF Œ ff nff ff FF Œ ff ™™™ ff ff f F ™™ fffff

3

ff ff ff ff ff ff FF ™™™

{
f f f ff FF ™ f F
pp
f f f . .
n ff f f f
f f f. f f. f. f f.
f. f. f. f.
?b Πff
b f Œ
f f f. f.
f 5
1 4
2 1

>
rall. a tempo

b >ff ™™ f f ff f f f f -™ F- ™
33
b
& f ™ f f ff FF ™™ f ffffff ff fff fFF ™™ f f F
f ™ f f nf f ™ f

{
.
f. f.
mf p

? bb f. f. f. ff ff ff fff fff ff ff
‰ Œ Œ f f
f. f . . f
f f f f
.
1 2 1

.
(quasi Adagio) poco a poco a tempo
f “f.”
f- ™ ff ff
∏∏∏∏∏

ten. poco rall.

f f
b f f™ . f
41

∏∏∏∏∏
f f ™ ™™ bff ™™™ f f f ff f Œ
f f
f f
&b f f ff Œ

{
f f.
.
.
p
ff ff
pp

? bb ff Œ f Œ f Œ Œ Œ ™™ bfff Œ f Œ?
f f. &f
f .
∏∏∏∏

f f f f.
f

3
4 2
poco vivo
.
2 5 1

f U
2 4 2
molto rit.
f f
1

f ff f
2 4
rall.
b f™
47
f f f f f FF ™™
1

f f f f
& b bff ™™ ∑ f f
ff f ff ff
ff f Œ
fff F ™

{
. . . .
.
f.
pp

? bb bff. f. U
Œ ∑ ∑ Œ Œ ff F ™
f. f. FF ™™

43• Pianist 78

P42 Scores MERIKANTO-FINAL.indd 43 15/05/2014 09:20

 TRACK 8
Antonin DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) INTERMEDIATE
In a Ring!, No 1 from Two Little Pearls B156

In a Ring! is the first of two pieces Dvořák composed in 1887 for a music school.
There’s a strong feeling of the dance, as is found in many of Dvořák’s keyboard works.
We featured the second of these two pieces – Grandpa Dances with Grandma – inside
issue 72.
Playing tips: This piece is clearly in A-B-A form (it’s easy to spot the different
sections). You can really feel that Dvořák ‘Slavonic’ feel to it. The opening should be
bold and rhythmic. Because of the tempo, you will need to keep the wrists supple, so
that you don’t freeze up. Imagine a bouncing ball. The LH jumps around a lot too
– and even if the wrist has to be supple, with this speed you need to keep the fingers
close to the keys. When you are practising slowly (which you must do – only build
up the tempo gradually), still keep your fingers close to the keys. Note: What with
the quick tempo, we suggest you pull out the Keyboard Class in middle section of
the magazine (pages 45-48) so that you can see the second page.
Pedal tips: Look at the markings on the score. Section A has to sound dry, using
dabs of pedal on the accented notes. Section B, which starts at bar 25, allows for more
liberal use of pedal.

Vivace

b 2 f f >f Œ
3 3 3

& 4 f. f. f. f. f
>f f. f

{
> f.

f. f.
f ben marcato p

? b 42 fff. fff. ff f ff f #f f f f f f f f
°
2 2 4

°
sempre staccato 4

>
5
b Œ
3 3 4

& ff f. f. f. f. f ™™
>f f.
f

{
> f. f.
f p
f f ff f ff f #f f f f f f
?b fff fff f f ™™
° °
2 2 4
4

>f >f
ff. nff. ff. nff.
5 4
9 4
ff ff
4 5 3 2 4 3

ff f
3 2

f
& b ™™ Œ
ff
2
f
1 1 1 2

{ ? b ™™ bf
f

°
2
f
3
f
1
f f
3
f f f bf

°
2
f
3
f
f
f f f f

>ff
ff. nff. ff. nff.
13
ff ff ff
4

ff
4

&b Œ
ff ff
f
2

{
p
f f
? b bf f f
f
f f bf f f
f f f
f f
° °
2 3 2 1
2 1

44• Pianist 78 Continued on page 49

P44 Scores DVORAK-FINAL.indd 44 15/05/2014 09:21

 A Z E R T Y
H A NS - G ÜNTER HEUMA NN
B E Gzerty
INNERS XXXX (XXXXX) PLAGE

KEYBOARD CLASS
LESSON 6: REPETITIONS & TRIPLETS

Over the course of the year, Pianist will cover the most basic stages of learning the piano through a series of Keyboard Class lessons by
Hans-Günter Heumann. This sixth lesson covers two different techniques: Repetitions and Triplets.

Repetitions
Repeated notes, or repetitions, should be played on the piano with a loose
wrist. The finger with which you play each note makes contact with the key
while depressing it, and is raised again along with the key.
D.S. al Fine = Dal Segno al Fine
When you see D.S. al Fine or Dal Segno (‘from the
sign’) al Fine, that means you have to repeat a section
of a piece of music from the  until the word Fine.

William Tell Theme

Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) arr. Hans-Günter Heumann
Theme from the overture of the opera

Turn to page 48 to try another piece with repeated notes.

45• Pianist 78

p45-48_Keyboard78-FINAL.indd 45 15/05/2014 16:26

 HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN KEYBOARD CLASS

Gioachino Rossini A Z E R T Y
Gioachino Rossini, who was one of the most important opera composers of
PLAGE (1792–1868) XXXX
the (XXXXX)
19th century, studied cello, piano and composition in Bologna, and was
zerty
well regarded as a pianist.

A
Country: Italy Rossini was a master of opera buffa – Italian comic opera– although he also
wrote serious operas – opera seria. In 1829, William Tell, Rossini’s last opera
du faux texte Bella terra et mari civilia externaque toto in orbe terrarum saepe gessi, victorque omnibus veniam petentibus civibus peperci. Externas gentes, quibus
Period: Romantic
tuto ignosci potuit, conservare quam excidere malui. Millia civium (of Romanorum
39), receivedsub itssacramento
first performance
meo fuerunt in Paris, where
circiter the composer
quingenta. Ex quibus lived
deduxiforin colonias aut
many years, following a few years in Venice, where he’d fled
remisi in municipia sua stipendis emeritis millia aliquanto plura quam trecenta, et iis omnibus agros adsignavi aut pecuniam pro praemiis militiae after the political
dedi. Naves cepi
sescentasWorks: Over
praeter eas, 200 minores quam triremes fuerunt.Bella terra et
si quae upheavals
mari civiliaof externaque
1848. In histoto
later life, Rossini
in orbe terrarumdedicated
saepe gessi,himself exclusively
victorque to the petentibus
omnibus veniam
composition of sacred music.
civibus peperci. Externas gentes, quibus tuto ignosci potuit, conservare quam excidere malui. Millia civium Romanorum sub sacramento meo fuerunt circiter quingenta.
Ex quibus deduxi in colonias aut remisi in municipia Rossini’s best-known
sua stipendis works
emeritis milliainclude theplura
aliquanto operasquamWilliam Tell,etThe
trecenta, Barber ofagros
iis omnibus Seville, La Cenerentola
adsignavi aut pecuniam pro praemiis
militiae dedi. Naves cepi sescentas praeter eas,(Cinderella)
si quae minores The Thieving
andquam Magpie, and in
triremes fuerunt.Bella theetrealm
terra of sacred
mari civilia Stabat mater and Petite messe
music,tot.
externaque
solennelle.

Triplets
A triplet is a group of three notes of equal
duration that is played within the time normally
taken by two notes of the same kind.

A triplet is indicated by the numeral 3 at the beam

or is written in a bracket.

The quaver (eighth-note) triplet, for example,

consists of three written quavers that have the
duration of two normal quavers or one crotchet
(quarter note).

Sonatina in C major
William Duncombe (ca. 1736-8-ca.1818-19)

46• Pianist 78

p45-48_Keyboard78-FINAL.indd 46 15/05/2014 16:26

 HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN KEYBOARD CLASS

A Z E R T Y
XXXX (XXXXX) PLAGE
zerty

Playing Tip:
This Sonatina in C major by Duncombe is a very pleasant piece to perform. At the end of each phrase mark, lift the right hand, briefly, from
the keyboard. In bar 3, allow a short break in the LH part, to create time to reach the new hand position.

Play this piece very evenly and take care to make a precise distinction between the triplet eighth-notes and normal eighth notes. It may
behelpful to use the metronome to achieve this.

Hans-Günter Heumann continues his beginner series in the next issue.

To find out more about Heumann, go to www.schott-music.com

47• Pianist 78

p45-48_Keyboard78-FINAL.indd 47 15/05/2014 16:26

 HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN KEYBOARD CLASS

Fanfare Minuet
A Z E R T Y
PLAGE XXXX (XXXXX)
William Duncombe (ca. 1736-8-ca.1818-19) zerty

A
Here is another piece that makes use of repeated notes in the RH. Remember to keep the wrist loose.
du faux texte Bella terra et mari civilia externaque toto in orbe terrarum saepe gessi, victorque omnibus veniam petentibus civibus peperci. Externas gentes, quibus
tuto ignosci potuit, conservare quam excidere malui. Millia civium Romanorum sub sacramento meo fuerunt circiter quingenta. Ex quibus deduxi in colonias aut
remisi in municipia sua stipendis emeritis millia aliquanto plura quam trecenta, et iis omnibus agros adsignavi aut pecuniam pro praemiis militiae dedi. Naves cepi
sescentas praeter eas, si quae minores quam triremes fuerunt.Bella terra et mari civilia externaque toto in orbe terrarum saepe gessi, victorque omnibus veniam petentibus
civibus peperci. Externas gentes, quibus tuto ignosci potuit, conservare quam excidere malui. Millia civium Romanorum sub sacramento meo fuerunt circiter quingenta.
Ex quibus deduxi in colonias aut remisi in municipia sua stipendis emeritis millia aliquanto plura quam trecenta, et iis omnibus agros adsignavi aut pecuniam pro praemiis
militiae dedi. Naves cepi sescentas praeter eas, si quae minores quam triremes fuerunt.Bella terra et mari civilia externaque tot.

Playing Tip:
With repeated notes, it is usual to change fingers on the same key, as in bars 1-3 in the RH of Fanfare Minuet above.

William Duncombe William Duncombe was an organist and a composer based in London. Little is known about
(ca. 1736-8-ca.1818-19) his life, and he is known today mainly for his little piano pieces such as the two pieces
presented here, Fanfare Minuet and the Sonatina in C major. Both come from Progressive
Country: England Lessons for the Harpsichord and Pianoforte, which Duncombe wrote in 1778.

Period: Classical

48• Pianist 78

p45-48_Keyboard78-FINAL.indd 48 15/05/2014 16:26

 TRACK 8
Antonin DVORAK (1841-1904) INTERMEDIATE
In a Ring!, No 1 from Two Little Pearls B156

f. f. f. f.
17
bf f f
&b f f f. f. f Œ

{
pp
f ff f f f f f
? f f f #ff ff f f f f
b f f f f f
° °
21
. .
f ™™ j ‰ Œ
1. 2.

&b f f f f. f.
f
4 1

f. f f. f f f f. f. f.
. . >

{
>
fz

ff. ‰ Œ .
Fine

?b fff f fff f ff f ff f f f f f
f f ™™ ff ‰ j ‰
J J f.
° °
5 4 2 5 5 5

bf bf
25 1 1 5 4 4
1 1 1 4 3 1

f f f f f f f f f f™
1

& b ™™ f ff ‰ ™™
2 1
2 1

f
bf f f bf f bff ff f f f
bf f f bf f f ™

{ ? b ™™ f f
p

° ø
legato sempre
3
bf f
2

ø
4

ø
f f

ø
2 1-2

sim.
f
1
f f f
3
bf f
2
4
f
1
f f™ ‰ ™™

4 5 4 5 5
5

bf
33 5 4
f
1

bf f
1 4 1 1 4 2 4
2 4 3

& b bf f
2 2 1 5 3 4

b f bff
2

bff bff
1

bff
2 3 1

ff
2 2

f ff f bf bff bnff bff #ff bff

{ ?b

°
f
f
f
ø
f
f
ø
f
f
ø
f
f
ø
f
f
ø
f ff b ff
1

ø
2
1

ø
3
ff
1

ø
4
ff
1

ø
5

bf bf
41 1
4
2 5 Da Capo al Fine
f f ff f f f f f™
&b f ‰
1

ff ff
1 2

bf f
f f bf f bff ff f bf f
f f bf f f ™

{ ? b f f f f bf f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f bf f f f f f f f f f f ‰
3

ø sim.
2 1 5
2
1 2 1 3 1
3

49• Pianist 78
2
1 5 2
1 2 1

P44 Scores DVORAK-FINAL.indd 49 15/05/2014 09:21

 TRACK 9
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) INTERMEDIATE
Bourrée from French Suite No 5 in G BWV 816

Bach wrote six French Suites (though he himself did not call them that; the name was
added later and made popular by an early Bach biographer) from 1722 to 1725. This
lively bourée is the sixth of eight movements in the Fifth Suite.
Playing tips: This piece is a great exercise for evenness of fingers and evenness of
sound, not to mention practising your trills! Regarding the trills, Chenyin Li says
that it’s very important to have the hand/fingers over the note, ready, before you play
the trill. Just a split second before (that’s all the time you’ve got really!). We suggest
slow practising at first, hands separately. The RH and the LH are their own entities
really, so you need to focus on them both on their own first before bringing them
together. See what Graham Fitch has to say about slow practice on this particular
piece in his Masterclass feature on page 18.
Pedal tips: There are no pedal markings in the score. That’s because we suggest you
deploy very little pedal, or none at all. There should be a really rhythmic, detached
quality to the sound.

( h = 88 )

#C f M f µ
h = 88 )
f ™™ f f ff f
( 32

µ f ff
32 3
f™
M f f ff
J f f f
32

& #C( hff= 88f ) f f f f f f

1 32 3
f™ f
2 4 3 2 1

J f f f f ff f f

{
1

&
2 4 3 2 1

µ
#C f f Mf™ f f fJ f ™ f f f f f f f
32 3 32

f
f ff f f f f f f f f f
1

& f f ff f f ff f
2 4 3 2 1

? #C Œ ‰ f f f f

{
? #C Œ ‰ f f f f f f f f f ff
f f f f f ff f ff f f
3 4 1 1 3 5 f 3 2 1
f f f f f f f f f f
? #C Œ
3 4 1 1 3 5 3 2 1

‰ f f f f f f f f f f
f f f
f µ
3 4 1 1 3

M
5 3 2 1

# f ™™ f ff ff f ff f f ff
f Mff ™™ fJ µ
4 1 2
4
&# f f f f f f f f f f f f
J
1 2

f f f f f f f f

{
&
4
# Mf ™ f µf™ f f f f f f f f
f f Jf
1 2

& f f f f f f f f f f f
?# f f ff f f f

{
f f f f f f
?# f f f f f f f f f f f f f f ff f
f f f f
f f f
?# f f f f f f f f f f f f f
f f f f
f m
f f #f f f f f ff ff f f f
# f f ff ff f f
7 3 2 3

F ™™
f m
4 4

&#
3 3 2

f #f f f f f f f f ™™
1 1 2 1 2 1
7 3 2 3
f
4

f f F
3 4 3 2
™™

{
1 2 1

&
1 2 1

f m
f f #f f f f f f f f f f
# f f f f f
7 3 2 3

F™
3 4 4 3 2
™™
1 2 1

& f f ff f f f ff
1 2 1

?# f f ™
f ff ##ff f f ff ff #

{
?# f f f f f
f f ff ff #f f f f f f f f f
f f f f f f ™™™
f f
5 4 3 2
1 3
1
1
f f
?# f f f f f f f
4 3 2
5 1 3

f f ™™
f f #f f f f #f f f f f
f f f
5 4 3 2
1 3
f
1
f f

50• Pianist 78

P50 Scores BACH-FINAL.indd 50 15/05/2014 09:22

 TRACK 9
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) INTERMEDIATE
Bourrée from French Suite No 5 in G BWV 816

f fµ
# ™ f f f™ f™ f f
f f F™ f f f f
11 42 32

& ™ #f f

{ ? # ™™ Œ ‰
f f
f f f f f
1
f
f f
f f f f
f f f f f f f f f 1 2 4 2

14
# f f #f #f f f f f f f f f #f nf #f f #f f #f
3 1 5 1 1

& f #f nf #f

{ ?#
f #f
1 4
#f f f
f f f f
4
#f
nf #f f f #f f nf n f f #f f f f f f f
f f
1 2 3 5 4 3
1

18
# F™ f f µ 32
f f f
f
ff f f f f f f #f f
1 2 4 4 2 1 3 4

& f™ f f™
J

{ ?# f f f
f f1
Œ ‰
f f
f f f f
f
1
f
f f
f f f f f f nf
f
5
4
3
f f f

22
# f f f f
5
f f f
5

f f f f f f f
4 1 2 4 2 4 3

& f f f f f f f f f f
1

{ ?#
f f
f nf #f f f f f f f
f f f
2
f f f f f
f f f f
1
f f f f f f f f
f
1
1 1 1

#fffff f m
32

ff f
26

fff f
1
f ™™
2 2

& ff fff ff f f f f F™

{ ?#
ffffffff
2
f
fff fff
1 2
f f f fffff fff f
f f 1
Œ
F™
5
f f
f ™™

51• Pianist 78

P50 Scores BACH-FINAL.indd 51 15/05/2014 09:22

 D
REA E ON
L
ART I
YR
C
OLL Jelly Roll MORTON (1890-1941)
TRACK 10 JELL RTON INTERMEDIATE
MOPAGE King Porter Stomp
76

It took Jelly Roll Morton three years to finish King Porter Stomp, but from its first
appearance in 1905, it became a jazz standard – and Morton’s calling card.
Playing tips: Listen to the CD and notice how Chenyin Li ‘swings’ the quavers.
They should not be even or you completely lose that stride feeling. Don’t force the
sound. There always needs to be a relaxed and easygoing quality to this piece. We
have placed some fingerings into the score, but not that many, because there won’t
be many alternatives, and you should find the notes sit well under the five fingers.
There’s quite a bit of jumping around the in LH, so slow practising is required,
making sure it’s clean at all times. Only build up the speed when the notes are secure.
It might sound impossible, but try to play the LH without looking at your hand.
‘Search’ for the notes. Make the last page really come alive! We like the way that
Chenyin Li makes a roll on the last chord. Feel free to do the same.
Pedal tips: Play around with the pedalling. We have suggested one pedal per ‘stomp’.
That is, two pedals per bar. Pedal down on the first crotchet, up on the second, down
on the third, up on the fourth. See how that goes. Some pianists might prefer just
one pedal on the first crotchet only per bar.

