Tag: Grieg

judi

Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg & Debussy

pbnbigesdi

This week’s blog post features our most recent Practice Clinic in which Graham Fitch responds to questions submitted by Online academy subscribers. In this recording, Graham discusses topics such as legato playing, fingering, building speed and quarantining in works by Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg and Debussy.

Next practice clinics

Our next practice clinic takes place @ 12:00 BST on Wednesday 26th May. Please sign-up to our mailing list here for updates on future practice clinic dates.

Watch previous clinics

Recordings of past practice clinics are posted up on our Facebook page and YouTube channel shortly after each event. You can also view our full archive of previous events via these links!

How they work?

Online Academy subscribers can submit questions for practice clinics up to two weeks before each session. This can be done using the link provided on the Online Academy dashboard under “subscription benefits” (click here to sign-in and visit your dashboard).

Further information on how our practice clinics work is available here or please click here to find out more about the Online Academy.

…
judi

Mozart, Mendelssohn, Grieg and Ravel!

pbnbigesdi

In this month’s practice clinic (May 2021), Graham Fitch answered questions on coordinating the hands, using forearm rotation, trills and various other topics. Works featured include Mozart’s Sonata in a minor K310, a Menuet by Lully, Mendelssohn’s Song Without Words Op. 19 No. 4, Grieg’s Summer Eve and Ravel’s Sonatine.

practice clinic screenshot

Practice clinic questions

  • WA Mozart – Sonata in A Minor, K310 2nd Mvt (Bars 16 – 17) – Practice approaches to coordinating the left and right hands, particularly when putting the hands together and playing the trills
  • Jean-Baptiste Lully – Menuet from Essential Keyboard Repertoire (Bar 16) – What is the purpose of the G# in what is essentially a piece in D minor?
  • Felix Mendelssohn – Song Without Words, Op. 19 No. 4 (Bars 1 – 4) – How to use forearm rotation in the right way in order to play the opening four bars without tension or pain
  • Edvard Grieg – Summer Eve (Bars 14 – 18) – Getting the left hand in synch with the right hand both slowly and up to speed
  • Maurice Ravel – Sonatine, 1st Mvt (Opening bars) – Suggestions for overcoming difficulties in obtaining the desired sound and evenness in the opening bars of this work (we also have our own study edition for this work – click here for more information!)

Next practice clinics

Our next practice clinic takes place on Wednesday 23rd June on our Facebook page at 12:00 BST. Please sign-up to our mailing list here for updates on future practice clinic dates.

Watch previous clinics

Recordings of past practice clinics are posted up on our Facebook page and YouTube channel shortly after each event. You can also view our full archive of previous events via these links!

How they work?

Online Academy subscribers can submit questions for practice clinics up to two weeks before each session. This can be done using the link provided on the Online Academy dashboard under “subscription benefits” (click here to sign-in and visit your dashboard).

Further information on how our practice clinics work is available here or please click here to find out more about the Online Academy.

…
judi

Clair de Lune, Grieg & Leggiero Touch

pbnbigesdi

In this month’s practice clinic, Graham Fitch answers questions on Debussy’s Clair de Lune and achieving a graceful, light touch in works by Grieg and Chopin.

Grieg – “The Butterfly” (from Lyric Pieces, Op. 43 No. 1)

Practice clinic questions

Debussy Clair de Lune – I would appreciate some help gaining proficiency beginning in bar 27. I’m having difficulty creating smoothness and speed in the remainder of the piece.

Notes appearing in both hands – What is the purpose and how do I execute a note that appears on both the left and right hands? For example, bar 118 in the 3rd mvt of Beethoven Op. 10 No. 1; the ascending line in the B section of Chopin Op. 70 No. 2. Similarly, I can’t play the left hand D without it sounding like a staccato in bar 142 of the Pathetique 3rd mvt.

Grieg Butterfly (from Lyric Pieces Op. 43 No. 1) – I often miss when I have to land on RH 5th finger notes, such as bar 4 and even harder bar 19 etc. Also, any tips on how to make this piece lighter and more graceful would be appreciated.

Chopin Nocturne in F-Sharp Major (Op. 15 No. 2) – What practice strategies do you recommend to achieve a leggiero touch in the second cadenza (bar 51) of this piece?

Next practice clinic

Our next Practice clinic takes place on 16th January 2023 @ 12:00 GMT. Please sign-up to our mailing list here for updates on future practice clinic dates.

Watch previous clinics

Recordings of past practice clinics are posted up on our Facebook page and YouTube channel shortly after each event. You can also view our full archive of previous events via these links!

How they work?

Further information on how our practice clinics work is available here or please click here to find out more about the Online Academy.

Online Academy subscribers can submit questions for practice clinics up to two weeks before each session. This can be done using the link provided on the Online Academy dashboard under “subscription benefits” (click here to sign-in and visit your dashboard).

Further information on how our practice clinics work is available here or please click here to find out more about the Online Academy.

…
judi

Two Preludes, a Pavane & Grieg –

pbnbigesdi

In this month’s practice clinic, Graham Fitch answers to questions on co-ordination, building speed, use of expression in early keyboard music and more in preludes by Heller and Alan Bullard, one of Grieg’s most famous Lyric Pieces and Byrd’s Earl of Salisbury.  

Grieg's wedding at Troldhaugen

Practice clinic questions

S. Heller Prelude in C# Minor (No. 10 from 24 Preludes, Op. 81) – I’m struggling to co-ordinate my LH in bars 17 – 20 – I can’t seem to get it even at the tempo, and it falls apart when I add the RH. Any ideas for practice please?!

Alan Bullard Prelude in G Major (No. 8 from Twelve or Thirteen Preludes for Piano, Set One) – Could you please let me know how I might prepare and play the LH ad lib section in this work (bar 41)?

Grieg Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Op.65 No.6 from Lyric Pieces) – I absolutely love this piece,but need some help with the second section. I can’t make any sense of it rhythmically and my hands won’t manage the passage at the speed. Also, I don’t have a big enough stretch for the LH chords just before the octaves. May I leave notes out? There doesn’t seem to be enough time to arpeggiate them.

William Byrd Pavan: The Earl of Salisbury – Although I enjoy playing this piece, I am not confident about what I’m allowed to do with it expressively. I would appreciate your advice about how to change things on the repeats and whether it is OK to use the pedal.

Further resources & links

  • Click here to view Graham’s full video lesson for the Heller Prelude featured in this clinic.
  • Click here to view a recording of Alan Bullard’s Prelude played by the composer on YouTube. You can also read a blog post by the composer about the work here and the score is available for purchase here.

Next practice clinic & new format

Going forward, our practice clinics will no longer take place on Facebook live but will rather be pre-recorded and published alongside our regular blog posts. Therefore the video for the next clinic will be available on Thursday 13th June and questions can be submitted until 3th June. Please sign-up to our mailing list here for updates on future practice clinic dates and to receive links to the recordings when they become available.

Watch previous clinics

Recordings of past practice clinics are posted up on our blog, Facebook page and YouTube channel once recorded and you can also view our full archive of previous events via these platforms.

How they work?

Further information on how our practice clinics work is available here or please click here to find out more about the Online Academy.

Online Academy subscribers can submit questions for practice clinics up to two weeks before each session. This can be done using the link provided on the Online Academy dashboard under “subscription benefits” (click here to sign-in and visit your dashboard).

Further information on how our practice clinics work is available here or please click here to find out more about the Online Academy.

…