1

The Art ofPiano Technique

Textbook for Professional Pianists

Second Edition

A Tutorial byE Leiumanmma

Published by Emma Leiuman Singapore, Singapore

2014

2Dedicated to all seeking piano students and teachers

2014 Emma Leiuman

PianoWell is a registered trademark.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published by Emma Leiuman, Singapore, Singapore.

This textbook is based on the PianoWell system and helps professional pianists improve their playing.

The difference between this textbook and other books is in the quality of training material by learning the system, a pianist will get all the keys for finding his own interpretation of musical pieces in order not to be a simple imitator of someones ideas, but possess all necessary knowledge and skills to independently create a played piece. The PianoWell system is the first musical ABC. All pianists who use it can correctly study the musical language how to correctly write words, how to correctly express their thoughts through words. Thereby, youll have a possibility to learn to play piano correctly. When nothing will prevent you from developing a fully fledged technique, when youll be able to become a real musician with all aspects of musical ear fully developed, when nothing will hinder your free expression through playing, when youll confidently and freely play on stage, when youll be able to quickly and qualitatively analyze and learn pieces. Most importantly, youll have a clear system of studying when you know what certain steps bring success and why not making these steps brings failure. Youll be fully responsible for the results of your studies and no longer spend a mass of time at the instrument with minimal results. Youll learn how to study effectively and independently, and your piano practicing will again begin to give you satisfaction and joy. Web: www.artofpianotechnique.comE-mail: emma@artofpianotechnique.com

3ContentsIntroduction ------------------------------------------------------------------Sound Timber -----------------------------------------------------------------Sound Movement -------------------------------------------------------------Performance ------------------------------------------------------------------Position Change ---------------------------------------------------------------Intonation ---------------------------------------------------------------------Weight ------------------------------------------------------------------------Singing the Piece with Weight -----------------------------------------------Playing the Piece with Intonation and Weight ------------------------------Polyphony ---------------------------------------------------------------------Learning ----------------------------------------------------------------------Timber and Sound Movement -----------------------------------------------Position Change ---------------------------------------------------------------Intonation and Weight --------------------------------------------------------Polyphony ---------------------------------------------------------------------Dynamics ----------------------------------------------------------------------Dynamics ----------------------------------------------------------------------Balance ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sound Texture -----------------------------------------------------------------Sound Texture -----------------------------------------------------------------Musical Speech ----------------------------------------------------------------Musical Speech ----------------------------------------------------------------Musical Speech ----------------------------------------------------------------Articulations ------------------------------------------------------------------Meter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Learning the Piece ------------------------------------------------------------Timbre with Movement. Position Change. Polyphony --------------------Intonation and Weight. Articulations --------------------------------------Harmony ----------------------------------------------------------------------Harmony ----------------------------------------------------------------------

5610131821232526272829323235363740444647484851535759626567

4Harmony+Dynamics and Balance ------------------------------------------Sound Texture+Harmony ---------------------------------------------------Sound Texture+Harmony+Dynamics and Balance ------------------------Musical Speech ---------------------------------------------------------------Phrasing. Motif ---------------------------------------------------------------Playing Motifs ----------------------------------------------------------------Phrase --------------------------------------------------------------------------Playing Phrases ---------------------------------------------------------------Sentence -----------------------------------------------------------------------Playing Sentences -------------------------------------------------------------Phrasing in the Piece ---------------------------------------------------------Emotional Image ---------------------------------------------------------------Form ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Playing Form+Emotional Image ---------------------------------------------Artistry ------------------------------------------------------------------------Artistry+Emotional Image+Form -------------------------------------------Artistry+Emotional Image+Form+Meter ----------------------------------Learning MEMs and Movements -------------------------------------------LearningDifficultFragments -----------------------------------------------Preventing Overplaying the Piece. Creativity -----------------------------Rehearsing for Stage Performance -----------------------------------------Conclusion --------------------------------------------------------------------Appendix ---------------------------------------------------------------------The Reminder-----------------------------------------------------------------Article-------------------------------------------------------------------------

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IntroductionDear friend,

Youre now a lucky owner of this textbook which will help you learn competent and conscious piano playing. Now its all up to you. An organized approach, diligence, perseverance and following the recommendations and instructions of this course is the key to your success!

After passing this course, youll acquire the skills of correct sound production, such as sound timbre, sound movement and intonation with weight. Youll master all musical means of expression (MEMs), develop your internal ear, movement coordination, dexterity of fingers and learn to sing on the instrument. Also you will learn how to correctly perform dynamics, balance, sound texture, musical speech, articulations, harmony, phrasing, form, meter, emotional image and artistry. Youll master the most important stage of learning a piece competent, accurate and complete piece learning at the finish before a recital. All of this will allow you to effectively analyze and learn new pieces.

After mastering all MEMs youll be able to realize your talent through playing and get a great pleasure and content from your performance and creativity.

Please, always keep in mind The rules of efficient learning, p. 157. This Reminder will help you to avoid common mistakes that students make while passing this course. You may also read Typical problems of pianists related to wrong sound production and undeveloped internal musical ear, p. 159, an article that explains why its so important to learn all musical means of expression to the fullest extent.

Sincerely,Emma Leiuman

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6Lesson 1Sound Timbre

Each pianist should develop his internal musical ear in order to learn to imagine music with his internal ear first and then play the conceived idea on the instrument. Only then a pianist will grow from an artisan to a creator A REAL MUSICIAN. Internal ear development is one of the major aspects of the correct sound production.

Therere several aspects of internal ear timbral, dynamical, harmonic, intonational, metrical and architectonic. In this lesson, well begin with timbral ear development because its one of the basics of the correct sound production. The ability to imagine timbre of sounds activates fingertips. And thereby, one of the main components of the correct sound production is developed tenacious, lively and sensitive fingertips. The skill of sound timbre is necessary for sound movement, intonation and weight.

Timbral ear is an ability to imagine (with your internal ear) sounding of a singers voice, choir, various instruments and orchestra. For better understanding what timbral internal ear is you may start using your own voice.

First, you may sing out loud a given melody, then sing it in your head (without voice). Singing in the head is what I call imagining timbre.