Allegro q = 160
“” 3
f bf™ f f ™ f bf ™ f
bbbC f f f nf ™ f nff ff ™™ f ™ bff ™
1

& b
2

fJ f ™ f bf f nf ™ f nff fff ™™ f f f

{
J
f “”
3 3

f
? bb bC ff nFF ff nFF
ΠnF f ΠnF ff
nff
b & ff #ff
1
5

f
n
A
b b ff Œ ff Œ f™
5
4
ff
‰ f nf f f ™
3 3 3 5

b
2

& b
1 1 3

ff ff f ff f ff f f f f J

{
n ff ff f f
mf
ff f fff
b
& b bb ff Π?f f
ff Πff ff ff bf
bf ff ff ff ff f f
1 2 f 1

°
1

° ° ° ° °
4 5 2
5 4
sim.

bbb nfj f ff ff f f f ‰ f f
8
ff ff ™™ j ff ff ™™
b ‰ f nf f ff nff
4

&
1 2 2

J f #f fJ f ™
f #f f ™ fJ f ™

{ b
f f
? bb b f ff f ff
f
f
f
f
ff f ff
f f f f
f
ff f ff
f f f f
f
ff
f
f bf
f bf

b f f™
12
ff
& b bb F nf bf nf fF bf f f ff ff f ff f f f
2

ff f ff f ff ‰ f nf f f ™ J

{
f nf
ff f fff
? bb b f ‰ Œ Ó ff ff ff bf f ff ff ff f
b fJ bf f f f
f
52• Pianist 78

P52 Scores KING PORTER-FINAL.indd 52 15/05/2014 09:22

 TRACK 10
Jelly Roll MORTON (1890-1941) INTERMEDIATE
King Porter Stomp

bbb j f ff ff f f f ‰ f f nff ™™
16
b f ff f f f f f f f f
& nf J nf f ™ J nf ff ff nbff f bff ff f fff

{ bb
f
? bb f
ff
f f
f
ff
f f
f
ff
f
nf
nf
f
n ff
f
f
ff
f f f
f f
F
F f
f
f
f

f f f f
™™ f nf f nf ff ##ff f n
b f f f f
‰ nf f f f f f
20 21
b
1.
ff f ff ff 2.
f 3

b Œ ‰ f f f f
4

& b ff bf nf f
2

f ff nf f nf

{ ? bb b f nf
b f nf
f
f f ™™ ff Œ
f
Ó
mf

f
f
fff f
f
f nf
f nf
n ff
f f
f
f
f

bb ‰ f f f f f f f f f
23
b
& b f nf f f ‰ f ff f f ff ff ‰ f f fff fff f f f ‰ nff nff bff ff f f

{ b nf
bf
? bb b nf ff f
f
ff
f f
f
ff
f f
f
nf
nf
f
f
ff
f f
f
f
f
f nfff
f f
f
f ff

b bff f f f f nf f f f f f f f f nf f f f
27 3

& b bb fJ ‰ Œ
f
3

Ó Œ f f f f f nf ‰ f ‰ f
2
f f f f

{ ? bb b fj f
b f
f
marcato
j
f f f f
f f f
Œ Ó f
f
fff f
f f nf
n ff
f nf f f
f
fff

f f f ff ™™™ f f f f f
b
31
f f
b
&b b ‰ f ff ™ ‰ fff f fff fff f fff
4

f f f f f f f f
J

{ ? bb b f
b f
fff
f
f
bf
bf
f
f
ff
f
nf
nf
f
f
f
f
ff
f f
f f
f

53• Pianist 78

P52 Scores KING PORTER-FINAL.indd 53 15/05/2014 09:22

 TRACK 10
Jelly Roll MORTON (1890-1941) INTERMEDIATE
King Porter Stomp

f f f f f f f f
4 Interlude
34
bb f f f f f f
3
f f
& b b ‰ ff ff ff ff ff Œ Ó ‰ ff nff f ff Œ f f f bf f f f f
1

{ ? b b ff
bb
f
ff f
f f
f
f f f f
f f f f f
f f
n
nf
f ff
f
ff Πf f f bf f f f f
f

f f f f f f f f

f nf f f f “f” >f
b f bf f f f f
bbbbb
38

& b bb f nf f
f f Πf f f f
f f bf f f f f f

{
f f f f
f f f “”
? bb b f nf f f f
f f f bf f f f f
b nf Πf f bf f f f f f f f f Πbbbbb
f f f f

fj f fj f
Trio
ff <b>f ff ff ff <b>f ff ff
C
b ff nf f ff nf f
41
b
& b b b f <b>ff f f n fJ f f f f f <b>ff f f n fJ f f f f

{ ? bb b F
bb F
p
nF
nF
bf
bf
ff
f f bf
f bf
F
F
nF
nF
bf
bf
ff
f f bf
f bf

fj f fj f fff
f F
bbb fff ff fff ff nf ff nff FF Πnff f ff bf ff
45
b
& b f f n fJ nff ff bff ff
J

{
f f f

? b b FF nF bf nf f bf nf Πf f bf
bbb nF bf nf f bf nf
f Πf f f bf
f f

bbb fff fj f fj f
49
ff ff ff nf f ff ff ff ff ff nf f ff
b
& b f f f n fJ f f f f f f f f n fJ f f f f

{ ? bb b FF
bb
nF
nF
bf
bf
ff
f f bf
f bf
F
F
nF
nF
bf
bf
ff
f f bf
f bf

54• Pianist 78

P52 Scores KING PORTER-FINAL.indd 54 15/05/2014 09:22

 TRACK 10
Jelly Roll MORTON (1890-1941) INTERMEDIATE
King Porter Stomp

f F
bbb fff ff f ff nf ff nf F ‰ nf nff bf bff fff ™™™
53
ff f ff
b
& b bf f nf f F f Œ Ó
J

{
J J
nF bf nf f bf ff f
? b b FF nf f f f
f f f f
bbb nF bf nf f bf nf f f f
f f

j j
Stomp
b f
57

& b bbb ff Œ f Œ ff ‰ nfff fff ff fff Œ f Œ ff ‰ nfff fff ff

nff f f nff f f

{ ? bb b f
bb f
fff
nf
nf
fff f bfff
f f
f
fff f
f
fff
nf
nf
fff f bfff
f f
f
fff

b j f f fj f fj f f
61

& b bbb fff Πnfff Πf

<b>ff ‰ f
ff ff ff Πnff f ff f ff nff ff bff ff b ff

{
f f f
f f
? bb b f ff nf ff f Πf f nf ΠF
f
f f
bb f nf f f f nf F
f
f f f
f

65
b f j j
& b bbb ff f ff ‰ nfff fff ff
Œ Œ fff Œ f Œ ff ‰ nfff fff ff
nff f f nff f f

{ ? bb b f
bb f
fff
nf
nf
fff f bfff
f
ff
f f
f
f
f
fff
nf
nf
fff f bfff
f
ff
f f
f

nf f f f bf
b j f f
‰ nf nff f bff bfff ™™™ ff nf f f f bf
69
f
& b bbb fff Πnfff Πf
bff ‰ f
ff ff ff f

{
J
f f ff f
? bb b f ff nf ff f Πf f nf f f f f f <b>f f
bb f nf f f f nf f f f
f <b> f

55• Pianist 78

P52 Scores KING PORTER-FINAL.indd 55 15/05/2014 09:22

 TRACK 10
Jelly Roll MORTON (1890-1941) INTERMEDIATE
King Porter Stomp

f nf f f f bf f nf f f f bf
b Πnf f f f bf Πnf f f f bf
73
b
&b b b f Œ Ó f Œ Ó

{ ? bb f
bbb f
ff nf
f
nf
ff
f
f
f
f bfff f
f
ffff f
f
ff nf
f
nf
ff
f
f
f
f bfff f
f
ffff

f j nf
b nf f j nf
77

& b bbb f Πnff f fff f ff

Œ Ó f
J f F
J nff fff bff ff

{
f f f f
fff nf fff f nf f bf nf f f
? bb b f ΠF f f
bb f nf f nf f bf nf F f f f f

nf f ™ bf f ™ f f nf nf f ™ bf f ™ f f nf
b nf f ™ bf f ™ f f Œ nf nf f ™ bf f ™ f f Œ nf
81

& b bbb Œ Œ Œ Œ

{ ? bb b f
bb f
fff nf
nf
fff
f
f
f bfff f
f
ffff f
f
fff nf
nf
fff
f
f
f bfff f
f
ffff

nf f ™ bf f ™ f nf f bf f f nf f bf f nf f bf
b nf f ™ bf f ™ f nf f bf f f nf f bf nf f bf
85

& b bbb Πf

{ ? bb b f
bb f
fff nf
nf
fff f
f
nf
nf
f
f
bf
bf
nF
nF
bF
bF

f nf f bf f nf f bf f f f bU
FF ™™
F™
b nf f bf nf f bf
88 Fine

& b bbb f f f Œ

{ ? bb b f
bb f
f
f
nf
nf
bf
bf
nf
nf
bf
bf
f
f
f
f
U
F™
F™
Œ

56• Pianist 78

P52 Scores KING PORTER-FINAL.indd 56 15/05/2014 09:23

 ISS
’T M AM’S
DON
LUCY
PRAH
ON Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
TRACK 11 LESS HIS P
IECE ADVANCED
ON T GE
PA 4
2
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

Debussy wrote two books of Images; ‘Reflets dans l’eau’ (Reflections in the water) is
the first piece (of three) in the first Images book, which was published in 1905. ‘I love
pictures almost as much as music,’ Debussy once said, and his passion for creating
colour and visuals with sound is clearly manifested in this piece. It has been said that
he even had a specific image in mind for ‘Reflets dans l’eau’: a stone thrown into calm
water and rippling the waters before stillness returns.
Playing and pedal tips: When you listen to our house pianist and cover artist
Chenyin Li play this on the covermount CD, you will no doubt fall in love with the
piece and want to learn it, and you should! This piece is all about evoking colour –
dappled reflections in the water of course. Pedalling is not marked into the score. This
was common practice for Debussy, who expected the performer to know how to use
the pedal. There are lots of notes, and it will take you a long time to learn, but it’s
worth the work. Learn in small sections – that should help.
Read Lucy Parham’s step-by-step lesson on this piece on page 24.

Andantino molto
ff f
(Tempo rubato)

f f
f f ff f ff ff
b b 4 f f ff f f ff f f f
& b b b 8 ≈ f ff ff ≈ ff f f f f ff ≈ f
f f f
f

{
ff f f f fff f ff f ff
- f
- -
f
pp
Πf f fff
? bb b 48 ‰™
r
b b FF f FF &

ff fff fff fff ff f ff ff fff

ff ff
f f ff ff f
b
4
f f ff ff
& b bbb f fff f ≈ ff f ff f ff
f ≈ ≈ fff f f f
f
f ff ff

{
fff f fff f f ff f ff
- f
- -
f
pp
Πf f fff
b f fff
& b bbb ff ‰ ? r
J f
f f ‰™ f FF &

. . . . .
ff ff f f .rpp
‰ ™ pp
f f . .. .
ff f f ff ff f ≈ ff ff
b r
8
f f ff ff 3 ff f fff b f 48
& b bbb f ≈f f f f f
f f f ff n f ff 8
ff n ff n ff ∫ f f b ff nb ff n ff ∫ f b f b f f b ff

{
f f f f f
pp pp

b f fff ‰ ? ≈ r 3 f™ 4
& b bbb ff J f nf f bf f bf nf f bf nf f 8 f 8
f nf f bf f bf nf f bf nf f f f

57• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 57 15/05/2014 09:23

 TRACK 11
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) ADVANCED
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

ff
ff rit.
f
bb4 fff
12

& b b b 8 fFF f f FF f nff bff f f

f nf f b f f∫bff ffbbnfff n ff b ff b ff ∫ FF

{
n F f f
r
? b b 48 F f f
più p
nf ? bf f
b b b F &f f
? F
& nf
f nf bf ∫f bFFFf ffff
?
nn FF f bf &ff
∏∏∏∏∏∏
F

- -
ff-
a tempo
“f”f f f
pp
f
ff f ff f ff f ff f f f f n ff f
b
16
b f f ff f f ff f ff f f ff p p

&b b b ffff f n ff ff f
b f f f bff ff
j
nnff- ff
f
b f f f bff

{
3

3
pp pp 3
3

? bb b f ff fff ff ff ff nff- ff f f ff ff j f ff
f f
b b f f f f f f f ff f nf-f ff f
f fff ff ff
fff f-
pp -

quasi cadenza
n n f f ff b f
f n f b
nff bffffbf bfbf fbf nf#f #fnf nf nf
20
b f f f
& b bbb b f ffff nf
nf#f #fnf nf
nf nf

{ ? bb b f
bb-
#f
-
nf
-
pp poco a poco cresc. e stringendo
nf
- & f
-
#f
-
nf
-
nf
-

f f ff ff fff ff fff f f b ffff

b ff ff fb f f b fn f f f f f
b
22

& b bbb

{
“” “” “” “”
f bf f f
bbbb f f ffbf f ff f f ff f
nf ?
& b - - - -

58• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 58 15/05/2014 09:23

 TRACK 11
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) ADVANCED
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

”
f“” f f f“
fff f f f b f f f f f f f ffff ff f f f f f
b
& b bbb bf f f f f f f f ffff ffff

{
bf f

? bb b
bb

<“> “”
mesuré
“”
f f
bf f f f f ff f f f f
b ff f f f f f b f f f f f f f ff f f f f f
24
b 4 bffff ffff bffff ffff
& b b b8

{
bf bf
ppp 13 13 13 13

? bb b 48 ‰™ r f
bb & ∫f bf ™ f™ bf ∫f
F pp doux et expressif F
-
pp

<“> “”
f f f f f f“”
bf ff f f ff f f nf f f
26
b b ffff fff ff ff ffff fff
&b b b bffff ffff nffff ffff

{
bf nf
13 13 14

bb -
14

&b b b f bF
?
F bf f f
-

<“>
fff fff “” f f f f f f f“f”
f f f f
28
b
f ffff f f ff fff f fff f f ff
& b bbb ff f f f ff f ≈™ ≈ Ù

{
f 10
15 13

? bb b ‰™ rf ™ f
bb f
& fff ™™™™ ffff
f f
F F
59• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 59 15/05/2014 09:23

 TRACK 11
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) ADVANCED
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

<“>
fff fff fff “f” ff
bbb f f ff nfnff
30 3 3

b f n f b f ff f f f f
nnfff bbnfffnbfff nbnfff
& b ff f f
fnnff bb ff n ff nbnfff
f f

{
mf f
mf f pp

ff nff bff nff fnf f f

b
& b bbb fffff f ? nff fnf ? f n3f bff nff
f & nff
f f™ f f f™ f
3

- -
rit.

