Tag: Haydn

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Florence Price, Bach, Haydn & a Daydream!

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Another four videos for works from a selection of grades from the 2023 & 2024 ABRSM piano examination syllabus are now available on the Online Academy. The works featured include Daydream by Kristina Arakelyan, a catchy piece by Florence Price, one of Bach’s most well-known Inventions and an uncharacteristically dark sonata movement by Haydn.

New Videos

Grade 2 – C3: Kristina Arakelyan – Daydream

The composer says of this piece: “It is about getting lost in our thoughts, discovering a beautiful world which lives within us and expressing it through music.” After the introduction, built from broken chords in a spinning pattern, we find the theme in the right hand, imitated a bar later by the left hand. In this excerpt, Graham Fitch introduces the piece and gives some suggestions for the opening theme:

daydream by Kristina Arakelyan

Grade 4 – C3: Florence Price – Ticklin’ Toes

Florence Price’s catchy Ticklin’ Toes is based on African-American dances and its syncopated rhythms and off-beat accompaniment patterns creating a lively, playful mood. In this excerpt, Graham gives tips for practising the left hand:

Grade 5 – A4: J.S. Bach – Invention No. 8 in F, BWV 779

In a Bach Two-Part Invention both hands are equally important – we might imagine a duet between a violin and cello, or flute and bassoon. The F major Invention is exuberant and joyous in character, the theme rising up in ever larger jumps (broken chord) and floating back down in scale fragments. In this video excerpt, Graham analyses the subject and how its shape might influence choices regarding dynamics:

js bach invention in F major

Grade 7 – A1: Haydn – Allegro moderato (1st mvt from Sonata in B minor, Hob. XVI:32)

Haydn’s music is so often sunny and positive in mood, with a humorous streak. The Sonata in B minor is surprisingly dark and dramatic in Sturm und Drang style, with only brief hints of brightness in the second subject material of the exposition. In this excerpt, Graham demystifies the ornaments and gives suggestions for executing them:

haydn sonata in b minor

Click here for links to view the full videos on the Online Academy!

Other Videos

Click here to view the full index of available videos, including links to several from previous and other syllabuses (further information on our project for the previous 2021 & 2022 syllabus is available here).

Videos for over 70 pieces have been recorded already and are currently in the various stages of the editing process. Several further shoots are planned and we will be releasing the videos in frequent installments over the coming months. Please click here to sign-up to our mailing list for updates and notifications on this project and our resources for piano examinations.

Practising the Piano Online Academy

The Practising the Piano Online Academy is the ultimate online resource for mastering the piano. It features a constantly growing library of thousands of articles, videos and musical excerpts on topics including practising, piano technique and performing from leading experts. Please click here to find out more about the Online Academy or on one of the options below to subscribe:

  • Monthly subscription – Subscribe for £13.99 a month to get full, unlimited access to all Online Academy articles and updates (click here to sign-up for this option)
  • Annual subscription – Save almost 30% on the monthly subscription with an annual subscription for £119.99 per year and get free eBooks and editions worth over £70! (click here to sign-up for this option)
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A Lullaby, Loeschhorn, Pescetti & Haydn

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We’re pleased to announce a big set of additions to our collection of video lessons for the 2023 & 2024 ABRSM examination syllabus. These new lessons feature works from across all levels by Bach, Kuhlau, Haydn and Martínez to name a few!

In this blog post we highlight and provide video previews for a selection of these new lessons for works from the elementary and intermediate grades, including a Lullaby by Charles Stanford, a study by Loeschhorn and two movements from sonatas by Pescetti and Haydn.

New Videos

ABRSM Grade 2 B2: Stanford – Lullaby (No.5 from Six Sketches)

Stanford’s Lullaby offers the player the opportunity to develop quality of tone and phrasing in soft dynamics, p and pp. In this excerpt, Graham Fitch shows how to avoid “ghost notes” (notes that don’t sound) when playing softly:

Lullaby by Stanford

ABRSM Grade 3 B2: Loeschhorn – Study in F (No. 25 from 48 Etüden in fortschreitender Ordnung, Op. 65)

This study from the Romantic period features a melody line in the right hand in singing style, supported by an accompaniment in broken chords in the left. The secret to playing it beautifully lies not only in projecting the melody line but also in shaping it while keeping the accompaniment soft. In this excerpt, Graham introduces the piece and gives tips for practising the left hand alberti bass:

ABRSM Grade 4 A1: Pescetti – Presto (3rd mvt from Sonata No. 6 in C minor)

Pescetti was an Italian composer of the Baroque era, known for his many operas and some keyboard pieces written for the harpsichord and early piano. In this excerpt, Graham explores possibilities for articulation, touch and colour in the opening theme:

Presto by Pescetti

ABRSM Grade 5 A2: Haydn – Minuet and Trio (2nd mvt from Sonata in D, Hob. XVI:4)

In the Classical Period, a minuet was a stylised dance in triple time, elegant in character. It was customary to follow a minuet with a trio, after which the minuet was repeated (creating an overall ABA structure). In this video excerpt, Graham plays the trio from this work and discusses possibilities for articulation and shaping:

Minuet and trio by Haydn

Click here for links to view the full videos on the Online Academy!

Other Videos

The videos featured in this blog post are only a small selection from our recent updates – click here to view the full index of available videos, including links to several from previous and other syllabuses (further information on our project for the previous 2021 & 2022 syllabus is available here).

We’ve now published video lessons for almost 50 pieces from the latest ABRSM syllabus with many more already recorded and currently in the various stages of the editing process. Please click here to sign-up to our mailing list for updates and notifications on this project and our resources for piano examinations.

Practising the Piano Online Academy

The Practising the Piano Online Academy is the ultimate online resource for mastering the piano. It features a constantly growing library of thousands of articles, videos and musical excerpts on topics including practising, piano technique and performing from leading experts. Please click here to find out more about the Online Academy or on one of the options below to subscribe:

  • Monthly subscription – Subscribe for £13.99 a month to get full, unlimited access to all Online Academy articles and updates (click here to sign-up for this option)
  • Annual subscription – Save almost 30% on the monthly subscription with an annual subscription for £119.99 per year and get free eBooks and editions worth over £70! (click here to sign-up for this option)
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