These are sound timbres that may be used to orchestrate a piano piece.Below youll find some examples of timbres that are frequently used to

arrange musical pieces:1. Soprano V. Bellini. Cavatina of Norma from Opera Norma (by. A. Netrebko) S. Rachmaninov. Romance How peaceful (by. A. Netrebko) S. Rachmaninov. Romance How peaceful (by. N. Dorliak) V. Bellini. Cavatina of Norma from Opera Norma (by. M. Callas)2. Contralto F. Schubert. Song An Die Musik (by. K. Ferrier) English folk song (by. K. Ferrier)3. Tenor P. Tchaikovsky. Aria of Lensky from Opera Eugenie Onegin (by. S. Lemeshev) F. Schubert. Song An Die Musik (by. S. Lemeshev) A. Varlamov. Song Metelitsa (by. S. Lemeshev) Russian folk song Ah ty dushechka (by. S. Lemeshev)

74. Bass G. Verdi. Aria from Opera Nabucco (by. I. Petrov) S. Rachmaninov. Aria of Aleko from Opera Aleko (by. N. Guselev)5. Choir Boys choir Men choir with basses Mixed choirs6. String groups (violins, violas, cellos) A. Bruckner. 9th Symphony, pt. 1 E. Elgar. From Violin Concerto L. Beethoven. 7th Symphony, pt. 2 J. Brahms. 1st Symphony, pt. 4 F. Schubert. From Suite Rosamunde V. A. Mozart. Romance 1. Soprano and violins timbres are most often used from C of the One-

line octave to C of the Three-line octave.2. Contralto, tenor and violas timbres are used from C of the Small octave

to C of the One-line octave.3. Bass and cellos timbres are used from C of the Great octave to C of

the Small octave.4. Contrabass timbre is used from C of the Contra octave to C of the

Great octave.

Fig. 1. Approximate timbres ranges used to arrange a piece

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C

Great octave Small octave One-line octave Two-line octave

basses and cellos contraltos and violas sopranos and violins

All range limits that are mentioned here are approximate. They may extend a few more notes in both directions (for example, not just from C to C, but from C to A) in order not to shred a piece with timbres. You should find the main range in which a melody sounds and keep those few notes which step beyond the main range in the same timbre.

Its not important what timbers youll decide to arrange a piece with (just use those timbers that youll find suitable), but its important that the

8chosen timbres will sound in your internal ear. Youll use the chosen timbres to imagine all notes in an analyzed piece.

Assignment 11. Analyze timbres that are used to orchestrate the piece (Fig. 2, p. 9).2. Complete the following exercises to develop your timbral ear:1) Listen to a vocal piece (see video-examples, p. 6) to remember soprano

timbre. And after you finish listening, try to reproduce the sounding of this timbre with your internal ear. Its not important what note youre able to imagine this timbre on the main thing is to hear-imagine the general texture and quality of soprano timbre sounding. In order to define internal ear more precisely, remember timbres of voices of famous pop singers. This ability to remember voices is a rudiment of your internal ear that youre going to develop.

2) Try to reproduce soprano timbre on a particular pitch play note A of the One-line octave, then try to imagine soprano timbre on note A with your internal ear. Try to imagine the texture of this timbre as sound color. It may be compared to playing on a digital keyboard when you select and play a voice sound instead of a piano sound.

3) Using your internal ear, reproduce soprano sounding on each note written in the treble clef of the piece.

Attention: dont forget to play a note before you begin imagining it. Your ear has to remember pitch of a note in order to reproduce the desired timbre on it. Dont imagine notes on end, but separately imagine each note in timbre.

It may be easier for you to begin imagining notes in the sounding of your own voice. First, clearly sing the melody on Aah and then imagine each note in the sounding of your voice (sing notes in your head).

Internal ear development is accompanied by enlightenments and flashes. Each pianist has his own name for it. But the essence of it is the same clearly imagined sounds begin to cut through from haziness and darkness. Its important not to stop at this phase and continue to develop your internal ear this way until you feel that all notes sound clear and distinct in your head.

Assignment 2 1. Listen to an instrumental piece (L. Beethoven. 7th Symphony, pt. 2) and

set a clear goal to remember cellos timbre. After you have finished listening, try to reproduce this timbre with your internal ear.

2. Try to reproduce cellos timbre on note D of the Small octave and try to imagine cellos timbre on this note with your internal ear.

93. Use your internal ear to reproduce cellos sounding on each note written in the bass clef.

Dont stop your progress after the first flashes and continue to develop your timbral ear until you feel that you can stay in the world of sounds long enough.

Fig. 2

soprano

cellos group

1. 2.

1. 2.

an example of an extended range limit

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Lesson 2Sound Movement

Timbre can be imagined in movement. Sound movement is also an important part of the correct sound production because the ability to imagine sound timbre in movement forces your wrist to work intelligently. Thereby, you develop one of the major components of the correct sound production flexibility, melodiousness and free breathing in your wrist.

Assignment 1Sound movement is easy to feel by completing the following exercise:Sing a note and direct its flow to the right and then to the left. The sound

doesnt shift anywhere; it simply stretches horizontally from the note. Sing on Aah with your throat open wide enough and try to sing sound movement as long-drawn-out as possible. The pitch of the sung sound remains constant, but sensations in your throat will vary. These sensations are very important because you sing while playing on the instrument. And each (even the most unnoticeable) movement of muscles in your throat affects the quality of the sung sound. When singing, your voice has to remain free, vibrating and pretty in sounding. There should be no pressure or tension in your voice.

Sing in your head the same sound with movement.3. Play note A and then imagine soprano timbre on this note. Imagine

how this sound is sung on Aah. Try to stretch out this timbre horizontally to the right and then to the left. Feel how the sound flows to the right on the keyboard and then to the left on the keyboard. Try to imagine sound movement as long-drawn-out as possible.

4. Analyze sound movement of each note in Minuet (Fig. 5, p. 12).In order to analyze sound movement correctly, always follow this rule: the

direction of sound movement of a note is determined by how you approach this note. In Fig. 3. you step up to note F. Its higher than the previous note A it means sound movement of note F will be to the right. And in Fig. 4. you step down to note E. Its lower than the previous note F it means sound movement of note E will be to the left.

Always determine sound movement by the melodic line. If youre in doubt where sound movement is directed in an interval/chord texture always go by the melodic voice (i.e. more variable voice).

Here is the rule to imagine note values: the longer the value is and the more it lasts in time the longer its necessary to imagine sound movement. For instance: sound movement in a half note has to last exactly two quarter

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Fig. 3. The rule of sound movement Fig. 4. The rule of sound movement

notes in your imagination. The movement must not begin to fade away on the second quarter note.

Assignment 2Using Fig. 5, p. 12:

1. Imagine soprano timbre with movement on each note in the treble clef. Remind yourself by playing the note first in order to reproduce sound timbre on this note with ease.

You may help yourself by singing if imagining the melody is still a problem. Sing the melody on Aah with movement and then sing it in your head with movement.

2. Imagine cellos timbre with movement on each note in the bass clef. These assignments are some of the most difficult ones, therefore, allow

more time and patience to complete them. Its important to learn to imagine each note in the piece in timbre with movement.

Dont imagine notes on end, but separately imagine each note in timbre with movement.

The skill of sound movement is necessary for intonation and weight.

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Minuet

Fig. 5

1. 2.

1. 2.