“f” ff “f” ff
bbb nfnff nfnff
32
b ff 3
ff 3
& b

{
f. f. f. f f. f. f. f f f- f- f-
pp
f nf p pp
f nf p più p
? bb b nff fnf ? nff fnf ?
bb & nff & nff
f f™ f f™ fJ F

ff
ffff
au mouvt
f
ff
3 3

b fff
35

& b bbb ≈
3 3 3

≈ f ffff ≈ ≈ fffff f
fff ff f

{
ff ff 3 3 3 f fff
pp - 3 3 3
- -
f f f
? bb b r
bb f f f ‰™ f

f ff ff f
ff ff ff ff ffff f
b
37 3 3 3

b b f f f ffff
& bb ≈ f ≈
fffff f f f ≈ f

{
f
ff 3 3 3
3 3 3 3

fff-.
3 3 3

? bb b fff-.
bb f J ‰ & ‰ Œ ?
f J

60• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 60 15/05/2014 09:23

 TRACK 11
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) ADVANCED
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

ff
ff ff
f ffff 3 3

bb
39 3 3 3

&b b b ≈ ff ≈ fff ffff ≈ ≈ fffff

{
fff ffff 3 3 3 fffff
pp - 3 3 3
- -
f f f
? bb r
bbb f ‰ ™ f
f f

ff
ff f
f ffff fffff f
b
41 3 3 3
f ffff ≈ f f fffff
& b bbb ≈ f ≈
f fffff f f

{
f f 3 3 3
3 3 3 3

fff-.
3 3 3

? bb b J ‰ fff-. ‰ Œ ?
bb f & J
f

en animant

b f
43

& b bbb f f f f f f f f f f f f f fbfnf f f f f f f

f f f f f f f f f

{
f f ffff f f fn f f f f f f
f
p e poco a poco cresc.

? bb b bf f f f f
b bnf nf f f f f f
nf nf f f f bf f f

f nf f f f f f
b
45
f f f f f f
& b bbb f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f
f fnf f f f f fff f
f f f

{
f f

b f f f f f
? bb b nf nf f f f f
b b nf nf f f f bf f f f &

61• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 61 15/05/2014 09:23

 TRACK 11
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) ADVANCED
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

ff f f ffff
f f ff f f f ff f f f# f ff ff
bb nnnnn
47
f
f ff ffff ff # f
&b b b f f f ff

{ bb
& b b b nFFFf
n f
f

nf
nf
f f
f f
f
f
nnnnn
f

F #ff
f f #f
ff ff
ff ff
f

en dehors

ffff r f
# f f ff
au mouvt
‰™ f f™ # ff
49
f f f ff
f #f ff J
&

{ &
f

F #f f
f f #f
ff ff
ff ff
p

f F #f f f f#f
f f f ff
ffff
f

f™ ff f #F ff fff
51 #f f # f # f ff
&

{
“”
ffff #f
f #f #f #f fff
& f f f #f fff
f f #f #f f fff
F#f F

F ff ff f # f # f ™ f
53
f # f # f ff Œ ™ n
≈ #f # n f f ™ f
f
& RÔ J

{
“”
#f
mf cresc. molto

#f fff #f f f f f
& f #f #f fff f nf nf fff
F #f #f F n f nf
#f f

62• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 62 15/05/2014 09:23

 TRACK 11
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) ADVANCED
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

## FFff ™™ #f f f f FF ffff
# f #f FF f
b ff ff
55
f #f
& bb ≈ f f f f
ff ®

{
f
ff f
f

# #f f f f f f ffff ?f f f
& #f f f ? b f f f f
#f#f
f f f f f b b ff f &fff ff ff f
#F # f
F

3
ff b f
3
fff f f f f
b ff bf bnffff f
57

&b b ‰ f f f f bnfff f
f

{
ff
3

? bb f f ?f f f ? fnf bf
b ff &f fff ff
ff fbf nf & nf f f
bf nf b f f
f f f
F F

b FFfF
59
b f f b f bf f
& b b b FFFF f bf f b fF bf ™™ f ™f f f
nf nf b f

{
f f 3
3
f
nf fb f ™ bf bfb f f
f f fnf
3 3

? bb fffff
3 3

b fbf ff fbf
f &f f fbf
f f F ff
f f

“”
f f bf bf f f f fnfnf
rit.
ff ™b f n ff ™ b f b f f
b f bf ™™ Ff bf ™™
62

& b b bF

{ b
&b b
dim.

F bf
f f b f bf f f f f™ f
p

bF f f
nf b f bf f f f bf ™ bf

63• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 63 15/05/2014 09:24

 TRACK 11
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) ADVANCED
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

au mouvt
‰™
(plus lent)
r f™ nf
molto rit.
#
## ff f nfff ™ nf
b
64

&b b bf bf f f bf bf f f f f

{ b
più p

& b b bf f f nf f f f
f
###
pp

ff f
-
nfff f
?

- “”
ff # ff f n F
bn FF f ffff
# nF f
## f #f ff bf f
66 3
ff ff #ff f n f Œ
& f f f ff b nf

{
f
nfnf
-
ppp

ff
? ### f f ‰ f. n bf
18
n
nff
ff f. n f nf
f
Ff
nf
-
-
FFF
# n ff # f ff ff ff f f
### # f ff b F f f ff ff
68 3
f ff ff #ff f b
bbb ‰ ff ff f
& f f f ff

{
f f ff
pp sempre pp

#f nf
? ### #f nf
f ‰ f. bbbbb f f f& f f ‰ ? f.
nf f f. f f f.
F F

Tempo 1
ff ff
ff ff ff
(en retenant jusqu'à la fin)
f f
b ff fff fff fff
70

& b bbb ff fff fff ff ff

FFF ff f f

{
f f f 3
f
3
j
pp 3
3
Πf f
f f j ff f fff
? bb b Πff ff f
bb & f f FF FF ff f ff
F F f 3
3

64• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 64 15/05/2014 09:24

 TRACK 11
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) ADVANCED
Reflets dans l’eau, No 1 from Images Book 1

fff ff ff ff ff
b
74
f fff
& b bbb
f
3 3
f f f f f f
fff ff f f

{
fff fff FFF ff f ff
f 3

j Πf fff
b f f
& b bbb ffJ ‰ Œ ? f ?
f &f f f FF &
f f F

f-
lent (dans une sonorité
f
ff ff fff fff ff ff f- f-
f

∏∏∏∏∏
bbb
78

∏∏∏∏∏
f Πf

∏∏∏∏∏
rit.
b f f
& b Fff™™ f™ fb f f f f™™ f™ fb f ™ f ∫ FF

{
™ FF
3 3
- - -
Πpp ppp
Πf f f
bbbb fff ∑ ∑ ?
‰ f nf f nf f ∫FF
& b FF
Œ ∫ FF FF
3
p un peu en dehors

harmonieuse et lointaine) - - - “3”

-
3
- f f f . .
3 . .
f f f f f
∏∏∏∏∏

b f
∏∏∏∏∏

83
f f f
& b bbb ŒF Œ Œ Œ
f
∏∏∏∏∏

f f fff Πf f f f

{
bF ∫ FF FF F F
-
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

- - “3”
Œ -3 - Œ f f f Œ 3 Œ
? bb b F f f ff ΠFF f. f. FF f. f
bb F ff ∫FF FF
FF .
F ∫ FF FF FF
F f F F

“3” ”
. . f™ F ‰ “f ™
3
. . ‰ f™ F- f ™ F
89
b f f f f F F
& b bbb ŒF Œ
f f m.g. ™ ? F
F f FF
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

f f &

{
F
“3” -
Π. 3
. Π. . F
F
? bb b F f f FF f f FF FF F
bb F FF
FF FF FF ‰
F F F f™ F

65• Pianist 78

P57 Scores DEBUSSY-FINAL.indd 65 15/05/2014 09:24

 pianostreet.com
- the website for pianists, teachers,
students and piano enthusiasts

Latest piano news

E-books on piano technique

Autograph manuscripts

Listen and learn

Piano Forum - full of valuable
information, knowledge,
fun and friendship
Thousands of classical
piano scores to download and print
or to view on your mobile device

The Audiovisual Study

Tool allows you to:
- Learn piano pieces faster
- Improve your interpretational skills
- Broaden your repertoire knowledge
- Improve your sight reading
- Effortlessly enjoy the great art of
classical piano music

Try it now at:

www.pianostreet.com/AST
66• Pianist 77

p66 Ads.indd 66 13/05/2014 11:49


Once voted ‘critic of the year’, Hugh Canning, Chief Classical Music Critic on the
Sunday Times, spends his week concert-going, writing – and dodging deadlines
I
always get a buzz out of opening the paper. It’s the first
thing I read, to see what my writing looks like on the
page. There’s a huge difference how it looks on page to
how it looks on screen, what with the illustration and
how the editors have presented it. Sometimes I spot a mistake
I’ve made, and I hate that! I have a tendency to overwrite and
my editor has to cut. I have a great editor, Adrienne Connors.
I usually get up between eight and nine, make myself
coffee, skim through the papers online, look at emails, peruse
a few music websites to see if there’s any fascinating news.
My editor will ring me on a Monday at around 11am – that’s
the day my record review is due – and ask if I’ve started yet.
(I have ‘work avoidance’ strategies.) Mondays and Tuesdays
are my big working days, so I’ll get down to listening to my
reviews. I should have them in by 3pm, but it’s sometimes
nearer to 4pm, and I hope to get my main piece done by
no later than 4pm on a Tuesday. I never go out for lunch
on Monday and Tuesday! On the other days, I get emails
asking to review this or that record. There’s so much good
stuff coming out. I usually read about a performance that
I’m going to later. I am more relaxed in the end of the week.
I am not the kind of person who is up at the crack of dawn,
working hard at their desk. I am a little more leisurely. I
always leave deadlines for the last minute. I do find that the
adrenaline of a deadline helps me!
I got into this job by accident. I had written about music,
particularly about opera, ever since I was a student. My best
friend at university said, ‘You know so much about music
and opera, you ought to think about being a critic.’ And then
I started reviewing. I never thought this was going to be my
bread and butter; I thought it was just a sideline. There’s no
job training for a music critic really – some say there should
be. Apart from when I went up to London to see Robert
Maycock and Richard Morrison (editors of Classical Music
at the time) and Keith Clarke (then editor of Music and
Musicians) to ask if I could write for them, I’ve never actually
applied for a job! I was staggered when they asked me to join
the Sunday Times. In 1994 I won ‘Critic of the Year’ – I am
still the only classical music critic to have won it since 1994.
As a rule, I don’t make notes when I’m reviewing. I don’t
remember everything, sure. But there are two reasons why
I don’t make copious notes: one, I think it’s distraction for
other people and two, I don’t want to be identified as a critic!
They know immediately, and I try to avoid being recognised.
The skills one needs to be a critic are good memory, and
being able to write in a communicative and entertaining
© Francesco Guidicini
way. I’m not a scholar. Some people think critics ought to be
scholars. My personal view is that you have to have strong
opinions, and you have to justify those opinions. You have
to communicate a sense of what the performance was like,
67• Pianist 78
p67_Day in the life-FINAL.indd 67
A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF
Hugh
C a n ni
MUS
IC C
RITI
C
ng
whether you liked it or not. There’s a lot of criticism that’s
afraid to say that. It’s finding a balance. On the one hand,
you don’t want to ruin a person’s career. But to be honest,
I don’t think critics have ever ruined a career. Look at
Sinopoli, for example. I would say during the 13 years at the
Philharmonia, 80 per cent of his publicity was hostile. When
he had gone, I read the critics had driven him out. Thirteen
years is a long time to be driven out by the critics! I don’t
think that critics are as influential as people think.
The spectrum of opinion that we have in London is very
desirable. Some think nothing of Brendel, while others
lionise him. Schiff has enjoyed huge acclaim, but
he sometimes feels that he’s unfairly criticised in London.
People here can come away with good reviews as well as
bad. I don’t go out of my way to review artists that I don’t
particularly like. I don’t see the point of doing that.
I’ve heard some great piano recitals, including one of the last
by Richter – it was a great event, even though by then he was
probably not at his peak. There was an aura of concentration
and a sort of power. Today we are living in an era of so many
wonderful pianists. I’ve always loved Brendel. For me, he
always epitomises the kind of artist who puts the music first
and doesn’t seek to impose his own ego on it. He represents
that Schnabel tradition. I am very fond of such players as
Imogen Cooper and Paul Lewis. Argerich, of course, is
wonderful, though I’ve never heard a live recital from her.
This job is my social life. I still pinch myself that I’m in a
job where I can take my friends to work! There aren’t many
jobs you can say that about. Unless you are out on the road,
a war correspondent or something, journalism is quite a
lonely profession. You are at home writing all day, and the
chance to go out in the evening, to see a show and to be able
to take someone with you, it’s one of the joys of my life. I
am usually out five or six nights a week. I have made a lot of
friends. I am blessed with some great colleagues, essentially
rivals, who have become great friends. I am doing what I love.
Music is so enriching and rewarding, and as I’ve grown
older, I become more conscious of how little I know and how
vast the field is. I heard Schiff do the great Bach works at the
Wigmore Hall before Christmas, and to hear the Partitas and
the English Suites played by someone who has devoted his life
to that music, gives so much pleasure. It’s fascinating to hear
different players tackling the same repertoire. Think of the
way Barenboim plays Bach, then Schiff, then Angela Hewitt.
I enjoy Angela’s crispness – she emulates the sound of the
harpsichord, plucking the strings. I adored Tatiana Nikolayeva’s
Bach too. I remain convinced, despite all the doomsayers, there
will always be an audience for this great music. ■
Hugh Canning spoke to Erica Worth.
15/05/2014 09:49
 E D U C AT I O N

TURKISH
DELIGHT
at the BBC Proms
Erica Worth looks at an exciting young orchestra making its Proms debut this season – the
Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra – and talks to its dynamic conductor, Sascha Goetzel

T
urkey has rarely
featured inside
the pages of
Pianist. Yes, there
have been cameo
appearances
by the Pekinel
sisters, the famous
identical twin piano duo, and Fazil
Say, the pianist and composer. Other
than these isolated artists, Pianist, like
so many others, hasn’t been thinking
of this country as a major player in
the world of classical music – but that
viewpoint is seriously out of date. Last
autumn, I sat in a concert hall in the
heart of Istanbul, watching the Pekinels
perform in the opening concert of
the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic
Orchestra’s 2013–14 season, witnessing
the metamorphosis of Turkey’s classical
music scene for myself.
It’s 10 October 2013, and this
concert is a grand affair – the 2,000-seat
Lufti Kirdar International Convention
and Exhibition Centre is full and the is coming to London. The orchestra Photos, clockwise from Who better to ask than the charismatic
atmosphere is quiet and expectant as makes its Proms debut on 29 July with top: conductor Sascha Austrian conductor Sascha Goetzel,
the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic an exotic programme that includes Goetzel leads the Borusan who officially took charge of the BIPO
Orchestra’s (BIPO) artistic director and Lyapunov’s orchestral arrangement of Istanbul Philharmonic in January 2009. Speaking with him
principal conductor Sascha Goetzel Balakirev’s Islamey (inspired by folk Orchestra; Pianist Editor the day after the opening concert, I ask
walks on to the stage. The evening’s songs from across the Turkish border Erica Worth with the him why he decided to take the BIPO
performance is an energetic mixture of in the Caucasus), as well as Mozart’s Pekinel sisters; the BIPO position. ‘They invited many people to
Mozart, Mendelssohn (the Concerto for take on a Turkish harem in the overture on stage. The artwork play with the orchestra before decided
Two Pianos in E, featuring the Pekinels) to Die Entführung am dem Serail. The behind the headline is who their conductor was going to be,’
and Brahms, played to an incredibly Queen of Sheba makes an appearance 195 Colours by Turkish Goetzel replies. ‘I was here to guest-
quiet audience. For my part, it’s great in two other works: Handel’s (arranged artist Ekrem Yalcindag conduct Dvořák Ninth. I thought to
to see the Pekinels in action. And as I by Beecham) Solomon – The Arrival of myself, “This is going to be the biggest
wrote in issue 75’s News, it’s fascinating the Queen of Sheba and Respighi’s Belkis, challenge of my life – but the most
how the sisters seat themselves on Queen of Sheba. No pianist(s), alas, rewarding one”. When they offered me
© Harald Hoffmann; © Hadiye Cangokce

stage – one piano is positioned behind
the other. Even if they can’t see each
other, they are well in synch – and also
in synch with the conductor and the
orchestra. It’s an impressive concert.
And now, this summer, as part of
the BBC Proms season, the BIPO
this time, but violinist Daniel Hope the job, I asked Daniel Barenboim for
will play the world premiere of Gabriel his advice. He just said, “Go!”’
Prokofiev’s violin concerto. What about the orchestra’s experience
So what can we expect from such with playing Western music? ‘For 15
a young band, which started out as a years we had been a chamber orchestra,’
chamber orchestra and only gave its Goetzel tells me. ‘Then we transformed
first concert as the BIPO in 1999? it. In 2010, when Istanbul became
68• Pianist 78

