Tag: Lune

judi

Clair de Lune, Grieg & Leggiero Touch

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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.

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judi

Clair de Lune, MacDowell & a Chopin Etude –

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In this month’s practice clinic, Graham Fitch answers questions on pedalling, ornamentation, arpeggios, use of forearm rotation and more in Debussy’s Clair de Lune, MacDowell’s To a Wild Rose and works by Chopin and Handel.

Debussy's Clair de Lune No. 3 from Suite Bergamasque

Practice clinic questions

Handel Suite in D Minor, HWV 437 – Can I use the 3243 in the trills in the Allemande? Perhaps you could discuss what is appropriate.

Chopin Etude Op. 25 No. 1 – I am hoping that you can assist me with getting the arpeggios in this work to sound light, effortless, and above all in the background while bringing the more pronounced melody typically played by finger 5 (and sometimes 4) to the forefront.

I’ve been working at this for about 6 months now, and feel that my performance sounds rather mechanical versus a beautiful melodic line with a sweeping background accompaniment. Any technical exercises for greater finger independence would be greatly appreciated!

Also, I’ve played around with circular wrist rotations and side to side rotations, and I just wondered if you had any thoughts on the differences between the two as they relate to voicing the melody and controlling the accompaniment.

Debussy Clair De Lune (No. 3 from Suite Bergamesque) – I’m having some difficulty a small section in between bars 36 and 39. Although I received a good mark for this in my Grade 8 exam, l still feel like I’m fumbling and even slightly dreading this section despite loving this moment in the piece.  

The fingering l’ve been using in bar 37 for RH is 5 1 3 2 (1st beat) and 5 1 4 2 on the 2nd and 3rd beats. Going from the 2nd finger to the 5th on each of the semiquavers is not a comfortable stretch for my hand so l have even been trying to replace my 2nd finger with my thumb really quickly. However, l’m not sure l can do this because this section is fast. Also a mention on pedalling here too would be great, thank you!

MacDowell To a Wild Rose (No. 1 from Woodland Sketches, Op. 51) – My first question on this piece is a request for practice tips leading from bar 25 into bars 26-28. The second question is whether you have any suggestions for pedalling in bars 39-44 if one does not have a middle pedal on the piano?

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 15th June and questions can be submitted until 31st May. 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.

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