BWV Anh. 132

13

Lesson 3Performance

Correct performance is necessary to efficiently express each imagined sound on the instrument. Each pianist should know: what (imagining a sound) doesnt fully create how (correct movements to express the conceived). I.e. in order to perform comfortably, its not enough to just be able to imagine sounds, its necessary to correctly perform the conceived on the instrument. Therere 13 rules of the correct sitting and hand position to effectively express your ideas on the instrument: 1. Sit on the edge of the bench, but not too close to the keyboard. 2. Sit high enough so your elbow stays just a little above the wrist. 3. The wrist should be just a little below the hand. While playing with the 1st finger, the wrist shouldnt rise. It should remain on the same level. The 1st finger plays with the edge of the fingertip. 4. Dont clasp your elbows to your torso. There has to be a little room between them. This position of arms is also needed to correctly pass weight to the instrument. 5. Keep your back straight, dont curve. Then, while playing with intonation and weight, youll have a proper feeling of playing into the piano, not into the floor. With such posture it will be easier for you not to clasp your elbows to your torso, but keep them a little away from it.

6. Dont swing your torso. Swinging torso splashes out all energy that has to be passed to fingertips. Swinging torso becomes the means of passing your ideas to the instrument instead of arms and fingers, and youll have to spend much more energy to make your arms and fingers correctly perform your ideas on the instrument.

7. Keep your right foot on the pedal. Set your left foot backwards. Your feet should completely stay on the floor. This position of feet is necessary to pass weight to the instrument.

8. Dont lift your shoulders. It interferes with the natural passage of weight to the instrument through torso and arms.

9. Dont cave in knuckles in the hand. Knuckles have to remain a little prominent. Yet keep the wrist just a little below the hand. Only then muscles in the hand will begin to develop correctly.

10. Dont cave in fingers in the first phalanx. Otherwise, you wont be able to control sound with fingertips.

11. Dont stick your fingers to keys while playing. Lift those fingers that have finished playing.

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12. If possible, play on that line of white keys where black keys begin. In other words: play closer to black keys. Then it will be easy to reach black keys with your fingers without making any additional hand twists.

13. Arms should remain free and without an unnecessary tension while playing. Only fingertips and weight of arms should be felt. The absence of unnecessary tension in arms will allow you to feel fingertips.

Therere two reasons for excess tension in arms while learning the PianoWell system: arms weakness and poor discipline while learning a piece.

1. Arms weakness becomes apparent while playing f (forte) when there isnt enough arm strength to play with free arms without excess tension. I advise you to use weight training in order to develop arm strength (concentrating on arms, hands, and shoulder belt), sleep and eat well.

2. Poor discipline while learning a piece becomes apparent when an increase of tempo is forced. Tempo is incorrectly increased in hope that it will be more comfortable to play, even though playing in the current tempo is still uncomfortable. Being comfortable is when your arm has time to free itself after each played note; your fingertip slightly exerts before playing a note, then feels how it touches the key and finally has time to free itself after playing it.

The term fingertip is a sensation of an accurate and clear touch to a key that appears in your fingertip, as though theres a small knob on it. As a rule, an unnecessary tension in arms prevents from feeling the fingertips. Therefore, dont force tension in arms; your arms should be free while playing. This also prevents various arm illnesses.

Dont strain your arm if some of the played notes dont sound at first when you play this way. Not sounding notes result from insufficiently developed fingertips and untrained arms. Dont strain your arms in any event, especially while playing f. Here arms remain just as free as while playing p (piano). An increase in sonorousness is achieved due to applying more weight while playing. If you dont force strain in your arms, then you will first feel the fingertips on the stronger fingers (2nd and 3rd) while playing p. Then this sensation will appear on the weaker fingers while playing f without an unnecessary strain.

Additional rules for expressing timbre with movement on the piano:Your idea of sound timbre is expressed through fingertips. Sound

movement is expressed through wrist movement: your wrist turns to the direction of the imagined sound movement and helps to prolong the sound. This isnt just a wrist turn, but a horizontal wrist movement to the direction of the imagined sound movement. This movement expresses your idea of timbre with movement similar to how an artist expresses his vision of his picture by drawing a line by moving his arm. In a fast tempo all imagined sounds will be naturally imagined like a single brush stroke and wrist movements will be barely noticeable.

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Always remember:1. Your wrist shouldnt be raised while in movement. 2. Your elbow stays in its place (except in position changes) when your

wrist is in movement. Otherwise, the elbow begins to work instead of the wrist that remains static and inflexible.

Assignment 1Now youll work out the most important and basic rule to imagine a note

with your internal ear first and then play it using the correct technique.1. Imagine one note in soprano timbre with movement (you can remind

yourself by playing the note first) and play it with the correct technique. Before playing the note, prepare your arm without raising the wrist. The position of hand is straight. Then play the note, and move your wrist to the right or left. Release the arm without raising the wrist after playing the note.

2. Complete this assignment on all notes in the treble clef.Attention: its necessary to play the piece note by note with correct fingering

in this assignment. Dont hurry to connect sounds right away. Never do the following: play one note after correctly imagining it, but then play more notes automatically without singing them first in your head.

Assignment 2 Connect sounds using Fig. 6, p. 17:1. Imagine a sequence of several sounds in timbre with movement in your

right hand. The rule of imagining a sequence of sounds: imagine sounds in timbre

with movement and connect them glissando (when you gradually reach the next sound, when one sound flows into another). You may sing a sequence of sounds the same way to feel it better. Imagine a sequence of sounds in timbre with movement using the same technique.

Start with small blocks of 12 measures first, and soon youll be able to imagine a sequence of sounds by large blocks of 12 lines.

2. Play only these imagined sounds with correct fingering.The rules of playing a sequence of sounds: sounds that go in the same

direction are played with a single wrist movement. Dont change your wrist position (raise or turn) while playing with your 1st finger.

Dont play notes automatically when completing this assignment. Dont play sounds that you havent yet imagined.

The assignment is considered finished if youre able to imagine the right hand in timbre with movement from the beginning to the end and then play the whole piece imagining every single sound that youre about to play.

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Assignment 3 1. Imagine one note in cellos timbre with movement (you can remind

yourself by playing the note first) and play it with the correct technique on the instrument.

2. Complete this assignment on all notes in the bass clef.

Assignment 4 Connect sounds using Fig. 6, p. 17:1. Imagine a sequence of several sounds in timbre with movement in your

left hand.2. Play only these imagined sounds with correct fingering.

Minuet is an easy piece, but youll work out some very important and necessary sound production skills on it. Youll use them when playing serious pieces, such as all virtuosic pieces by Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov. Therefore, imagine each sound in full measure and play each imagined sound with fully correct technique.

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Minuet

Fig. 6

1. 2.

1. 2.