p68_Istanbul-FINAL.indd 68 15/05/2014 09:49

 the Cultural Capital of Europe, that’s
when we really needed a new musical
direction – to bridge the gap between
Turkey and Europe. The orchestra is
open to the Western repertoire, 100 per
cent. The players have had to learn our
traditions, of course, and I have brought
my Viennese traditions with me. But it’s
a step-by-step process. The musicians
are really open to this. Some have never
heard the music before – it’s their first
time playing Mahler and so on. In fact,
Mahler Sixth and Third had never been
done in Turkey before. So when we did
Mahler Sixth, it was the first time for
the orchestra and the audience. Can
you imagine the experience of the music
and the orchestra together – it was like
a world premiere! Then after we did it,
we noticed that other orchestras here
copied us two or three seasons later!’
For Goetzel, it is imperative that the
BIPO has a real nationalistic identity.
‘It’s important to have a real Turkish
orchestra – the players are 95-97 per
cent Turkish and about 50 per cent are
women. Our team of administrators
makes us strong as well. We work
together, choosing the artists and so on.
That’s most likely why people admire
us and want to play with us.’ I should
mention here that the BIPO is lucky
to have strong backing behind it, with
the Turkish industrial conglomerate
Borusan Holdings supporting the
Borusan Centre for Culture and Arts
(of which the BIPO is a significant part)
with a $10 million yearly budget.
About the line-up of visiting pianists,
Goetzel adds, ‘we get lots of pianists.
Just look at the line-up for 2013-14: the
season includes Perahia, Valery Sokolov,
the Pekinels and Rudolf Buchbinder.’
Other pianists that have appeared with
the BIPO include Lang Lang, John Lill,
Freddy Kempf, Joanna MacGregor and
Alexander Melnikov. As I write this,
Buchbinder has also just performed the
full Beethoven sonatas – as part of the
BIPO Beethoven celebration. Goetzel
© Harald Hoffmann; © Hadiye Cangokce
p68_Istanbul-FINAL.indd 69
is proud to tell me, too, that in 2010
the orchestra performed at the opening
ceremony of the Salzburg Festival.
If you can’t make it to hear this young
orchestra give its BBC Proms debut on
the 29 July or you can’t get to Istanbul
to hear them in their home, there’s
always the BIPO on disc. The orchestra
has released two discs so far on the
Onyx label (the first: music by Respighi,
Hindemith and Schmitt; the second:
Music from the Machine Age, works by
Prokofiev, Schulhoff, Bartók, Holst and
Ravel). A new release is coming out in
conjunction with the BIPO’s Proms
debut (one day earlier, in fact, on 28
July) featuring some Orient and Middle
East delights in the form of Rimsky-
Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Balakirev’s
Islamay, Two Caucasian Sketches by
Ippolitov-Ivanov and more. The playing
of this Turkish orchestra has lots to offer
the musical world, and it’s exciting to
see it take off. ■
The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic
Orchestra appears at the BBC Proms on
29 July. To find out more about the BIPO,
go to www.borusansanat.com and for its
recordings, www.onyxclassics.com. For
details about this year’s BBC Proms, go to
www.bbc.co.uk/proms.
69• Pianist 78
10 PICKS OF
THE PROMS
Here are our top
choices for piano
concerts at the BBC
Proms this year
Barry Douglas Brahms Piano
Concerto No 1 with the London
Symphony Orchestra and Valery
Gergiev (29 July)
Ingrid Fliter Mozart Piano
Concerto in A K488 with the
BBC Symphony Orchestra and
Josep Pons (28 July)
Alexandre Tharaud Ravel Left
Hand Concerto with the BBC
Philharmonic and Juanjo Mena
(30 July)
Benjamin Grosvenor Chopin
Piano Concerto No 1 with
the BBC Philharmonic and
Giandandrea Noseda (8 Aug)
Louis Schwizgebel Prokofiev
Piano Concerto No 1 with
the National Youth Orchestra
of Great Britain and Edward
Gardner (25 Aug)
Francesco Piemontesi Mozart
Rondo in A for piano and
orchestra with the BBC National
Orchestra of Wales and Thomas
Sondergard (11 Aug)
Jonathan Biss Bernard Rands
Concerto for Piano and
Orchestra (UK premiere) with
the BBC Scottish Orchestra
and Markus Stenz (15 Aug);
Schumann Piano Concerto
Orchestra with the Iceland
Symphony Orchestra and Ilan
Volkov (22 Aug)
Alexander Toradze Scriabin
Prometheus: The Poem of Fire
with the London Philharmonic
Orchestra and Vladimir
Jurowski (28 Aug)
Denis Matsuev Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No 2 with the
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra
and Han-Na Chang (7 Sept)
15/05/2014 09:49
 E D U C AT I O N
Top
Marks
Can doing a graded music exam help you become
a better player? Clare Stevens talks to examiners,
teachers and adult students who have taken the leap.
Plus, Ed Balls shares his exam-taking experience
I
t’s an experience that many of
us recall only in nightmares:
the thumping heart; the
sweaty palms; the apparent
disappearance of everything
we had painstakingly learned
about scales and their key
signatures from our mental filing
cabinets. Whether they made it as
far as Grade 8 or diploma level or
never got further than Grade 2 or 3,
many adults look back on the ritual
of taking practical music exams as a
kind of torture inflicted upon them by
sadistic parents and teachers. Part of
the pleasure of returning to playing or
singing in later life is the knowledge
that the dreaded exams do not have to
be part of the process.
p70_Exams-FINAL.indd 70
That’s certainly how I felt, having left
school at somewhere around ABRSM
Grade 6 standard, and escaping an actual
assessment at that level by taking an
O-level practical test considered to be
more or less equivalent. But I do
sometimes find myself digging out those
old exam anthologies and wondering if
I should go back and take a couple more
grades. I know I’m not alone in feeling
that without some sort of challenge my
playing will remain very rusty indeed.
For many adults who return to the piano
or take it up from scratch as a spare
time or retirement project, it can be
inspiring and stimulating to have their
efforts acknowledged by the award of
a certificate of achievement, even if it is
only Grade 1 or 2.
So what are the pros and cons of
taking exams?
‘Our graded exams provide
motivation and inspiration as you
work from a carefully structured
syllabus towards a definite goal,’ says
the ABRSM’s Syllabus Director, Nigel
Scaife. ‘They’re a measure of personal
progress and attainment against
established, international benchmarks.
They provide a focus for your work
and an objective guide to improve
your musical skills. An exam is also a
valuable performance opportunity –
not forgetting that pieces played in the
70• Pianist 78
exam room are also wonderful concert
pieces that you can play to friends,
family, and perhaps the public.’
Essex-based Fiona Lau is currently
teaching seven adults, who are at
varying stages from beginners to re-
starters and teachers wanting to update
their keyboard skills. ‘Together they
make up 50 per cent of my home
teaching,’ she says. ‘I like working
with adults because they decided for
themselves that they wanted to come for
lessons, rather than having someone else
decide for them as is usually the case
with children – they are well motivated.
One is preparing for her Grade 1 exam,
one for Grade 8 and one is preparing to
take the ABRSM’s diploma in teaching.’
In general, Lau doesn’t encourage
adults to take exams – ‘they get
extremely worried and there are better,
Courtesy of Nationwide Music Exams (main image); ABRSM (page 71)
more enjoyable ways to motivate them
and help them achieve’ – but she
admits that the discipline does focus the
student’s practising and provides some
sort of measurable and recognisable
achievement. The impetus to do it
comes from the students themselves,
for a variety of reasons: ‘Teachers might
need to have a diploma, for example, to
get a job with a music service. Others
see it as a symbol of their achievement.’
Frances Wilson, who blogs on music
and pianism as ‘The Cross-Eyed Pianist’,
15/05/2014 09:50
 also enjoys teaching adults, ‘because
one can engage in more involved
communication than one enjoys with
a child. One can explain concepts and
technical issues in detail, and feel that
the student has understood what is
being asked of them.
‘Exams are not obligatory in my
studio for either adults or children
and I tend to let the student decide.
If an adult student wants to study for
an exam, I would always support their
decision,’ she says. ‘If they do want to
go down that route, the advantages
are the personal challenge and setting
oneself a tangible goal, musical progress,
improved technique, increased musical
awareness, and exposure to new
repertoire and technical work.’ Wilson
currently has two adult pupils, one of
whom passed Grade 1 last year and the
other passed Grade 2 with a high merit,
but they are not working towards exams
at the moment.
Statistics about the numbers of adults
taking grade exams in piano are scarce,
but the ABRSM says that for the past
decade around 5 per cent of the total
number of candidates have been aged
over 18. The only countries where the
percentage of adult candidates seems
to be on the rise are Japan and Nigeria.
‘There are also quite a lot in Ghana,
often teachers taking exams just ahead
of their students or because they want
to be church organists – a good piano
exam from ABRSM is a helpful way in,’
says John Holmes, Chief Examiner for
the ABRSM.
Asked if the board encourages
teachers to enter adult students for
exams, Holmes is emphatic: ‘We
certainly do! We are very proud of the
fact that grade exams are not age-
specific – unlike, say, GCSEs. Many
people have regrets later in life and wish
they had done better at school, but it’s
quite hard to go back and retake that
sort of exam. With music exams, you
can do them as many times as you like.’
Holmes cites a recent radio interview
in which BBC political correspondent
Ben Geoghegan talked about taking up
5
TOP
TIPS SUCCESSFUL EXAM PREPARATION
1 Plan ahead. Make a long-term plan for your lessons and practising.
2 Don’t choose a level that’s too high for you. It’s best to go for a level below.
3 Choose repertoire that you like and enjoy playing. Use stimuli from a
variety of sources, such as paintings, biographies and poetry.
4 Work on your ‘weak’ spots. If it’s sight-reading that you fear, for example,
then work on that doubly hard.
5 Perform in front of others before the exam – give one or two mini-recital for
friends, ideally not on your own piano in your own surroundings.
p70_Exams-FINAL.indd 71
the flute as an adult, and deciding to
put himself through the exam experience
[see interview with UK Shadow
Chancellor and piano exam taker Ed
Balls, page 74]. ‘Ben’s reasons for doing
it were fantastic,’ says Holmes. ‘He said
he found that he made more progress
with the instrument when he had a
target in mind; he expressed his sense of
personal achievement very eloquently,
and summed up so many of the things
we feel about the learning process.
‘My own understanding was
enhanced when I ran in the London
Marathon and realised as I was
beginning to get very tired at around
18 or 20 miles that the mile markers
were a lifeline. They’re fixed points –
you know if you’ve got to the next one
you’ve made a progression. They help
you to pace yourself, and it’s the same
with music exams. We do feel they are
very helpful.’
Related to that is the objectivity of
the exam situation – adult students can
develop very intense relationships with
their teachers and it is often helpful
to be assessed by someone who knows
nothing about you. On the other hand,
adults can be even more intimidated
than children by the whole experience
of walking into the exam room and
having to play on an unfamiliar
instrument to a complete stranger who
is also a highly qualified musician. As
John Holmes points out, children are
‘professional learners’, used to being understand how they are feeling, and we
tested in a variety of situations; for know that those first 30 seconds of
adults the only comparable experience meeting and greeting can mean
they’ve had since leaving school may be everything in terms of helping them to
taking a driving test – which of course relax and play as well as they can.’
can also be horribly stressful. Asked about how teachers can best
support their pupils who want to take
The right atmosphere exams, Wild suggests that it may be
All that said, examiners these days are helpful for them to take an exam at a
trained to put candidates of all ages at lower grade than the general level of their
their ease and make the experience as playing, so that they can be absolutely
comfortable as possible. ‘We pride confident that they have a chance of
ourselves on creating a friendly yet doing themselves justice. They should
professional atmosphere in which students also be given opportunities to play
can give the best possible performances,’ to other people in a non-judgmental
says Peter Wild, Associate Chief Examiner situation – a small recital for family and
for Trinity College London. ‘We friends, perhaps, or even more informally
to fellow pupils – so that they get used to
playing to other people.
Frances Wilson adopts this approach.
‘All my students are thoroughly prepared
for their exams in terms of repertoire,
technical work, aural, sight-reading and
musical knowledge. I offer guidance and
support on dealing with performance
anxiety and arrange performance
opportunities and play-throughs to help
build confidence ahead of an exam.’
Choosing the most appropriate
exam board and repertoire is also an
important factor. John Holmes says the
ABRSM syllabus is constantly evolving
to offer as much choice of style as
possible. One of the reasons the board
doesn’t include graphics or images on
▲
71• Pianist 78
15/05/2014 09:50
 E D U C AT I O N
its anthologies is that they are deliberately
designed for students of any age to feel
comfortable using them and carrying
them around.
‘When making repertoire choices for
the grades we are always aware that we
are not just catering for children,’ says
Nigel Scaife. ‘Even at Grade 1 there
Many adults who take up the piano find it
inspiring to have their efforts acknowledged by
the award of a certificate of achievement, even if
it is only Grade 1 or 2
are pieces which are more “adult” than
others. For example in the current
syllabus (2013-14), there is a lovely
Prelude by Purcell which will certainly
be rewarding for any player and is well
suited to a full-sized hand due to the
quite wide arpeggiated patterns. Julian
Anderson’s Somewhere Near Cluj at
Grade 2 is a haunting, post-Bartók-style
folk-infused melody requiring quite a
sophisticated understanding of how to
create mood and atmosphere in a slow-
moving piece, as well as how to shape
and sustain long melodic lines. While
technically quite easy, this demands
a mature musicianship, so probably a
good choice for someone who has spent
years listening to classical music. An
arrangement of the traditional Latvian
folksong The Warm and Pleasant Room
at Grade 4 is one of those pieces marked
simply “con Ped” at the outset, and
where a judicious amount of pedalling
would enhance the warm sonorities
an interpretation of this piece ideally
needs. So this choice would suit many
adult learners.’
In recent years, the ABRSM has
introduced a jazz syllabus, in addition
to including arrangements of popular
music and jazz standards in the normal
syllabus. This can be very appealing for
adult students, especially those who are
returning to playing after a long gap and
welcome an opportunity that was not
available to them as children. ‘We also
find that a lot of adults enjoy the jazz
syllabus because it is not so notation
based and allows improvisation tests
rather than sight-reading,’ says Scaife.
Frances Wilson favours Trinity’s
syllabus for her adult students. ‘I feel
it offers a more interesting range of
repertoire, with more “mature” or
sophisticated pieces that are likely to
appeal to adults. Also, its exams place
an emphasis on musicianship rather
than technical work, which allows the
student greater scope to develop as a
musician, which many adults will find
more interesting.’
‘One of the interesting things
p70_Exams-FINAL.indd 72
about designing syllabuses is the need
to balance the diverse needs of our
many candidates, who live and learn
all over the world, span a wide age
range, and have very different cultural,
musical and educational backgrounds,’
says Christopher Walters, head of
qualifications for Trinity’s music
department. ‘So creating syllabuses that
appeal to adult learners is just part of
the wider work we do to meet the needs
of our global community of learners.
‘One of Trinity’s core philosophies is
to give candidates flexibility and choice
in how they demonstrate their skills,
both in terms of the different syllabuses
we offer and the different options
within each syllabus. On the classical
piano syllabus, as well as a broad range
of repertoire, adult students can find
an interesting choice of supporting
tests – for example, they can choose to
present a creative improvisation if either
sight-reading or aural tests don’t appeal
to them. Then there are our electronic
keyboard and rock and pop keyboard
syllabuses for learners whose interests
take them in those directions.’
‘Our repertoire covers an enormous
range of styles, from the end of the
16th century to contemporary classical
and arrangements of orchestral works,’
says Trinity’s Peter Wild. ‘Of course we
are very careful to ensure that they are
good arrangements and that they are
pedagogically sound, but it can be very
helpful for adults to play tunes they
already recognise.
‘In the early grades we also offer
opportunities for students to present
duets, so they can actually bring their
teacher into the room with them which
may help to put them at their ease,
as well as allowing them to play more
interesting repertoire than they would
be capable of on their own. I like that
very much.’
Your own choice
Even more freedom and flexibility is
offered by Nationwide Music Exams,
which have been developed as a
result of the company’s experience
in running music schools primarily
catering for adults – this indicated that
people taking up an instrument later
in life tend to do so for pleasure and
relaxation, and do not necessarily want
to be challenged by the demands of
some traditional exams. ‘Typically, sung
72• Pianist 78
aural tests tend to make an adult music-
maker nervous,’ says Creative Director
Phil Brown. ‘On top of this, the time
required to learn repetitious scales,
arpeggios, and so on can be a turn-off.
Our candidates and their teachers can
customise the learning requirements
to suit particular interests or needs –
for example they can offer keyboard
harmony or playing from memory and
the candidate and teacher can elect to
choose all the pieces they wish to play
at one of our exams, providing these
meet the requirements of our “Own
Choice” Remit.’
Nationwide also has a digital
piano syllabus, which, says Brown,
‘encourages the player to discover
and utilise the features of their own
instrument for example: types of reverb,
pedal functions, dual voice, variation of
touch, use of registration memories etc.
– all of which enhances their enjoyment
and playing potential. In short: playing
the digital piano as an instrument in
its own right, not simply as a piano.’
All the boards offer some form of
performance assessment to cater for
students for whom the judgmental
nature of a ‘pass or fail’ exam is
inappropriate. So whatever your
temperament, musical interests or
level of skill, there should be a type of
assessment that will suit you.
Whichever type of examination
you choose, it’s important to remember
that, as Nigel Scaife points out,
‘success begins at the pass mark. The
result may be a little lower than is
expected, due to a number of factors
– especially “big day nerves”– but if
the exam is safely passed it is usually
much better to look with confidence
to the future, rather than agonise over
the few marks that might have been
achieved on a different day. A Pass for
one student may be a real triumph and
the result of just as much hard work as
for another, whose different talents will
achieve a Distinction.’ ■
The new 2015-16 ABRSM Piano Syllabus
is out on 3 July. The new 2015-17 Trinity
Piano Syllabus is also out in July. Pianist
will be featuring an ABRSM syllabus piece
in a forthcoming issue.
Turn overleaf to read about Ed Balls’s
experiences taking keyboard exams.
CONTACTS
ABRSM
www.abrsm.org
Nationwide Music Exams
www.nationwidemusicexams.co.uk
Trinity
www.trinitycollege.co.uk
15/05/2014 09:50
 137 years of internationally
respected music exams