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

2 1 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 5 1 2 5

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

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

5 1

5 4 3 2 3 4 1 5

1 5 4 3

2 3 4 1

5 3 2

1 1 2 4 1 2 3

4 3 2 1 3 2

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 2 1 5

4 3 4 3 2 3 1 2

1 2 3 5 1 2

1 3 2 5

5 2 1 3 5 1 5

wrist position isnt changed

BWV Anh. 132

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Lesson 4Position Change

Position change has to be mastered in order for it to become dexterous, comfortable and fast. It shouldnt slow down your technique due to being awkward, constrained and stiff. While mastering position change on easy pieces, you probably wont feel a big difference in your comfort. But your position change skills will be simply a must with more difficult pieces where youll encounter fast leaps and longer distances between positions.

A position is a set of notes that you can play from your 1st finger to 5th finger without shifting your hand. Shifting the 1st finger is most of the time a position change.

Fig. 7. Positions

Your elbow is responsible for position change: before each position change, your elbow prepares the next position on the last or the last but one note of the current position (Fig. 7) it moves right or left depending on the location of the new position.

The position in Fig. 8. is lower than the previous one. Therefore, the elbow that prepares this position moves left on the last note of the previous position.

Fig. 8. Position change

higher position lower position

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The position in Fig. 9. is higher than the previous one. Therefore, the elbow that prepares this position moves right on the last note of the previous position.

Fig. 9. Position change

Additional rules to determine transitional notes:1. Itd be better to mark a position change on downbeat or on-beat.2. Itd be better to mark a position change where elbow and wrist

movements go in the same direction.3. Itd be better to mark a position change on a longer note.4. Position change is sometimes done on the first note of the new position.

Additional rules to make a position change:1. On the transitional notes, first make a full-fledged wrist movement and

only then an elbow movement. When this new, unaccustomed movement is made a habit, youll be able to do it with flexibility, with one movement and without an obvious boundary between your wrist and elbow.

2. When shifting your hand to a different position, your wrist should not rise.

AssignmentUsing Fig. 10, p. 20:1. Play fragments with position changes to work out your skill of elbow

movement.2. Play the piece by each hand while paying attention to wrist and elbow

movements. You can control elbow movement by putting your free hand above your elbow.

Attention: you must imagine each note youre about to play in timbre with movement.

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MinuetBWV Anh. 132

Fig. 10. Fingering, sound movement, position change

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

2 1 2 1

5 4 3 2 1 5 1 2 5

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

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

5 1

5 4 3 2 3 4 1 5

1 5 4 3

2 3 4 1

5 3 2

1 1 2 4 1 2 3

4 3 2 1 3 2

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 2 1 5

4 3 4 3 2 3 1 2

1 2 3 5 1 2

1 3 2 5

5 2 1 3 5 1 5

1. 2.

1. 2.

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Lesson 5Intonation

Intonation is a technique thats used to sing any two notes. Intonation ear is one of the elements of the correct sound production. Thanks to intonation and weight, a pianist will be able to control movement of fingers in the hand by developing hand muscles and master passing of weight to the instrument.

Its possible to feel musical speech (that will be studied later) only by developing the correct intonation. Musical speech is the emotional meaning and content of intonation. Intonation is also necessary for articulations, harmony, dynamics, balance, phrasing, form, meter, emotional image and artistry.

Assignment Do the following exercise to develop correct intonation:1. Imagine soprano (or bass) timbre with movement to the right on notes

C and F and sing these notes in an ascending movement. Sing these notes with open mouth on Aah as though on glissando. Sing loud enough, but without strain in voice. Singing sounds with movement is necessary for correct intonation.

The aim of this exercise is to feel a great distance between these notes which is passed slowly, with resistance and hard work. Its very important to feel it with the muscles and vocal cords in the throat. Its important to remember this sensation and maintain it while playing. Theres an exact comparison to stretch a huge spring between sounds. You can also imagine that the first sound is at point A, and theres a road from it that goes horizontally to the right to point B. And you have to pass this road slowly and with hard work while resisting the wind that blows to your face. At last, you may remember resistance of water when you move your hand while you are swimming.

2. Follow this principle and sing sounds in Fig. 11, p. 22.In ascending intervals, imagine both notes with movement to the right.

Smaller intervals (CD, CE) are harder to feel, therefore, you may want to begin with bigger intervals.

3. By analogy complete the exercise on intonation of descending intervals (Fig. 12, p. 22). This is a more difficult task because going down is always easier and you have to keep resisting. In descending intervals, imagine and sing both notes with movement to the left.

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Fig. 11. Ascending intervals from note C Fig. 12. Descending intervals from note C

Additional rules for mastering intonation:1. You have to sing the ending note of the interval before singing the

whole interval. Its necessary for your vocal cords to remember the ending note so that you hit it when singing the whole interval.

2. Always imagine the quality standard of singing first imagine how these sounds are sung by a beautiful, three-dimensional timbre of a male or female singer. Then try to materialize what youve imagined by singing.

3. Dont force sound while singing. Your sound has to vibrate freely, be beautiful, flow like water, but with resistance. While intonating, sound shouldnt be stressed, constrained or harsh.

4. Lead sound away horizontally when singing ascending and descending intervals. A common mistake that leads to incorrect work of throat muscles and vocal cords and incorrect intonation is when sound is led away diagonally upwards or downwards.

5. Choose a comfortable octave for you to sing. Its not necessary to sing intervals from C.

C D E F G A B C C D E F G A B C

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Lesson 6Weight

Weight is a sensation of freedom throughout the body. Its necessary to develop a correct sensation of weight in order to effectively express your internal intonation on the instrument. Weight is also necessary to properly express dynamics and phrasing.

Dont confuse the feeling of freedom with a feeling of pressure, excess tension and artificial heaviness. Freedom is a state of complete relaxation your muscles dont strain, they relax just like when submerging in a hot tub. On the other hand, heaviness and pressure are a concentrated tension muscles exert and a feeling of constraint appears inside. Once again: weight is a sensation of freedom throughout the body.

Assignment 1 In order to feel passage of weight to the instrument, do the following

exercise:1. Feel relaxation of your body as you exhale. Calmly exhale all the way

while breathing through your mouth.2. Sit deep on the bench, put your hands on your laps. Use a bench with

a hard seat because you wont be able to correctly pass weight while sitting on a soft armchair or sofa. Make sure to sit away from the keyboard so you dont smash your head over it when bend forward :)

3. Bend forward so that your head hangs down and backs of your hands are laid on the floor. Feel how a feeling of relaxation passes to your feet. Feel full relaxation, freedom and weight of your body there.

4. Begin returning to your initial position your hands freely slide upward along your legs. As you rise up, feel how weight passes through your legs, pelvis, torso, shoulders and arms and pours out (like water) through your palms to your laps. Your laps serve as an imaginary keyboard.

Do this exercise as many times as it takes you to consolidate this sensation of weight and passage of weight to the instrument.

Assignment 2 Now move to a simpler variant that youll use each time before playing

a piece.1. Sit high enough so that your elbow is a little higher than the wrist

while your wrist is a little below the hand. Sit on the edge of the bench so that weight doesnt stop in your pelvis, but flows through your torso, shoulders and arms to the instrument. The right foot should stay on the pedal; the left

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foot is set backwards. This position of feet is necessary to pass weight to the instrument. When you try bear on your feet to pass weight to the instrument, it will be more effective to keep your feet in this special position. Keep your hands on your laps or hanging down.

2. Feel how weight (full freedom) flows down to your feet and then rises from them, passes through your torso, shoulders and arms. Put your hands on the keyboard as soon as you feel how weight passes through your arms. You may bend a little forward to better feel how weight flows to the instrument.

You dont need to think about gathering weight while singing or playing. Just do it before singing or playing and this feeling will be naturally maintained through playing with intonation during a performance.

Assignment 3 1. Imagine notes F and A in voice timbre with movement and sing these

two notes with correct intonation and weight.Additional rules for intonation with weight:1) Before singing intervals with weight, you need to feel weight first and

only then sing intervals.2) Its not enough to just feel a sensation of weight before you sing. To be

exact, its necessary to very precisely feel how weight (full freedom) passes to your feet and then rises from them, passes through your torso, shoulders and arms to an imaginary keyboard under your hands (to your laps your imaginary keyboard). Otherwise, you wont be able to pass weight to the instrument while playing.

2. Sing all ascending and descending intervals with correct intonation and weight (Fig. 1112, p. 22).

Singing with correct intonation and weight submerges you into a three-dimensional space of free breathing. This also provides control of fingers while playing in fast tempos.

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Lesson 7Singing the Piece with Weight

Assignment Intonate each interval with weight using Fig. 7, p. 17:Sit correctly, imagine soprano timbre with movement on the first notes

in the piece, gather weight, and sing sequentially all notes with correct intonation and weight. Dont try to sing too many notes in a single breath. Sing as many notes as you can, but dont rush. If its not comfortable for you to sing on higher or lower notes, sing in a different octave suitable for you. Your goal is to remember all intervals with your vocal cords.

Remember: correct intonation is free singing of sounds with movement on glissando with resistance.

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Lesson 8Playing the Piece

with Intonation and Weight

Assignment Using Fig. 10, p. 20:

1. Play the piece by each hand. Sit correctly, gather weight and begin playing while imagining timbre with movement on each note and singing out loud each interval with intonation and weight.

2. Play the piece by each hand. Sit correctly, gather weight, and begin playing while imagining timbre with movement on each note and singing in your head each interval with weight.

While playing with internal intonation correctly, you should feel how your throat muscles begin exerting as in singing with intonation out loud. Your Adams apple begins moving noticeably.

Attention: the feeling of resistance must remain in intonated intervals. Dont overfly intervals, but sing them internally with hard work and resistance. Remember: the better resistance is in intonation, the better fingers exert before playing, and the better fingers are controlled.

27

Lesson 9Polyphony

Polyphony is an ability to imagine several voices in timbre with movement

simultaneously. This skill is necessary to fully control all fingers, especially in polyphonic (many-parted) or chord textures.

Its very hard to imagine several sounds simultaneously, therefore, use the following rule in assignments in order to develop polyphonic ear: imagine each pair of notes in timbre with movement sequentially and gradually reduce time between them to minimum until sounds in your imagination start sounding simultaneously. Imagining notes in a particular order depends on their movement. Begin imagining from the lower note if sound movement of both notes is directed to the right. Begin imagining from the upper note if sound movement of both notes is directed to the left. Imagine as you choose if sound movement of notes doesnt match.

Keep using this technique to imagine simultaneous notes when you will start having chords in future pieces. Youll soon be able to clearly imagine chords at once.

Assignment 1. Sing out loud each pair of notes, and then imagine sequentially each

vertical pair of notes in timbre with movement and gradually reduce time between them to minimum (DA, DE, FD, GB, CA, AA, FD, EA, DD) (Fig. 6, p. 17).

The task is considered done when each pair of notes is imagined simultaneously, vertically.

2. Imagine both voices together in timbre with movement (Fig. 6, p. 17). Remember: the longer a notes value is, the longer it should be imagined.

3. Sit correctly and play the piece by both hands without intonation while imagining each pair of notes that youre about to play in timbre with movement (Fig. 10, p. 20).

4. Sit correctly, gather weight, and play the piece by both hands with intonation and weight while imagining each pair of notes that youre about to play in timbre with movement.

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Lesson 10Learning

A pianist cant play a piece and complete all set goals without the process of correct learning. This is because performing all MEMs at once is possible only when theyre converted by 90% to muscular memory, i.e. to movements of arms and fingers.

Repeating small parts of a piece many times is necessary for effective and quick learning. Your fingers will then begin to remember the piece better and quicker, therefore, itll be simpler and easier for you to play the piece by both hands and complete all MEMs.

A piece is considered well learned when a room for freedom and creativity appears in your head while playing. When you begin to dose all MEMs and create a piece, not simply fully accomplish all MEMs.

Assignment Sit correctly, gather weight, and play the piece with intonation and weight

while imagining the whole polyphony in timbre with movement:

Play the 1st line of Minuet by both hands 10 times in a row in slow tempo (Fig. 10, p. 20)

Play the 2nd line by both hands 10 times Play the 3rd line by both hands 10 timesPlay the 4th line by both hands 10 timesPlay the first two lines by both hands 10 timesPlay the last two lines by both hands 10 timesPlay the whole piece by both hands 10 times

Youll feel a positive result in a week only if you use this plan of learning. Attention: if you feel that youre losing control and concentration while

playing by both hands, then play additionally 10 times by each hand. Dont play automatically. Make sure to imagine and perform each note correctly.

29

Lesson 11Timbre and Sound Movement

Assignment Using Fig. 13, p. 30:

1. Analyze what timbres may be used to orchestrate the piece.2. Imagine each hand in timbre. Imagine notes in the left hand by the rule

of polyphony: begin to imagine sounds in intervals sequentially and gradually reduce time between them to minimum until sounds in your imagination start sounding simultaneously. Do this task if you cant yet imagine several voices simultaneously right away.

3. Analyze sound movement.4. Imagine each hand in timbre with movement.5. Play the piece by each hand using correct technique (without elbow

movements) and imagining each note in timbre with movement.As you acquire the skill of analyzing and imagining sound movement,

youll gradually learn to imagine timbre and movement simultaneously without preliminary analyzing sound movement.

30

The Squirrels

violas

violins

violins violas

violins

31

Fig. 13

violas

violas

violins

violins violas

2 3 2

3 2 2

1 4 2 4 1 4 2 4

1 1 1 1 3 3 2

1 4 2 4 4 4 1 2

5 4 1 4

2 2 2 2

1 2 1 2

2

2 1 2 3 4

5 2

2 4 2

1 1

5 3 2

5

32

Lesson 12Position Change

Assignment Using Fig. 14, p. 33:

1. Analyze position changes (transition notes for elbow movement).2. Play the piece by each hand using correct technique and imagining

each note in timbre with movement.