New Piano syllabus

2015–2017 Available in July
Our Piano syllabus offers the choice and flexibility to allow candidates to play to their strengths,
enabling them to gain recognition for their own unique skills as performers.
◗ Brand new repertoire lists featuring a wide range of styles and genres, as well as new technical work
◗ New graded repertoire books featuring all new pieces and exercises, including previously unpublished
works submitted in response to a worldwide call for repertoire
◗ New scales and arpeggios books and a new book of teaching notes
◗ High quality recordings of repertoire and exercises available on CD
◗ Flexible exam structure offering unparalleled choice
◗ Uniquely diagnostic mark scheme providing detailed musical feedback

Teacher support
At the heart of our activity in music education is teacher support. We hold events all over the world
and offer free teaching resources, articles, forums and more through our online learning platform. Find
out more at www.trinitycollege.co.uk/support

To find out more visit

www.trinitycollege.co.uk/music /TrinityCollegeLondon @TrinityC_L
73• Pianist 78

Pianist magazine
p73 Ads.indd 73 advert May 2014 (230x300).indd 1 14/05/2014 13:27:03
15/05/2014 10:52
 E D U C AT I O N
Just before UK Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls took his Grade 3 exam, he spoke with ABRSM
Chief Examiner Nigel Scaife (his teacher Lola Perrin was there for moral support…)
Nigel Scaife: Tell us a bit about the
exams you’ve taken.
Ed Balls: My Grade 1 exam was
supposed to be in Finchley Town Hall,
and Lola Perrin, my piano teacher, had
said to me, ‘normally my students all go
as a group – are you happy to do that?’
and I said, ‘of course, that will be fine’.
She said, ‘the only thing you need to
know is that the other five are all aged
eight and under!’. We had to change it
at the last minute because something
came up in Parliament, so that’s why
I ended up doing my first exam here
[at the ABRSM building in central
London].
For that exam, Lola came with me,
and we sat together in the waiting
room, and opposite us was an 11-year-
old boy and his mum. I was feeling
quite embarrassed about the fact that
there was me in my mid-forties with my
piano teacher. Then the mum leaned
over and said, ‘Can I ask, are you doing
your exam today?’, and I said I was, and
she said, ‘So am I – my son’s come for
moral support!’ The 11-year-old had
come to support her, and she was even
more nervous than me!
I did my second exam at Schott’s
Music in London, which was tough
because it was quite noisy. I practised
really hard on my three pieces but the
one I thought was my best piece was the
one I had to restart a couple of times.
However much you think you’ve done
p74_Ed Balls-FINAL.indd 74
Pass or
no pass
your practice, the tension in the room
can slightly get to you.
NS: Well, perhaps there are important
lessons in life there. How do you deal
with your nerves and prepare for taking
the exam?
EB: Well, first of all, I took up piano
because our children were all learning
and they had a really good teacher. I’d
always wanted to play the piano and I
never had when I was young. I wanted
to do the exams because I knew that the
discipline and the deadline of the exam
was really good for learning. If it hadn’t
been for the exams, I wouldn’t have
made the progress I’d made.
When you’re ten, whether you do well
in the exam or not really matters. For
me, whether I do well in the exam or
not is less important than having done
the work to get here. Although the huge
frustration for me is that in the last
exam, I got a Pass, and my 14-year-old
and 12-year-old did theirs a month
later and one got a Distinction, the
other a Merit. So I spurred them on to
greater achievement! They very much
enjoyed pointing out to me that I only
got a Pass.
In the job I do, familiarity makes a
huge difference. The very first time you
go on the Andrew Marr sofa, it’s so new
and so different, whereas now I’ve done
it many times and I know exactly what
it’s going to feel like. The same is true
74• Pianist 78
Ed Balls playing at with the exams: the first one you do, it’s
King’s Place, London, so unfamiliar, whereas, I’m doing my
in December 2013 – he was Grade 3 today; I know what it’s going
one of 13 celebrity to feel like. In exactly the same way
amateur pianists playing you stand up in front of the dispatch
Schumann’s Kinderszenen box in the House of Commons and if
you’ve done the work, you know your
audience, you’ve been there before, it’s
just much, much easier. You always have
to remember what it feels like, and what
it feels like to do it well in order to do
it well the next time. Having said that,
things often go wrong, and that’s the
nature of life.
NS: What advice would you give to
another adult learner like yourself,
who is preparing for an exam?
EB: The most important advice is to
get the syllabus book and listen to the
CD with your family members. Because
however much they like the pieces, by
the time you get to the day of your exam
(and as an adult, you’re always catching
your practice before the school run, in the
evening), they will have to live through
them, unless you’ve got a soundproofed
room. If from the outset they can’t stand
the pieces, that’s really bad! In my first set,
there was one really annoying piece. With
the three I’m doing now, there’s a huge
variation. Your teachers will always be
telling you which piece is easier or which
has technique that is more ‘deal-able’,
© Amy Zielinski
but if you don’t enjoy playing it, and the
rest of the family doesn’t enjoy listening
15/05/2014 09:52
 to it, then in the end, it will drive you and
everybody mad.
NS: That’s great advice, and it’s my job
to choose the repertoire, and Lola’s job
to choose the repertoire that suits you,
Ed, so we’re all kind of in this together!
EB: When I did my violin exams years
ago, I played pieces that were on the
main lists, because I just thought that’s
what you did, whereas in all of the three
piano exams I’ve done, I’ve listened to
the CD and I’ve gone off the main lists
for at least one piece that I chose.
NS: That’s good; you’re in the minority
there in doing that.
EB: What you find on the second list
are some fabulous pieces, but you’ve got
to go looking for them. I’m playing a
piece at Grade 4 already by… [to Lola]
what’s her name?
Lola Perrin: Valerie Caper – don’t
forget it!
NS: What’s the most challenging aspect
of all of this for you?
EB: The most challenging thing is to
have the discipline to practise the scales
Piano syllabus
2015 & 2016
Look out for a wide variety of new pieces
across Grades 1 – 8, available from 3 July.
Find out more at
www.abrsm.org/piano15
p74_Ed Balls-FINAL.indd 75
rather than simply practise the pieces.
It’s very easy to leave that too late, and
actually, it’s frustrating to rush on the
scales. The bit of the exam process I
don’t really like is sight-reading – not
because I don’t think it’s important,
but your learning method is to want to
play your way through a piece, to get
to a point where you’ve mastered it,
and then it becomes more fluent and
quicker. Whereas, in the exam, they
don’t want you to feel your way through
it, they want you to just do it, and that’s
not how I would learn to play.
NS: What are the benefits for you of
making music?
EB: The most important thing about
it is that it’s the only thing that I ever do
where it’s totally impossible to think
about anything else. I’m doing the
London Marathon in ten days’ time. I can
do my three-hour training run, and while
I’m running, I can think about a speech
I’ve got to make or a problem I’ve got to
solve. Even if I’m cooking the dinner, I
can be thinking about something else,
but if I’m playing something that is hard,
with two hands, the moment I lose any
concentration, then I just lose it. Playing
is about focusing – and in that sense, it’s
very relaxing.
75• Pianist 77
78
When you’re learning as a child, it
may be because you really want to, or it
may be because other people really want
you to. As an adult, if you’ve got a good
teacher and good pieces, the truth is,
unless you want to do it, you won’t do
it, because you don’t have to. As long as
you’ve got the right support and the right
pieces, the process is really enjoyable,
as well as being a big diversion. For me
it’s not a chore. I look forwarding to
practising as much as I can, because I
enjoy it. Lots of adults who don’t take
up piano don’t do so because they did
it when young and they didn’t enjoy
it. If you don’t enjoy it, you’re going to
stop, but if you do enjoy it, you’ll keep
enjoying it – in no sense is it a chore.
LP: I’m going to interject here – a lot
of adults think that if they didn’t do
it as a child, it’s too late, and that’s a
misconception.
NS: It’s never too late!
EB: The one thing Lola said to me
from the beginning is, ‘from the very
first week, we’ll make sure you can play
with both hands something that sounds
okay.’ That is quite a big deal, because
I’ve never had to play a pice that I didn’t
like playing. n
16/05/2014 09:10
 POPULAR PIANO

JELLY ROLL
MORTON
PLAY
KING
PORTER
STOMP
TURN TO
PAGE 52

Difficult, decadent, proud, a brilliant pianist and a boundary-shifting composer: Jelly Roll
Morton was all these, but did he also invent jazz? Inge Kjemtrup weighs the evidence

W
ho invented jazz?
With its basis in the
blues and the music
of New Orleans,
and seasoned with
classical music,
Latin, ragtime, and so much more,
jazz can hardly be attributed to any
one individual. Yet if anyone could
conceivably lay claim to be the inventor
of jazz, it would have to be Ferdinand
‘Jelly Roll’ Morton, the New Orleans-
born pianist and composer. In fact,
throughout his life, Morton made exactly
that claim to anyone who would listen:
‘I tell you the truth – of course, any time
you hear anybody, anywhere playin’ jazz,
what they playin’ is Jelly Roll.’
Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe was born
in New Orleans on 20 September 1885
(like so many details of Morton’s life,
that date is disputed) into a middle-class
Creole family. Creoles were descendants
of the French, Spanish and Africans
who came to Louisiana and created their
own vibrant culture. Ferdinand spoke
only French for the first years of his life.
Not long after his birth, his mother,
Louise Monette, divorced his father, Ed
Lamothe, and married Willie Mouton.
Ferdinand, or ‘Ferd’, took his stepfather’s
mix of cultures and music. It was there in
churches, concert halls, saloons, parades
and dance halls. Young Ferd banged
tin pans, learned the harmonica and
the Spanish-style guitar, sang in vocal
quartets on street corners, attended the
opera (Gounod’s Faust and Debussy’s
Pelléas et Mélisande were among those he
saw) and began playing the piano.
His much-loved godmother funded
his piano lessons and turned a blind
eye as he studied with a blues pianist, a
disreputable activity. Soon the teenaged
Morton found that he could earn more
money playing piano in the brothels of
the ‘Storyville’ district than by working
a late-night shift in a factory. Someone
who heard Morton play piano at one of
the ‘sporting houses’ recalled, ‘The music
was clear cut and very smooth, and of a
characteristic Spanish type, and like the
well-known brook, it just kept running
on… The beat of the music made
an impression on me and kept going
through my head.’ Morton couldn’t keep
his late-night musical activities secret
for long, and once he was found out, his
stern grandmother expelled him from the
family home. He was 16 or 17 years old.
If his formal musical education ended
at that time, his informal education

‘He was red hot. The place was on A young Jelly Roll Morton he takes the standard ragtime tune

fire!’ said future stride piano great

and adds a New Orleans stomp and a
Spanish flair. That Spanish flair was even

James P Johnson after hearing

more overt in tunes such as Mamanita.
King Porter Stomp (1905), which appears

Jelly Roll Morton play in 1911

surname. When ‘Mouton’ proved tricky
for English speakers to get their tongues
around, Ferdinand anglicised it to
‘Morton’. Changing his last name, and
then acquiring the nickname ‘Jelly Roll’,
was only the start of the way he would
reinvent himself throughout his life.
Music was all around Morton from his
earliest days, not only in the family home
but also in the city itself, a cacophonous
– listening to and playing with other
musicians – continued. Morton
perfected his playing and learned how to
look tough enough to stay out of trouble.
He was earning plenty of money and
even had a diamond installed in a gold
front tooth, a style popular among the
‘swells’ of the early 20th century.
Morton also started composing his
own tunes. In New Orleans Blues (1905),
76• Pianist 78
in this issue’s scores, might make you
think of Joplin with its ragtime beat,
but if you listen to Morton play it in a
recording, you’ll hear it’s more up-tempo
than Joplin advised for rags – and more
playful too. King Porter Stomp became,
in the words of his biographers Howard
Reich and Williams Gaines, ‘the ace up
Morton’s sleeve’. Jelly Roll Blues (1915)
goes further yet, adding an insistent
bird-song-like trill and unexpected
breaks (the piece was promoted as ‘the
hardest rag on the market’).