Lesson 13 Intonation and Weight

Assignment 1 This assignment is necessary only on the stage when the sensation of

internal intonation isnt yet fully consolidated.1. Sing each interval in the piece with weight (Fig. 13, p. 30).2. Gather weight and play the piece by each hand in timbre with movement

using correct technique and intonating each interval with weight. Sing out loud while playing (Fig. 14, p. 33).

Assignment 2 Gather weight and play the piece by each hand in timbre with movement

using correct technique and intonating each interval with weight. Sing in your head while playing.

33

The Squirrels

position change variant

34

Fig. 14

2 3 2

3 2 2

1 4 2 4 1 4 2 4

1 1 1 1 3 3 2

1 4 2 4 4 4 1 2

5 4 1 4

2 2 2 2

1 2 1 2

2

2 1 2 3 4

5 2

2 4 2

1 1

5 3 2

5

35

Lesson 14Polyphony

Assignment 1 Using Fig. 13, p. 30:

1. Imagine each vertical pair of notes in timbre with movement by the rule of polyphony.

2. Imagine the whole piece in timbre with movement (both hands together).

Assignment 2 Using Fig. 14, p. 33:

1. Gather weight and play the piece by both hands using correct technique and imagining each note in timbre with movement.

2. Gather weight and play the piece by both hands using correct technique, imagining each note in timbre with movement and intonating each interval with weight. Sing in your head (intonate internally) while playing.

Prior to the stage of Learning, its necessary to play the piece in slow tempo in order to have time to imagine and perform everything correctly.

36

Lesson 15Dynamics

Dynamics is related to timbre. Dynamic ear means how bright and clear youre able to imagine timbre in various dynamic nuances with your internal ear.

Assignment 1 1. Listen to a recording of a vocal or orchestra piece with the maximum

loudness. Remember this loudness. Stop the playback and imagine the recordings loudness with your internal ear. It doesnt matter what notes you imagine the loudness on, however, its important to imagine timbre of the sounds youve just heard in a huge, three-dimensional sounding of ff.

2. Decrease the recordings loudness to f and complete the same exercise.3. Complete the exercise in all dynamic nuances: ff, f, mf, mp, p, pp.

Its an important exercise to learn imagining all dynamic nuances with a maximum contrast.

Assignment 2 1. Imagine soprano (tenor or bass) timbre on note A with movement to

the right. Imagine it in a huge sounding of ff. The sounding shouldnt be flat and harsh; it has to be three-dimensional and huge. Then imagine timbre with movement on note A in all dynamic nuances. Precisely define what sounding will be the loudest for you, what sounding will be mf and mp and what sounding will be related to the quietest and most transparent p.

2. Imagine a sequence of 5 notes A, B, C, D, E in timbre with movement to the right.

Imagine crescendo from A (p) to E (ff). And then imagine diminuendo from E to A (E with movement to the right; D, C, B, A with movement to the left).

Imagine diminuendo from A (ff) to E (p). And then imagine crescendo from E to A.

3. Gather weight and play the sequence of notes on crescendo and diminuendo. Play with correct technique and with intonation and weight.

Intonate these sounds with weight and you will feel that you naturally begin to give more weight with an increase in loudness and dose weight with a decrease in loudness.

Thanks to the ability to naturally distribute weight in intonation of sounds, youll be able to express loud and quiet sounds on the instrument as

37

precisely as youve imagined them.All exercises for dynamic ear development should be done very

accurately: the difference between dynamic nuances has to be very large, not just slightly noticeable. Keep in mind that you can always imagine p much quieter, and ff much louder.

Lesson 16Assignment

Using Fig. 15, p. 38:1. Imagine each note in timbre and marked dynamics with movement.2. Gather weight and play the piece by each hand and express dynamics

accurately.3. Gather weight and play the piece by both hands and express dynamics

accurately.Keep in mind that you need weight to express dynamics successfully.

Therefore, you must always gather weight before playing.Attention! Do this exercise as many times as it takes to develop a stronger

sensitivity in fingertips: when p is played as quietly as youve imagined it; when f is played as loudly as youve imagined it. This exercise takes more patience and time than it may seem.

38

The Squirrels

39

Fig. 15

2 3 2

3 2 2

1 4 2 4 1 4 2 4

1 1 1 1 3 3 2

1 4 2 4 4 4 2

5 4 1 4

2 2 2 2

1 2 1 2

2

2 1 2 3 4

5 2

2 4 2

1 1

5 3 2

5

40

Lesson 17Balance

Balance is a variant of dynamics. In order for voices to sound in relief on different levels and not to mingle with each other, one of the voices has to stay as though on the first plan.

Therere 3 rules to find the leading voice.1. In a melody + accompaniment texture, the leading role is given

to the melody. It sounds on the first plan with the accompaniment on the background.

Fig. 16. Balance, rule 1

2. The bass sounds closer in the accompaniment.

Fig. 17. Balance, rule 2

3. The 5th fingers (extreme voices) sound closer in chords (Fig. 18A).

Fig. 18. Balance, rule 3

In intervals and octaves, one of the voices also has to be leading its either the upper voice (Fig. 18B) or the lower voice (Fig. 18C).

melody closer

accompaniment farther

A B C

41

Assignment Using Fig. 16, p. 42-43:

1. Analyze what voices in the piece are leading. The leading notes of balance are marked with the star sign.

2. Imagine the whole piece in timbre, dynamics and balance with movement.

3. Gather weight and play the piece by both hands while intonating sounds with weight and accurately imagining all dynamic nuances (Fig. 15, p. 38).

Keep in mind that all leading voices of balance are imagined as though on the first plan, closer to you; all other voices are imagined in the far background.

Balance is a finer gradation of dynamics; therefore, being accurate in imagining and expressing balance is very important in this assignment.

42

melody is on the 1st plan, leading voices in accompaniment are on the 2nd plan

melody

The Squirrels

43

Fig. 19. Dynamics and balance

44

Lesson 18Sound Texture

Sound texture is necessary to develop a feeling in fingers that Sergey Rachmaninov called the growth of fingers through keys. While playing with this feeling, all movements become even smaller and deeper. Sound texture also transfigures intonation making it deeper, freer, more three-dimensional and less flat.

Sound texture is necessary to control sound better. You step into the three-dimensional space and depth of sound (sound texture) from the flatness of sound timbre. Sound texture is an ability to imagine sound timbre in the texture of ocean water that has depth of a 25-story building. In order to feel this depth, imagine how you stand on the roof of a 25-story building looking down. And you see the whole volumetric depth of this space. Now imagine that this space is filled with the mass of ocean water. The main thing is not to imagine that youre already on the bottom looking up. On the contrary, pass the whole water depth from the top to the bottom.