p76_Jelly-FINAL.indd 76 16/05/2014 09:25


Flushed with success in the South,
Morton ventured northwards, first to
Chicago in 1910 and then to New York
in 1911. Future stride piano great James
P Johnson heard him in a Harlem club:
‘He was red hot. The place was on fire!’
In Morton’s day, many top pianists
were reluctant to publish their best tunes,
lest they would be stolen by rivals. As he
started arranging for bands, he finally
published – but his relationship with
publishers would cause him endless grief.
By the time he published Jelly Roll
Blues in 1915, he was the leader of a
band and the successful manager of a
club in Chicago. Ever restless, he moved
in 1917 to Los Angeles for a job at the
wonderfully named Cadillac Café. There
his irresistible new tune, The Crave, with
its syncopations, minor key mood, and
surprising key changes, took the city by
storm. In LA he restarted his relationship
with an old New Orleans flame, Anita
Gonzales, née Bessie Johnson, but the
mercurial Anita liked to suddenly bolt
from whichever town they’d settled in.
Morton followed. He followed her from
San Francisco to Vancouver, Seattle,
Portland and New Orleans again.
Returning to Chicago in 1923,
he gathered his fellow New Orleans
musicians around him to record
Wolverine Blues, Mr Jelly Roll, London
Blues, Milenberg Joys and Kansas City
Stomp, among others. Morton was at
his peak in those years. Chicago South
Side clubs roared with the sound of
jazz, with top players like Earl Hines,
Bix Beiderbecke and Louis Armstrong,
who was achieving the kind of national
popularity Morton couldn’t touch, but
as Reich and Gaines note, ‘If Armstrong
was the latest sensation in jazz, in effect
the public face of a still youthful art
form, Morton was its master planner,
the man who put to paper the complex
arrangements that made urban America
dance. The virtuosity that Armstrong
poured through his horn Morton drew
from his pen, each musician codifying an
art form through distinct means but with
more long-lasting effects than either may
have imagined.’
p76_Jelly-FINAL.indd 77
Morton (third from left) in the form of Morton being denied
and fellow performers at fees for radio broadcast rights –
the Cadillac Café In Los the newly formed ASCAP did not
Angeles, ca.1917 welcome African-American composers.
Morton returned to New York City
in 1929, at the height of Prohibition,
when Harlem was in full swing. His
New Orleans sound looked hopelessly
old fashioned against the fast and
furious playing of Duke Ellington,
Eubie Blake and Fats Waller. You can
hear Morton trying to embrace the
new style in a 1929 recording that
includes Burnin’ the Iceberg and Tank
Town Bump. But he was getting fewer
engagements and more double-crossing
from Melrose and other publishers.
It must have been galling to see
Red Hot in Chicago clarinettist Benny Goodman have a
Morton went back to the recording huge hit in 1935 with King Porter
studio in 1926-7, with his Red Hot Stomp, when Morton didn’t receive a
Peppers, a (nearly) all-New Orleans penny of the songwriter’s royalties.
line-up of players. One tune even quotes His decline through the 1930s was
a famous New Orleans funeral song. long and painful. There were some who
Cannon Ball Blues, Black Bottom Stomp, recognised what a colossal figure he had
Billy Goat Stomp, Jungle Blues – this was been, including music archivist Alan
music that could swing. Lomax, who recorded Morton talking
As a bandleader, Morton was about his life. Another was Roy Carew,
demanding. Trombonist Kid Ory who had heard Morton play in New
recalled, ‘He knew what he wanted and Orleans and did his best to battle for
would not permit any variations from him against the publishers and against
the arrangements he had written. They history, which seemed on the verge
were tough to play – the tempos were of declaring WC Handy the founder
difficult – lots of key changes.’ of jazz. Carew typed up Morton’s
During this time, Morton agreed to response: ‘It is evidently known beyond
have his music published by Melrose contradiction that New Orleans is the
Bros Music, owned by two brothers cradle of jazz, and I myself happened
who well understood the appeal of to be the creator, in the year of 1902,
black music. They also understood the many years before the Dixieland Band
handsome profits that would come their [WC Handy’s band] organized. Jazz
way if they didn’t pay the full royalties music is a style, not compositions, any
due black composers. Walter Melrose kind of music may be played in jazz, if
took the traditional publisher’s 50 per one has the knowledge.’
cent of the royalties, plus 50 per cent His final days were spent in New
of the songwriter royalties, which he York City, tended by his common-
took on the basis of adding his own, law wife Mabel, and occasionally
often dreadful, lyrics to a song. ‘Walter receiving an insultingly low royalty
Melrose never wrote a hit in his life,’ a check. There was a final, quixotic trip
distraught Morton wrote later. ‘Melrose to California when he was desperately
is my publisher, he inserted words ill yet somehow he found the energy to
to some of my hit tunes without my assemble a group of musicians to play
knowledge or permission & is receiving his amazing final orchestral works,
[royalties].’ Further exploitation came such as the multi-layered Ganjam.
These works weren’t heard again until
1998, and were only recently recorded.
More Jelly Roll Morton Jelly Roll Morton died in Los
Angeles in 1941, and his reputation
SHEET MUSIC as an obnoxious, womanising grifter
Jelly Roll Morton: The Collected Piano Music (Piano Solo) trying to take credit where none was
Schirmer (ISBN 978-0-874-74351-7) due might have endured, were it
not for a fanatical collector named
The Best of Jelly Roll Morton Piano Solos William Russell. He grabbed up every
Hal Leonard (ISMN: 978-0-793-52063-3) letter, every score and every document
connected with Jelly Roll Morton
RECORDINGS that he could get his hands on. When
Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot Russell died in 1992 and gave it all to
(The classic Chicago ‘Red Hot Peppers’ sessions) the Historic New Orleans Collection,
Bluebird/RCA he made it possible for a new
generation to decide for themselves if
Jelly Roll Morton: The Library of Congress sessions
Morton might just, in fact, have been
Rounder Records
the spark that lit the jazz world. ■
77• Pianist 78
16/05/2014 09:25
 MAKERS

Innovation
tradition
From the most traditional and the cutting edge, from
glass pianos to advanced new actions, the Frankfurt
Musikmesse had it all this year, as Erica Worth reports
&
A
t this year’s Frankfurt Musikmesse, there were the usual
hundreds of pianos of all sorts and sizes on display. But there
were some pianos at this enormous annual music fair that
stood out for me: see-through grands from Blüthner and
Schimmel; mind-blowing innovations from Steingraeber,
Kawai and Yamaha; and design that points at the traditions
of the past from Bösendorfer and Schimmel. Here are just
some of the pianos that made me stop in my tracks.

THE EYE CATCHERS

The Schimmel glass grand, originally designed by Arno Schimmel in 1951,
was on display – of course I had to give this see-through piano a try, even at
the risk of shattering some glass. In fact, there’s no real risk of destruction
(except to a listener’s ears), because the ‘glass’ is actually Plexiglas, the
hardened plastic used in bulletproof glass. Schimmel glass grands have been
played by stars such as Ray Charles, Dame Edna Everage and Lenny Kravitz,
and I was even shown a photo of one of the grands on a fancy yacht. Yes,
when I played it, I felt like a rock star (or yacht owner) too.
Then there was another see-though attraction at the Musikmesse:
Blüthner’s modern acrylic design Crystal Edition piano. This piano Schimmel glass grand
transparent case opens up on an array of options, from LED lighting to
interior veneer placement and art designs. I was told that the customization
options are nearly unlimited because the case of the piano can be decorated
with the customer’s own design concept to create a unique work of art.
With both of these transparent pianos, it was refreshing to be able to see
the heart of the instrument exposed – the strings, the action, everything. 
There was an another visual standout that caught my eye: the brilliant
white finish of Yamaha’s baby grand model family, GB1, GB1 Silent and
GB1 Disklavier. White is clearly the new black.

Blüthner Yamaha GB1 grand

Crystal Edition

78• Pianist 78

p78_Frankfurt-FINAL.indd 78 15/05/2014 09:56

 We are extremely proud to
be able to offer you a fine
selection of these beautiful
pianos! Bosendorfer are
bespoke pianos, created
by the true artisans of the
piano world, all of which
can be taylor-made to your
specification. A dream
piano to acquire!

Pianist Editor Erica Worth plays the Bösendorfer Opus 50,000

THE TRADITIONALISTS
The impressive Bösendorfer Limited Edition Beethoven model, which
I wrote about in last year’s Frankfurt reports in issue 72, was on show
again. This year, it’s available with chrome frame but not, this time,
with Valentina Lisitsa playing on it. If you’re tempted to take a look at Interested in Yamaha pianos? We
this piano for yourself, head for Yamaha Music London on Wardour are experts in all Yamaha pianos,
Street. Standing near to the Beethoven model was Bösendorfer’s Opus including the revolutionary new
50,000 limited edition piano (see my full report on the Opus 50,000 silent, and disklavier edition models.
inside issue 75). We recently had the pleasure of
Nikolaus Wilhelm Schimmel, who led Schimmel from 1954 to 2002, attending two Yamaha training
used the occasion of his 80th birthday to create 80 limited edition courses to better understand this
instruments (40 uprights in the C120 size, 40 grands in three sizes), amazing new technology. Come and
with deliveries commencing from October. Among the unique design visit our store in
elements on this collection of instruments are double-chamfer legs; Sunningdale for
lyre and lid propped together with a fretted music desk; a discreet gold a demo!
medal on the music desk and pilaster strips.
▲

We stock a wide
selection of new
Kemble pianos in
varying sizes and
finishes. These
solidly built pianos will stand the
test of time and serve as excellent
family pianos, no matter how
experienced you are!

We are now proud suppliers of Petrof pianos.

These stunning pianos are made exclusively in the
Czech Republic, giving them the right to use the
‘European Excellence’ trademark. These pianos
need to be seen and played to be fully appreciated!

VERVE HOUSE, LONDON ROAD (A30),

SUNNINGDALE, SL5 0DJ
SALES@HANDELPIANOS.CO.UK
TEL 01344 873645
Bösendorfer Limited Edition
Beethoven model in chrome
WWW.HANDELPIANOS.CO.UK
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HANDELPIANOSLTD
79• Pianist 78

Handel vert.indd 1 15/08/2013 09:12

p78_Frankfurt-FINAL.indd 79 16/05/2014 10:33

 MAKERS
THE INNOVATORS
Last year, Yamaha showed me its brand-new TransAcoustic technology
concept, and this year they revealed some upgrades to it. At its most basic
level, TransAcoustic turns the soundboard into a loudspeaker. This means that
any sound can be delivered through this naturally resonant component. I was
able to test-drive a piano with the TransAcoustic technology before its official
introduction into several Yamaha instruments. When I played it, I found it
was like playing any normal acoustic, but when the button was switched to
TransAcoustic mode, that’s when all the fun began: being able to turn up and
down the volume, create different sounds, etc (a full article on this next issue).
At Kawai’s stand, I was taken into the special Shigeru room to try out the
Millennium III Advanced Piano Action and the Extended Keysticks. Kawai
told me that Millennium III Advanced Piano Action was created because
concert pianists had expressed a need for three key things: as much power as
possible, superb control when playing pianissimo, and exceptional speed and
repetition. The Millennium III Advanced Piano Action was developed using
ABS carbon, the components of which are known to be exceptionally light
and rigid, which will provide faster repetition and more power with less effort.
Microscopic surface textures on selected action parts are meant to provide
superb response and control.
Kawai explained that the overall length of their new Extended Keysticks has
been extended (as the name suggests) to make playing easier and provide more Kawai’s Millennium III Advanced Piano Action
even touch and response from the front to the back of the playing surface. The
keysticks are also designed with a slightly taller profile for maximum rigidity to
deliver greater power.
At the Steingraeber stand, the charismatic Udo Steingraeber showed me
his two latest, separate innovations: the lightest-ever concert grand lid, and
the Sordino function. The former was created to produce bigger sound; the
reduced weight of the lid – which is made up of aluminium, wood veneer and
the usual polyester finish – increases the projection. It was installed into their
salon grand B-192 model (6ft 3in), and I have to say that when I played it, it
sounded like their concert grand (that’s almost 9ft).
The Sordino function was created in order to emulate a muted type of sound
that pianists often try to create when playing such repertoire as Schubert. The
function is activated by a knee lever which is fitted under the keyboard (yes,
you hit it with your knee – it took me quite a few attempts to get this right!),
but I’ve been told it can be installed as a fourth pedal if the pianist prefers.
What happens is that the sordino (muted) sound is produced by means of a
very thin piece of felt that is inserted between the hammers and strings. Oh,
and nice to see yet another small creation: dampers coloured black and white,
just like the piano keys! As Pianist goes to press, it is not possible to find
a Steingraeber with either of these innovations in the UK shop, but a model
can be ordered through the manufacturer.
Udo Steingraeber explaining the Sordino effect to Erica Worth

ACOUSTIC MEETS DIGITAL CONTACTS

Yamaha put on a glittering evening’s showcase that Blüthner
featured the all-new Clavinova CLP 500 series, which www.bluthner.co.uk
comprises six models, available in slimline, upright and www.bluthnerpiano.com
grand designs and in a range of finishes. For this new
series, Yamaha has now combined sounds from its concert Bösendorfer
www.bosendorfer.com
grand CFX piano with the tone of the Bösendorfer
Imperial grand. The Clavinovas have been given a natural Kawai
wood keyboard with a new action and refined escapement www.kawai.co.uk
mechanism which means improved control over sound www.jspianos.com (London)
and dynamics. When using the headphones, there’s the www.kawaius.com
all-new stereophonic equalizer which allows real-time
adjustment of the separation of the sound, resulting in Schimmel
a uniquely spacious sound image when playing ‘silently’ www.forsyths.co.uk (Manchester)
and in private. Also new is the new spatial ambience www.peregrines-pianos.com (London)
feature, which delivers powerful and dramatic reverb. www.schimmel-piano.de
What with the Bösendorfer sound being incorporated Steingraeber
into digital pianos, and acoustic grands searching for www.steingraeber.de
Model from the Yamaha new sounds of the past in Steingraeber’s Sordino, it seems past
Clavinova CLP 500 series and present can peacefully co-exist in the piano world. n Yamaha
www.uk.yamaha.com
www.usa.yamaha.com

80• Pianist 78

p78_Frankfurt-FINAL.indd 80 15/05/2014 09:56

 YOUR MUSICAL
ADVENTURE STARTS HERE!
Barry Douglas LOOK NO FURTHER: SIGN UP WITH NATIONWIDE MUSIC
EXAMS YOUR IDEAL MUSIC PARTNER AND DISCOVER A

Schubert
plays WHOLE WORLD WE CALL
‘PUTTING PLEASURE INTO PLAYING’

DIGITAL PIANO | CONTEMPORARY PIANO | KEYBOARD | ELECTRIC GUITAR | ACOUSTIC GUITAR | SINGING
FLUTE | UKULELE | POPULAR SONGWRITING | PLAY & SING AND MORE

AS LEADERS IN INDEPENDENT EXAM PROVISION, WE’RE PASSIONATE

ABOUT OUR MUSIC AND WE BRING A REALLY FRESH APPROACH
SYLLABUS FULLY REVISED FOR 2014!
» COMPETITIVE PRICING
» FLEXIBLE TIME-TABLING
» OPTION FOR ‘OWN CHOICE’ PIECES
» ENTER 12 OR MORE CANDIDATES - RECEIVE 10% COMMISSION AND WE WILL COME TO YOU!

FOR MORE DETAILS, CALL US NOW: 01606 40400 OR VISIT WWW.NATIONWIDEMUSICEXAMS.CO.UK

FOLLOW US: @MUSICEXAMS @NATIONWIDEMUSICEXAMS

CHAN 10807

Piano Sonata in B flat major

Sussex Pianos Ltd Sales
Du bist die Ruh (transcr. Liszt) Sussex Pianos Ltd Sales
Restoration
Restoration
Polishing
Ungeduld (transcr. Liszt)
‘Wandererfantasie’ in C major Polishing
Regulation
Regulation
Accessories
Accessories
Tuning
Tuning
Repairs
Also Available Repairs
Hire
Tel. 01323 843900 Hire
Sussex Pianos Ltd
Tel. 01323 843900
www.sussexpianos.co.uk
Sales
Restoration
www.sussexpianos.co.uk
How does your grand piano play?Polishing
Too lightHow
or heavy? doesUneven
your to grand
play? piano play?Regulation
Not responsive enough?
Too light or heavy? Uneven to play? Not responsive Accessories
enough?
Precision Touch Design (PTD) is an innovative technique to improve the
CHAN 10757

Tuning
CHAN 10716

touch and tone of your grand piano. It will take a new factory spec
Precision Touch Design (PTD) is an innovative technique to improve piano or
thean
olderand
piano and
Repairs
touch tone ofenhance it further,
your grand piano. making PTDathe
It will take newultimate
factoryupgrade for or
spec piano any
an
Precision
piano
older owner.
piano Touch
and enhance Design
PTD is gaining (PTD)
world
it further, is anthe
recognition
making PTD innovative
asultimate Hire
technique
the onlyupgrade
technique
fortoany
predict
piano the
owner.
to improve
about steps to improve
Tel.
problems
PTD 01323
theiswith a piano
gaining
touch by 843900
world
and analysing
recognition
tone of your theasaction andtechnique
the only
grand then advising
piano. to
Itphysical
predict the
the feel to yourwith
problems requirements.
a piano by It will alsothe
analysing give pianists,due
action and thentoadvising
‘Brahms playing of the IRR Outstanding impediments,
about will
a new lease
steps to improve takeof www.sussexpianos.co.uk
the feel a new
enjoyment factory spec piano
from their piano.
to your requirements. or an
It willAnalysis older
also givecosts piano and
from justto£85.00.
pianists,due physical
utmost integrity and enhance it further,from making PTDAnalysis
the ultimate upgrade
authority’
International Record
Review for any piano
How does your grand piano play?
impediments, a new leasewww.sussexpianos.co.uk/PTD
owner.
of enjoyment
PTD isyougaining
their piano.
world
costs from
recognition
just £85.00.
as the only
Too light
“You canor no ideawww.sussexpianos.co.uk/PTD
haveheavy? Uneven
how much toin play?
have changed my life Not
with theresponsive
transformation of myenough?
piano.
International Record technique
With
“You can have no idea how much you have changed my life with the transformation ofthe
to predict
the huge difference in tonethe problems
and and an evennesswith a piano
pressure, by
this has analysing
transformed my playingaction
and feel as if
my piano.
Review Precision Touch
I'm absolutely Design
on top form(PTD) is anAnneCampbell
once again” innovative technique
(Brighton) to improve
and feelthe
andthethen
With huge advising
difference
touch and
about
in tone steps
and and
tone of your
I'm absolutely
to
on topgrand
improve
an evenness the
in pressure,
piano.
form once
thisfeel to your
has transformed
It AnneCampbell
again” will take a new
requirements.
my playing
factory spec piano or an
(Brighton)
as if

It will alsoolder
givepiano
pianists, due to physical impediments, a new
and enhance it further, making PTD the ultimate upgrade for any lease of
enjoyment from piano their
owner.piano.
PTD isAnalysis
gaining worldcosts from just
recognition as £85.00
the only technique to
predict the problems with a piano by analysing the action and then advising
about steps to improve the feel to your requirements. It will also give pianists,due to physical
CDs available from www.chandos.net
www.sussexpianos.co.uk/PTD
impediments, a new lease of enjoyment from their piano. Analysis costs from just £85.00.
MP3s, lossless and 24-bit studio quality downloads www.sussexpianos.co.uk/PTD
from www.theclassicalshop.net “You can have no idea how much you have changed my life with the transformation of my piano.
With the huge difference in tone and and an evenness in pressure, this has transformed my playing and feel as if
I'm absolutely on top form once again” AnneCampbell (Brighton)
81• Pianist 78
F ol l ow u s on

p81 Ads.indd 81 13/05/2014 14:01

 MAKERS

Pianos don’t usually come with detailed cleaning instructions, but maybe they should – keeping them
spotless will pay off in the long run, says Gez Kahan, who shows you how to tidy up safely