Its important to understand that its necessary to concentrate more on the tactile-visual imagining of the ocean water mass and less on the water color itself.

Sound texture is inseparably connected with sound timbre you cannot imagine it immediately without timbre. Keep in mind: sound texture gives depth to timbre, but cannot replace it.

Assignment 1. Imagine note A in soprano (tenor or bass) timbre with movement to

the right, then to the left and then sing it. Now imagine this timbre in sound texture with movement to the right, then to the left and then sing note A. If you do everything correctly, then youll definitely feel the difference in singing: youll open your mouth differently, your voice will sound as though from the depth and not on the surface.

In order not to lose sound movement, imagine how you descend in sound texture through the mass of ocean water and there, in the depth, make a movement to the right. Dont forget to imagine movement horizontally all the way, not diagonally upwards.

2. Imagine note A in timbre of a group of violins in sound texture with movement. As you begin imagining timbre of violins in sound texture, you should feel how the texture of timbre changes. It starts gaining depth and volume in sounding.

3. Play note A with correct technique imagining it in sound texture with

45

movement. In this course, timbre thats imagined in sound texture will be simply called sound texture.

4. Imagine each hand in sound texture with movement (Fig. 13, p. 30). Imagine a note in timbre of violins first, and then at once imagine it in texture with movement. Youll gradually learn to imagine timbre in sound texture with movement at once.

5. Gather weight and play the piece by each hand with internal intonation while imagining sound texture with movement (Fig. 14, p. 33).

46

Lesson 19Sound texture may also be imagined in necessary dynamics and balance.

Dont try to imagine just texture in dynamics its impossible, as its impossible to imagine just depth in dynamics. Keep in mind that its first necessary to imagine timbre in dynamics and only then sound texture and dynamics.

Assignment 1 1. Imagine a sequence of notes A, B, C, D, E in soprano timbre with

movement to the right, then to the left.Imagine gradual crescendo from A (p) to E (f). Then imagine diminuendo

from E to A. Now do the other way around.2. Imagine a sequence of notes A, B, C, D, E in sound texture with

movement to the right, then to the left.Imagine gradual crescendo from A (p) to E (f). Then imagine diminuendo

from E to A. Now do the other way around.3. Play the sequence of notes on crescendo and diminuendo while

imagining sound texture in dynamics with movement.

Assignment 2 Using Fig. 15, p. 38-39:

1. Imagine each hand in sound texture and dynamics with movement.2. Gather weight and play the piece by each hand with intonation and

weight while imagining sound texture in dynamics with movement.3. Imagine the whole polyphony in the piece in sound texture, dynamics

and balance with movement.4. Gather weight and play the piece by both hands with intonation

and weight while imagining sound texture in dynamics and balance with movement.

Do these exercises gradually one by one and complete each one qualitatively.

47

Lesson 20Musical Speech

Musical speech is the second element of correct intonation. If correct intonating is the technology of intonation, then musical speech is the emotional meaning of intonation.

Therere nine basic intervals that are distinguished by their number of tones.

Each interval in its intonation, when notes in intervals are played in a sequence, not simultaneously, has its own meaning:

A second or seventh tension, waiting, request, uneasiness.A third and sixth beauty, lyricism, romance.A fourth energy, activity.An augmented fourth mysticism, tense instability, fear.A fifth contemplation and conciliation.An octave open statement.A unison confident expression.Minor and major intervals also differ by the nature of their intonation:

minor intervals sound tighter, busier and sadder in comparison to major intervals.

Thereby, some intervals can sound tighter and busier when compared to other intervals that sound calmer and more open.

Ascending and descending intervals give a finer interpretation of intonation. Youll feel it yourself with practice after developing the sense of musical speech. When intervals in melodies will be intonated as naturally as you intonate your speech while talking to someone.

Attention! Its not enough to just think and imagine what meaning to assign to each interval. Its possible to feel musical speech only by the correct intonation of sounds. In other words, its necessary to intonate sounds with a feeling of emotional meaning of each interval.

Now you dont simply intonate abstract sounds, but know what interval you intonate at the moment.

Assignment Imagine voice timbre with movement and then sound texture with

movement on two notes of an interval. Gather weight and sing each of 9 intervals in texture with movement, with correct intonation and weight while feeling the meaning of each interval.

This exercise takes multiple repetitions and patience because you wont feel any difference in intonated intervals during your first days of work. But youll gradually feel the fine difference between them with practice.

48

Lesson 21Assignment

Using Fig. 20, p. 49:1. Analyze the meaning of each interval in the piece.2. Gather weight and sing out loud each interval in the piece with

intonation and weight while feeling how you express the meaning of each interval through intonation. Sing notes in texture with movement.

After some practice, youll be able to feel musical speech in intonated intervals without a preparative analysis.

The notes that should be additionally intonated with musical speech are marked with special slurs.

Lesson 22Assignment

Using Fig. 20, p. 49:1. Gather weight and play the piece by each hand with musical speech.

Feel how you express the meaning of intervals through intonation. Imagine only sound texture with movement before playing each note.

2. Gather weight and play the piece by each hand with musical speech. Feel how you express the meaning of intervals through intonation. Imagine sound texture in dynamics and balance with movement before playing each note.

3. Gather weight and play the piece by both hands with musical speech. Feel how you express the meaning of intervals through intonation. Imagine sound texture in dynamics and balance with movement before playing each note . While playing by both hands, youll be able to intonate musical speech in both voices at the same time.

Attention! This stage is very important because you wont be able to feel musical speech right away. Keep in mind that its not enough to just correctly do the exercise; its necessary to repeat the correct actions as many times as it takes you to develop intonation-melodic ear.

49

The Squirrels

50

Fig. 20

2 3 2

3 2 2

1 4 2 4 1 4 2 4

1 1 1 1 3 3 2

1 4 2 4 4 4 2

5 4 1 4

2 2 2 2

1 2 1 2

2

2 1 2 3 4

5 2

2 4 2

1 1

5 3 2

5

51

Lesson 23Articulations

Articulations are variants of intonation. The principle of correct intonation is preserved in all articulations the distance between sounds is passed slowly and with resistance.

Therere six types of articulations: legato, tenuto, non legato, staccato, marcato and martele.

Legato is basic intonation with spring stretching from one sound to another.

Tenuto is intonation with weight increase to the next sound.

Fig. 21. Tenuto

Non legato is basic intonation, but lighter than legato.

Fig. 22. Non legato

Staccato is intonation with acceleration (extreme speeding up) to the next sound.

Fig. 23. Staccato

Marcato (marked) is intonation with weight increase and acceleration to the next sound .

Fig. 24

Martele is intonation with weight increase and acceleration to the next sound. Its intonated maximally energetically and distinctly.