L
et’s have a show of
hands from Pianist’s
readers. How many of
you wash your hands
without fail before
you play your piano?
If you do, you’re
better than I, Gunga
Din. I could argue in my defence
that my hands, physically as well as
metaphorically, are pretty clean at the
worst of times. But how about the kids
who come in fresh from the after-school
playing fields, pull up a stool and start
getting stuck into Anna Magdalena –
how clean do you imagine their hands
might be?
Even if your piano is played by
you and you alone, and even if you
scrupulously scrub up before laying
the merest finger on a key, you’ll find
the keys need cleaning from time to
time. The natural oils in your skin can’t
help but leave minute secretions on the
keyboard, and even if you keep the lid
down whenever it’s not in use, some
dust will inevitably settle. Result: grime.
This is one of those things you shouldn’t
leave for the piano tuner to deal with. pressure, and generally look after it you won’t need special cleaning agents.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the between times. Slightly dampen one cloth, wringing it
theme of this article. Yes, you may We’ll start gently, with a short out to remove almost all the moisture
diligently book a tuner/technician to primer on cleaning the keys. If you’ve – you don’t want water dripping into
come in twice a year (you do do that, had the piano from new, follow the the workings – and work at the keys one
don’t you?) but what regular piano manufacturer’s recommended procedure by one, wiping dry immediately. Start
maintenance tasks could or should you – there will be instructions with the with the white keys then go on to the
be undertaking yourself? Think of it original documentation. Otherwise, black. Be gentle, even if there’s a bit of
as being analogous to owning a car. get hold of two clean, lint-free cloths sticky build-up – persistence is better
Just because you have it regularly – one for cleaning, the other for wiping than force, which could (especially on
serviced, that doesn’t mean you don’t dry. Whether you have plastic or ivory/ old pianos) loosen the key-facing from
clean it, check the oil, water and tyre ebony keys, if they are relatively clean the wood it’s glued to.
82• Pianist 78

p80_Makers-FINALish.indd 82 15/05/2014 10:07

 If there is more serious dirt on your
keys, a smidgen of gentle washing-up
liquid (something mild and green)
should do the trick. Plastic shouldn’t
discolour, but ivory might yellow with
age, especially if it never sees the light
of day. Exposing the keys to indirect
sunlight should help over time, though
it will also allow dust to collect. There
are specially developed solutions, such
as Key-Brite, which should help.
There is also a heap of old wives’
tales, including meths, lemon juice and
toothpaste (ivory being what teeth are
made of ), which probably won’t help.
Possibly the most bizarre suggestion
is to use milk. Don’t do it – it won’t
improve your ivory, but it will make
your music room reek like an old cheese
factory. If your ivories are in such a state
that they require more drastic measures
– hydrogen peroxide, UV lights and the
like – consult a professional.
If an ivory top has come off a key,
it can be re-stuck, but choosing the
correct glue is a minefield. Most of the
best glues require clamping overnight,
and both the wood and the reverse of
the ivory will need preparation. Rather
than risk damaging what is now a scarce
resource (ivory being subject to severe
trade restrictions), keep the piece of
ivory safe and get a professional in to fix
it. If the ivories are badly damaged, the
168-170 Easterly Road (A58)
Leeds
LS8 3AD
www.thepianoman.ltd.uk
0113 240 8030
p80_Makers-FINALish.indd 83
better option may be to replace them
with plastic tops. Again, this is a job for
the professionals.
Case study
Now for the instrument’s case. You’ll
already know that you should not
stand vases, coffee mugs and picture
frames on your piano. You’re probably
also be aware that anything that has to
stand on the case – a piano light, for
instance – must have protective felt
on the base to prevent scratches. And
you’ll want to be very wary of standing
rubber mats on varnished or lacquered
surfaces – the rubber can interact with Caster cups
the varnish and ruin the finish. Caster cups are often used on domestic pianos for
Super-clean you may be, but dust several reasons. While concert grands tend to have
will settle even in the best-regulated large casters, with brakes to stop the instrument moving
households. Don’t wipe the case with during performance, smaller grands and many uprights
an ordinary duster, which risks marking have much smaller, unlockable wheels. Caster cups –
the surface if there are any fine gritty wooden or plastic saucer-like objects that sit beneath the
particles in the dust – a feather duster casters – will keep the piano in position.
is the answer. They will help protect carpets and wooden floorboards
As for polishing, if it’s a modern from indentations too. Small wheels underneath a heavy
piano finished in polyurethane or object will bite into fabric or soft wood. Caster cups,
similar, then don’t. Spray-on polishes especially wide ones, will minimise the effect. They’ll
will simply smear. After feather dusting, also spread the load, and therefore reduce the risk of old
simply shine it with a soft cloth. If there floorboards giving way. This is particularly recommended
should be anything more stubborn for apartment-dwellers where, to paraphrase Paul Simon,
than dust, a slightly damp cloth should one man’s floor is another man’s ceiling. And nothing
remove it without affecting the surface. quite spoils your next-floor neighbours’ evening like a
Older pianos may have been French Model D crashing onto their dining room table.
polished, in which case use a suitable
▲
83• Pianist 78
15/05/2014 16:22
 polish reviver. And don’t expose your
piano to prolonged direct sunlight.
Heat can cause ‘blooming’ on finishes,
and even worse – you could wind up
with a craquelure finish. For pedals
and other metal fittings such as casters,
use an appropriate cleaning polish such
as Brasso.
Inside job
Many people never look inside their
upright, but if they did, they’d likely
get a shock: dust gets everywhere. So –
in rare cases – do mice! You should be
able to remove the bottom panel and
vacuum the base of the your upright,
taking care not to disturb the pedal
mechanism, to keep it relatively clean.
For the upper part, where the action
is, leave it to a professional – there are
too many delicate parts involved, and
what good is a spotless piano that won’t
play properly?
The same warning applies to grands.
Yes, you can carefully brush some dust
away using a paintbrush or similar, and
there are miniature vacuum cleaners that
can be used where there are no moving
parts. But you may do more harm than
good if you use a standard household
vacuum cleaner, and on the whole
blowing the dust out with compressed air
is better than sucking it up.
One thing you can do is to limit the
amount of dust that settles inside the
piano by not always having the lid up,
even though it looks impressive. And,
although admittedly it is very handy
to keep the half lid open stacked with
your favourite music and the music
desk up and loaded with the piece
you’re currently working on, that’s just
asking for dirt to accumulate in the
strings and the dampers.
If you can live with it, ask your tuner
(who will probably have specialist tools)
to clean the inside of your grand at your
six-monthly tuning. If you’re too OCD
p80_Makers-FINALish.indd 84
The digital dividend
The great news for those who own a digital piano is that while
digitals may not be exactly ‘no maintenance’, they’re certainly low
maintenance. Even better, you’ll have an owner’s manual with a
‘Taking Care of your New Digital Piano’ section – and even if you
haven’t, you should be able to track one down online, or contact the
shop you bought it from or the manufacturer for advice.
The inner workings of digital pianos are inaccessible to all but
qualified maintenance engineers, so there’s no awkward interior cleaning
to do; likewise, the pedal mechanism is an electronic switch rather than a
mechanical system, so there’s no rod to slip out of place. So all you have to do is
a little cleaning of keys and case in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Above all, before starting to clean your digital piano, switch off and unplug from the mains.
Electricity and water (even in the form of barely damp cloths) are not a good mix. And if you
inadvertently do get any liquid in your digital piano, switch off at the mains immediately and do
nothing (not even trying to dry up the moisture with a hair dryer, which may easily spread rather
than limit the damage) until you’ve taken qualified advice. 
for that, ask your tuner to advise how however, need to be regulated from time
best to clean it in the interim. to time, and most grands will have an
adjusting nut for the purpose.
Tinkering When it comes to other problems,
While a technician is always the best such as keys that stick, those confident
person to handle any mechanical in their mechanical engineering abilities
adjustment to your piano, there may be may be able to take some remedial action
one or two things that you can take care (and you’ll find plenty of advice on the
of. It’s quite common on older uprights Web). But proceed with caution. There
to get problems with the sustain pedal are plenty of unqualified people happily
failing to work. Very often that can be contributing articles to ‘how to’ websites,
because the rod that lifts the dampers but they aren’t the ones picking up the
has popped out of position. Take off tab if they’ve given you bad advice.
the lower cabinet panel to check, and if Unless you’re sure of both cause and
that’s the cause, simply pop it back into cure, it’s best to get an expert’s opinion to
place. If the problem persists, you may avoid making a costly mistake.
need to adjust the amount of play (tuner
Pete Summers has a useful explanation Preventative measures
of how to do this on his website – Prevention, as we all know, is better
www.petesummers.com/pedals.html). than cure, and we’ve already looked
Don’t overdo it, though, as that could at some things that will help reduce
have the opposite effect. It’s bad enough the amount of remedial maintenance
having no sustain pedal, but having no your piano needs. Possibly the most
dampers is even worse. important preventative measure is to
The pedal principle is the same for make sure your piano is in an ideal
the grand piano, but the typical lyre environment. With so much wood
design means the rod should never pop involved, it’s no surprise that problems
out of place. The amount of play may, can arise if a piano is exposed to
extremes of temperature and humidity.
Wood is hygroscopic (moisture-seeking)
and will naturally expand and contract
as the relative humidity changes. That
can affect everything from how well the
pinblock holds the tuning pins to the
action, without even worrying about the
potential damage to the soundboard.
So if you really care about your piano
(and you must do, or you wouldn’t
be reading this), invest in a humidity
controller such as the Piano Life Saver
system. This contains both a humidifier
to prevent the piano’s environment
becoming too dry, and a de-humidifier
to prevent it becoming too moist, plus a
‘humidistat’, which constantly monitors
the existing conditions and calls in
whichever element is require to keep
the humidity at the optimum level.
That’s it. Get your apron on, and get
cleaning. Or wash your hands and go
and do your practice. ■
84• Pianist 78
15/05/2014 16:22
 91• Pianist 78

p91 Ads.indd 91 13/05/2014 14:05

 REVIEW CD
Marius Dawn is bowled over by an elegant debut disc from Ji Liu, a final
Argerich/Abbado match-up and Federico Colli’s fiery new disc
Pianist star ratings: ★★★★★ Essential – go get it! ★★★★ Really great ★★★ A fine release ★★ Average ★ For specialists only
Buy these CDs from the Pianist website.Visit http://pianistm.ag/cdreviews

FEDERICO COLLI
Edit o r’s
MARTHA ARGERICH
Mozart: Concertos Sonatas by

C HOI C E
No 25 K503 & Beethoven and
No 20 K466 Scriabin;
Orchestra Mozart/ Mussorgsky: Pictures
JI LIU ★★★★★ Claudio Abbado at an Exhibition
Piano Reflections: Solo piano works by Beethoven, Deutsche Champs Hill
Chopin, Debussy, Liszt, Mendelssohn arr. Grammophon Records
479 1033 CHRCD079
Rachmaninov, Saint-Saëns, Schubert arr. Liszt/
Horowitz, Tchaikovsky, Wencheng ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Classic FM Debut CFMD33
How heart-breaking to think that this Beethoven’s ‘Appassionata’ Sonata is
Yet another new pianist on the scene. But wait – this is different! Here is a is the last recording made by Claudio full of youthful fire in this disc from
young pianist with a rare inborn musicality. London-based, Shanghai-born Abbado, who died just a few months the recent Leeds winner (and last
Ji Liu has a technique to match any virtuoso, however, it is his sensitive ago. Argerich’s first concerto recordings issue’s cover artist), Federico Colli. It
and unpretentious musicality that shines forth in this well-recorded debut for DG were also with Abbado, and comprises the storm, the calm and the
album. How rare to hear a pianist satisfied with presenting the music as here they are in two of the finest fury; I can almost imagine Beethoven
written and not forcing any personal idiosyncrasies into the music. Mozart concertos. The disc opens with would have played it like this. Colli
The voicing of the opening Mendelssohn/Rachmaninov is played with one of the biggest of the concertos, the shows beautiful shades of colour
great elegance, a Liu trademark also heard in the Liszt Liebestraum No 3. C major, followed by the darker and in the demanding Scriabin Tenth
His ‘Moonlight’ Sonata offers a slightly slower middle movement than more introverted D minor. In the C Sonata, and trills and abrupt rhythms
usual, but that only emphasises the unforced way with which he approaches major, Argerich uses an idiomatic are given their full due. Pianists often
this well-known work. The fast third movement shows fire and energy, also cadenza by her teacher Friedrich overdo the drama in Mussorgsky’s
evidenced in the Saint-Saëns Danse macabre that closes the disc. Gulda and that, together with the rest Pictures, but Colli is not out to score
It’s fun to hear a composition by Chinese composer Wencheng and the of her performance, is in a class of its cheap points. The ‘Promenade’ binds
elaborate Schubert Ständchen transcription, both played with charm and own. She receives fine and seamless the sections together without coming
finesse. Liu’s Debussy Suite Bergamasque could very well be one of the best accompaniment from Abbado and his across as repetitive, and the big
modern recordings, especially the ‘Clair de lune’, which is refreshingly free hand-picked Orchestra Mozart. There chords on the final pages are never
of sentimentality and flows naturally into the final ‘Passepied’. Yes, there cannot be a finer performance of these harsh. This is an impressive recording
are many new pianists these days, but very few of them are like Ji Liu. concertos, and no better memorial to and proof that the Leeds judges made
the Abbado/Argerich partnership. the right choice.
STEPHEN HOUGH LOUIS LORTIE YUJA WANG JOYCE YANG
In the night. Includes Louis Lortie Plays Rachmaninov: Wild Dreams.
Beethoven: Chopin Vol 3. Concerto No 3; Includes
‘Moonlight’ Sonata; Selection of Prokofiev: Concerto Rachmaninov,
Schumann: Carnaval; nocturnes, No 2 Hindemith, Bartók,
Hough: Sonata No 2; impromptus, plus Simón Bolívar SO of Schumann and
Chopin, etc Sonata in B minor Venezuela/Dudamel Rachmaninov/Wild
Hyperion Chandos DG Avie Records
CDA67996 CHAN 10813 479 1304 AV2261

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★★

Apart from Schumann’s Carnaval, the
pieces in this disc are connected with
music of the night. My favourites are
the two Schumann works in which
Hough makes the music shine – he is
especially in his element in Carnaval,
where he presents all the facets of
Schumann’s complex personality in an
exquisite way. The Chopin nocturnes
are a little bland, and in Beethoven’s
‘Moonlight’, he puts a very personal
stamp on a work that Ji Liu [above]
lets speak for itself. Hough’s own
well-crafted and pianistic Sonata No
2 is a Rachmaninov-gone-astray mix
bearing the title ‘notturno luminoso’.
He convincingly brings across its
dark underlying feeling, a brooding
mood that borders on scary.
This is a five-star performance with a
four-star piano. Louis Lortie possesses
a phenomenal range of colours and
his Chopin is undoubtedly one of
the most beautiful today. I am not
convinced that the Fazioli gives him
all the possibilities he needs – most
of the nocturnes sound slightly
thin in the right hand, and the
weightiness of the bass seems to be
missing. However, Lortie’s masterly
performance of the B minor Sonata is
so exemplary that all can be forgiven.
The lesser-known impromptus are
played with a Classical restraint
and tight rhythmic control, and it’s
nice to hear them inserted between
nocturnes performed with such
fantastic tonal control.
86• Pianist 78
Aside from the Busoni Concerto,
Rachmaninov’s Third and Prokofiev’s
Second are the two greatest leviathans
among piano concertos. Surely for a
delicate-looking pianist such as Yuja
Wang to take them on would be like
a butterfly taking on a whale. But
fear not – there’s nothing in these
scores that seems to scares her. This
is musically powerful playing, and
the monstrously difficult cadenza in
the Prokofiev seems like child’s play
in her hands. Unfortunately, the
orchestra under Dudamel does not
match Wang’s lyrical playing in the
Prokofiev, and orchestral solos in the
tricky Rachmaninov concerto are not
up to Wang’s level. Get your hands
on this disc for the pianist alone!
Though many generations younger
than Rachmaninov, Joyce Yang has
the same suave way with the piano.
Rachmaninov never recorded the
1931 revised version of his Second
Sonata, but now we have Yang’s version
and that is not the worst substitute.
Similarly, she can challenge Earl Wild’s
performance of his transcriptions
of Rachmaninov songs. The disc’s
highlight is a magnetic performance
of Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, where
Yang is in her element combining
Rachmaninov’s power with Wild’s
light-fingered elegance. The recording
is on the bright side, but it is clear with
a fine round sound, which only adds
to the picture of a pianist I would go a
long way to hear again.

p86_CD Review-FINALish.indd 86 16/05/2014 10:27

 • Eight fresh interpretations of traditional British folk-tunes and
seven complementary folk-inspired original compositions

• For the developing pianist with between 2 and 4 years experience

• Including helpful practice notes for each piece

• Each title includes a CD featuring Demonstration Tracks

as well as Separate Left & Right Hand Practice Tracks
(both normal speed and slowed-down)

Folk Roots for Solo Piano £ 12.99

Available from all good music shops. For more information please contact Schott Music Ltd:
T: 020 7534 0740 | marketing@schott-music.com | www.schott-music.com
Printed
Boosey by greenstret
& Hawkes Publisher.distributed by Schott Music
is exclusively
15:40PM 20/10/108
File SMH - Pianist 1008.dtp, page 1. Keyboard Skills ad 133.5x90 24/6/08 11:53 Page 1
Adobe PDF

When you need printed music, Keyboard Skills

just visit the Hound ...
for Reluctant Pianists
Sue Anderson
... and see for yourself why so many customers
from around the world return to ... A crash course
in increasing
www.sheetmusichound.com practical
confidence
at the piano.
Music Teacher:
July 2007
an established leader in print music one-stop
shopping Content includes

over 400,000 competitively priced scores • basic harmony

at the keyboard
listed online
• scale playing
used by music librarians across the world made easy
• how to simplify £21 inc CD
accompaniments ISBN 978-0-9552933-0-6
• 30-week sample Available from all good
timetable bookshops or direct from
Sue Anderson on 020 8670 0982
+44(0)1667838
Email: hound@sheetmusichound.com - Tel/Fax:+44(0)845 455701
1760
or sue@sueanderson.co.uk
Sheet Music Hound Limited – Drumdelnies, Delnies, IV12 5NT
87• Pianist 78

p87 Ads.indd 87 13/05/2014 14:04

 REVIEW SHEET MUSIC
Charming pieces from an unknown Polish composer, folk roots, a new Heumann volume
and plenty of duos feature in Michael McMillan’s round-up this issue
FOLK ROOTS FOR PIANO
Hywel Davies
Boosey & Hawkes Schott
ISMN 979-0-060
-12758-8
Seven of the 16 pieces in Folk Roots
for Piano are original works by
Hywel Davies, and the remainder
are his arrangements of folk songs
originating from Somerset, Davies’s
home county. Apart from O Waly
Waly, and When the boat comes
in (Dance ti’ thy Daddy), the folk
tunes may not be familiar, but
the accompanying CD helps by
providing demonstration tracks. The
CD contains two additional tracks for
each piece that features the left and
right hand parts played separately.
Difficulty increases through the book
from Grade 1 to Grade 3, and, as you
would expect from an experienced
arranger like Davies, all the music is
sympathetically written for pianists at
this level. Dip in, then, if you enjoy
folk music. A couple of the original
works – Adieu and Milonga – are
worth investigating too.
PAULINA SZALIT
Selected pieces for
piano Vols 1 & 2
Eufonium Melody Bober
ISMN: 979-0-801546-
18-0 (Vol 1); -20-3
(Vol 2)
Paulina Szalit (ca.1886-1920) was
a Polish pianist and composer. As a
pianist, she studied with the famed
teacher Theodor Leschetizky and
such virtuosos as Eugen d’Albert and
Josef Hofmann. Schnabel believed
her to have been the greatest child
prodigy in history. As a composer,
she wrote several piano pieces, and
included them in her concerts. These
two volumes of piano solos contain
her eight Morceaux op 2 (Vol 1) and
four Clavierstücke op 3 (Vol 2). They
are short, charming pieces between
two and eight pages long, written in a
sentimental, Romantic style with few
unexpected harmonies or surprises.
The music lies well under the hand, is
friendly to smaller hands and can be
tackled by Grade 7-8 pianists. Readers
who enjoy Romantic miniatures will
appreciate the touching two-page
Intermezzo from Szalit’s op 3.
p88_Sheet Review-FINALish.indd 88
LIGHT AND SHADE
Hans-Günter Heumann
ISMN: 979-0-001-
19663-5
This album of piano solos by the
renowned German composer/editor/
pedagogue [and Pianist Keyboard
Class teacher] Hans-Günter Heumann
contains 12 pieces at around Grades 3
to 6. They are written in a popular-
sounding, minimalist style similar to
that of Einaudi and Glass, but with
generally greater rhythmic variation,
and, in some places, more melodic
interest. Most pieces are six pages
long, but the repetitive nature of the
music makes it easy to learn. Those
with small hands should note that all
but one of the pieces feature octaves.
This is attractive and motivating
music, particularly for teenagers, and
if you want to hear samples, YouTube
has videos of the composer playing a
few of the pieces. If you like what you
hear, then you are likely to enjoy
Heumann’s other solo piano album,
entitled Live Your Dream.
GRAND ONE-HAND
SOLOS, BOOKS 1, 2 & 3
Alfred
Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-7390
-8795-4 (Bk 1);
-8796-1 (Bk 2);
-8819-7 (Bk 3)
Melody Bober’s Grand Piano series
includes solos, duets, trios (reviewed
in Pianist No 70), and the three books
reviewed here (the series goes up to
Book 6) that feature music written
for one hand only. Their goal is to
provide pieces for students who have
one hand out of action due to injury
– a common enough occurrence, as
frustrated piano teachers will attest!
Book 1 contains three pieces for
each hand at pre-Grade 1 level, while
Books 2 and 3 (approximately Grade
1) contain four each. Almost all the
pieces in the first two books have
teacher accompaniments to spice up
the music, while Book 3 is largely
unaccompanied. When injury strikes,
these are ideal pieces to develop the
other hand, and they also help to
improve reading skills by reinforcing
the message that either hand can play
in either clef.
88•• Pianist
88
Pianist #13
ISAAC ALBÉNIZ
Asturias; Tango
Henle
ISMN: 979-0-2018
-0800-0 (Asturias);
-0753-9 (Tango)
These single editions of Asturias
and Tango have been respectively
extracted from Henle’s publications
of the complete Suite Espagñola
and España, and are now available
for a fraction of the cost of those
collections. Asturias and Tango
are two quintessentially Spanish
piano solos by Albéniz with starkly
contrasting characters. Asturias
(Grade 8) is a nine-page thriller
containing rapid-fire notes that
resemble the plucking of a guitar,
while the Tango (Grade 6) is a two-
page slow, romantic piece that has
been described as ‘the most famous
tango’. Fingering and pedalling
indications from the sources (first
editions) have been retained, and
further editorial fingering has been
added to the Tango. If you’re after
single-copy editions of these works,
look no further.
A TREASURE CHEST OF
DUOS
Edited by Monika
Twelsiek
Schott
ISMN: 979-0-001-19457-0
In case you wondered, there is no
overlap of repertoire between this book
and the other duets volume edited by
Monika Twelsiek that’s on this page.
This one has 40 pieces, most of which
are just one page long per part. The
easiest music is around Grade 1 and
the occasionally more complicated
Secondo parts stretch no higher than
Grade 5. Presented chronologically,
from Johann Baptist Vanhal (1739-
1813) to Uwe Korn (b.1962), there
are several recognisable melodies (such
as a selection of Schumann’s pieces
for children, arranged by Kirchner)
in an otherwise unfamiliar, but
approachable, selection. I made no
exciting discoveries, and despite one
of the pieces – Mátyás Seiber’s Blues
– having the wrong clef printed all
the way down the Primo part, there’s
plenty of fresh material for inquisitive
teachers and students to explore.
78
PIANO DUETS
Edited by
Monika Twelsiek
Schott
ISMN: 979-0-001-
18763-3
There are many piano duet collections
available today, but there are very few
I know of that contain as many pieces
as this one, and none that include so
many classics of the duet repertoire
(the book’s subtitle is ‘50 Original
Pieces from 3 Centuries’). Fifty
pieces drawn from the 18th, 19th
and 20th centuries are contained in
this book, including such favourites
as Schubert’s Military March, ten of
Brahms’s waltzes, Fauré’s Berceuse,
Debussy’s En bâteau, and several
pieces by Grieg as well as lesser-known
works such as Satie’s Cancan Grand-
Mondain, a waltz by Hindemith
and an arrangement of Chopin’s A
minor waltz. Primo and Secondo
parts are printed on separate pages,
and difficulty ranges from Grade 4 to
Grade 7. At 260 pages long, the book
is quite large, but it easily lies flat on
the music stand. Four thumbs up!
CONTEST WINNERS
FOR TWO, BOOKS 1-5
Various Composers
Alfred Publishing
ISBN: 0-7390-9967-4
(Bk 1); -9968-1 (Bk 2);
-9969-8 (Bk 3); -9970-4
(Bk 4); -9971-1 (Bk 5)
These five books of piano duets
contain between seven and ten pieces
each that are roughly the same level
in graded difficulty as their respective
book numbers (e.g. Book 2 = Grade 2).
The content of the five books
has been drawn from the most
effective and popular duet repertoire
published by three companies –
Alfred, Belwin and Myklas – that
have featured on contest and festival
lists in the US, and includes music
by well-known American educational
composers such as Robert Vandall,
David Karp, David Carr Glover
and Dennis Alexander. The duets
are all easy to listen to, but Big River
Barn Dance and Valse Sentimentale
(both in Book 4), and Kansas City Rag
(Book 5) are particular highlights.
Look out for a similar set of four
books for solo piano already available
from Alfred.
15/05/2014 10:37
 WHERE C AN I FIND...
R E TA I L E R S TUITION
CHESHIRE N W L ON DON SURREY BORDERS E S S E X Not found the company
you were looking for?
Shackleford Pianos Piano Warehouse Pianists Together
Athey Street 291-295 Willesden Lane Weekly workshop near Then why not visit www.
Macclesfield London Brentwood/Chelmsford: duets, pianist magazine.com/
Cheshire NW2 5HY Handel Pianos accompaniment, musicianship, Where-Can-I-Find/ and
SK11 6QU 0207 267 7671 Verve House, London Road (A30), solo performance, kindred spirits check out the wide
0800 032 9919 www.piano-warehouse.co.uk Sunningdale, Berkshire, SL5 0DJ and friendly atmosphere! Free selection of products
shacklefordpianos@gmail.com Specialists in sales and rentals 01344 873645 taster session. Individual tuition and services promoted
The UK’s Premiere Piano Centre - sales@handelpianos.co.uk also offered. www.cagmus.org.uk/ through our website.
Over 150 pianos in 4000sq feet of
N ORT H W EST www.handelpianos.co.uk piano.html 07801 258261
showrooms and workshops Forsyth Complete range of new and restored
Specialists in - Piano sales | 126 Deansgate, Manchester M3 2GR upright and grand pianos, for the
Restoration | French polishing | 0161 834 3281 beginner through to the professional. Hol i d ay s
Servicing | Piano transport | Event hire pianos@forsyths.co.uk Appointed Bosendorfer and Kemble
www.forsyths.co.uk agents. As new, restored pianos
With over 150 years of experience from Bluthner & Bechstein
GLOUCESTERSHIRE Forsyth offers the complete piano
Cheltenham Piano Centre service.
52 Winchcombe Street, Unrivalled selection of quality new
WORCESTERSHIRE
Cheltenham and used pianos agents for Cheltenham Piano Centre
Gloucestershire, GL52 2HP Bösendorfer, Bechstein, Kawai, 52 Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham
01242517635 01242 250794 Kemble, May-Berlin, Schimmel, Gloucestershire, GL52 2HP
www.cheltenham-piano-centre.co.uk Vogel & Yamaha 01242517635 01242 250794
Bluthner, Yamaha, Bechstein, Kemble, Rebuilt & Pre-owned by Bechstein, www.cheltenham-piano-centre.co.uk
Dale Forty Restorations and repairs Bluthner, Fazioli, Ibach & Steinway Bluthner, Yamaha, Bechstein, Kemble,
undertaken in our workshops Dale Forty Restorations and repairs
undertaken in our workshops
HEREFORD OX O N
Cheltenham Piano Centre Vale Pianos
52 Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham Piano Centre Piano Specialists with over 100
Cheltenham 52 Winchcombe Street, pianos on display. Family business.
Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Workshops and showrooms.
GL52 2HP GL52 2HP Visit www.valepianos.co.uk
01242517635 01242517635 01242 250794 01386 860419
01242 250794 www.cheltenham-piano-centre.co.uk
www.cheltenham-piano-centre.co.uk Bluthner, Yamaha, Bechstein,
Bluthner, Yamaha, Bechstein, Kemble, Kemble, Dale Forty
YO R K S H I R E
Dale Forty Restorations and repairs Restorations and repairs undertaken Stephen Brandon Pianos
undertaken in our workshops in our workshops 23B Whitby Avenue, York, North
Yorkshire, YO311EU
01904 430270 / 01904430270
SURREY stephen@stephenbrandonpianos.co.uk
LONDON Piano Warehouse www.stephenbrandonpianos.co.uk
Peregrine’s Pianos 111-113 Ewell Road, Surbiton, We have been selling high quality
137A Grays Inn Road . London Surrey, KT6 6AL pianos for over 30 years. We stock a
WC1X 8TU 0208 399 4110 large selection of new, second hand
Tel: 020 7242 9865 E: info@ www.piano-warehouse.co.uk and restored upright and grand pianos
peregrines-pianos.com W: www. Specialists in sales and rentals. .Our showroom is open every Saturday
peregrines-pianos.com 10.30am to 5.00pm. An appointment is
We are here to sell and hire out Piano Workshop of Reigate advisable on weekdays.
fine, modern upright and grand Sales-Rental-Restoration
pianos, and to provide a unique Practice and teaching rooms for hire
working environment for the music ABRSM exam centre
profession. www.pianoworkshop.co.uk

p89Classifieds78.indd 89 15/05/2014 14:12

 CL ASSIFIEDS

Swanton Design & Marketing ©

Tel: 0771-855-2390 | Email: studio@swantondesign.co.uk
Piano specialists for over four generations

Exclusively in Yorkshire We have over

70 pianos on offer from
AUTHORISED DEALERS FOR BOTH KAWAI & YAMAHA
Bosendorfer | Bluthner
compare them side by side under one roof.. Bechstein | Kemble
Yamaha | Kawai

With many other new and

quality pre loved pianos.
With delivery arranged countrywide

0113 240 8030

168-170 Easterly Road (A58) Leeds · LS8 3AD
www.thepianoman.ltd.uk www.handelpianos.co.uk
Tel: 01344 873645 Email: sales@handelpianos.co.uk
Verve House | London Road | Sunningdale | Berkshire | SL5 0DJ

PIANO WORKSHOP Est. 1982

Yamaha U1
with silent system
Restoration specialists - pianos purchased. Over 90 pianos on display.
www.pianoworkshop.co.uk Tel: 01737 242174
46b Albert Road North, Reigate, Surrey RH2 9EL

Are you looking for pre-owned ?

We have 2 pre-owned Schimmel grand pianos

in our showrooms - K169 and K230
Unusual opportunity to buy a nearly new Schimmel
Compare with our new K169, K189 and K213 models

Please contact us for further details.

www.valepianos.co.uk 01386 860419

WORCESTERSHIRE

Advertise your business here!

You can watch in-depth
Call Natalie Tuerena on piano lessons on the
0845 226 0477 Pianist TV channel!
www.pianistmagazine.com

p89Classifieds78.indd 90 15/05/2014 14:12

#40695 - CLP Ad Warranty:Layout 1 14/05/2014 15:13 Page 1

Two of the world’s finest grands

...in one piano

The true grand piano experience has never been more accessible than with our new Clavinova CLP 500-Series.
Complex sample sets, painstakingly borrowed from Yamaha’s flagship CFX concert grand, plus a magnificent
Bösendorfer Imperial, offer a unique choice of sound.
And with Virtual Resonance Modeling, as well as string and damper resonance, the subtle nuances of a grand
performance are at your fingertips. Meanwhile, realistic touch, synthetic ivory keytops and an escapement
mechanism, make a CLP Clavinova feel just like its acoustic counterpart.
Six new CLP models are available in a variety of finishes, so visit uk.yamaha.com to discover your new Clavinova**.

92• Pianist 77
* Terms and conditions apply. Ask your dealer for details.
** Model shown is the CLP-585PE. Specifications vary across the range. Not all features mentioned are found on all models.

p92 Ads.indd 92 15/05/2014 10:56