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Fig. 25. Martele

All accelerations and increases of weight have to be started from the second half of the way. The first half of the way has to be passed slowly and with resistance. Acceleration has to be maximally fast. Imagine that you stay by a racing track and watch cars racing, and the cars hurtle past you. This is the speed that should be in intonation of articulations staccato, marcato and martele.

The duration of tenuto, staccato and accent depends on the duration of a note to which they belong. If tenuto, staccato or accent belong to a half note or quarter note, then these articulations are played a little longer than those that belong to an 8th note or 16th note.

Assignment 1. Gather weight, then play and sing all basic intervals with articulations

legato, tenuto, staccato and marcato. Sing all sounds in texture with movement.

2. Sing intervals in the piece with correct articulations (Fig. 26, p. 55).3. Gather weight and play the piece by each hand with musical speech

and accurate articulations. Imagine sound texture in dynamics and balance with movement before playing each note.

4. Gather weight and play the piece by both hands with musical speech and accurate articulations. Imagine sound texture in dynamics and balance with movement before playing each note.

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Lesson 24Meter

In a musical piece, meter is the steady pulse that unites and organizes sounds in time. Its necessary to develop the sense of organization of time space in the sound idea of a piece learn to choose a correct tempo and keep strict (uniform, without tempo deviations) meter while playing a piece.

Assignment 1. Define the unit of pulse in the piece. Youll conduct this pulse (dropping

your arms down and raising them up) and breath correctly (exhaling and inhaling).

2. Complete the following exercises to develop the internal sense of pulse:

a) Conduct the whole piece in calm tempo: the arms go down with exhalation on the first pulse; the arms go up with inhalation on the second pulse. Breathe through your nose inhalation and exhalation will be felt more precise. At the same time sing in your head the melody of the piece.

b) Now try to feel the internal pulse without conducting and the special breathing technique while singing the piece internally. This pulse should be felt like a heartbeat, but its more visible.

Work on this exercise long enough because the sense of pulse (meter) isnt developed quickly.

3. Tune in to the mood of the piece and feel its internal pulse in slow tempo first, and then in lively tempo. Conduct the piece in various tempos to get a more accurate feel of the pulse. Feel how the mood of the piece changes in accordance with a chosen tempo: in slow tempo it would sound calmer, more melodious and unhurried; in lively tempo it would sound lively and actively. Pay attention: at the end of the piece you should feel a movement slowdown and then enter the original tempo right away (Fig 26, p. 55).

4. Before starting to play, feel the mood of the piece, feel its pulse, gather weight and play the piece by each hand (Fig. 26, p. 55). Play with intonation and articulations while imagining sound texture in dynamics with movement and feeling musical speech in intonated intervals.

Play in slow tempo for now choose one in which youll be able to complete everything with quality while having time to imagine all MEMs.

Attention: if you dont feel meter, the pulse of the piece, then youve poorly completed point 2 of the assignment. Keep in mind that tempo (meter) has to be strict without accelerations and decelerations. All agogical deviations

54

of tempo that are connected to intonation of musical speech should be done within the strict bounds of meter.

5. Before starting to play, feel the mood of the piece, feel its meter, gather weight and play the piece by both hands. Play with intonation and articulations while imagining sound texture in dynamics and balance with movement and feeling musical speech in intonated intervals.

55

The Squirrels Allegro

56

2 3 2

3 2 2

1 4 2 4 1 4 2 4

1 1 1 1 3 3 2

1 4 2 4 4 4 2

5 4 1 4

2 2 2 2

1 2 1 2

2

2 1 2 3 4

5 2

2 4 2

1 1

5 3 2

5

poco rit. a tempo

Fig. 26

57

Lesson 25Learning the Piece

The process of correct learning is the guarantee of fast and comfortable piece learning. It also prevents arm illnesses. The idea of learning is that you repeat small fragments of a piece as many times as it takes to feel comfort when playing these fragments. The main criterion of comfortable playing in any tempo is to feel fingertips on each played note with a maximally possible freedom in arms. Your finger has to timely exert before playing a note and become free right away after playing it.

This technique is used to learn a fragment on all tempo levels (slow, moderate, lively and fast). After feeling comfort in slow tempo, move on to moderate tempo and achieve the same level of comfort in this new tempo by the means of repetition. In any case, dont move on to a faster tempo without feeling full comfort in the previous tempo, otherwise, it will lead to an uncomfortable piece learning when your arms and psyche will be in constant strain. Self-control is very important! You may cross out your entire correct piece analysis with one wrong step.

The idea of correct learning is that you should feel comfort while playing in fast tempo just like while playing in slow tempo. I.e. you should feel each played note with your fingertips while your arms remain free even when playing f. You may repeat lines more than five times until you feel comfort in arms and fingertips.

The piece is considered well learned when a room for freedom and creativity appears in your head while playing. When you begin to dose all MEMs and create a piece, not simply fully accomplish all MEMs.

The process of learning a piece is quite monotonous. The key to success here is to be patient while repeating small fragments of the piece. Its important to repeat every fragment of the piece as many times as its indicated in the plan. Its important to play in those tempos that are indicated in the plan without increasing tempo a little bit from time to time. Only then you begin to feel that a repeated fragment of the piece becomes easier to play over time all movements become more precise, accurate and small; dexterity of fingers begins to develop; and it becomes easier for you to stay in the world of imagined sounds without jumping out of it. You also learn the piece by heart.

Most importantly, you learn to tune in and concentrate on the necessary MEMs before playing. If in the beginning of learning it used to take you around one minute to tune in you couldnt imagine everything at once, then by the end of learning youll be able to tune in in a matter of a few seconds.

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Such monotonous work exists in all fields of work: first goes creativity, and then monotony. Its the only way to bring all started matters to the end. Its the only way for a creation to come to life.

Assignment Before starting with lively and fast tempos, make sure to feel the pulse

of the desired tempo. Its necessary to feel the pulse while playing the piece as well.

Complete the following tasks using Fig. 26, p. 55:Day 1. Play the piece by one line: 5 times in slow tempo; 5 times in moderate tempo; 5 times in lively tempo; 5 times in fast tempo.Day 2. Play the piece by 2 lines: 5 times in slow tempo; 5 times in moderate tempo; 5 times in lively tempo; 5 times in fast tempo.Day 3. Play the piece by 4 lines: 5 times in slow tempo; 5 times in moderate tempo; 5 times in lively tempo; 5 times in fast tempo.Day 4. Play the whole piece; 5 times in slow tempo; 5 times in moderate tempo; 5 times in lively tempo; 5 times in fast tempo.Day 5. Play difficult fragments in the piece several times (until you feel

comfort in fingertips and freedom in arms) in slow tempo, moderate tempo, lively tempo and fast tempo.

Mark new difficult fragments that youll learn the next day.Youll be able to play The Squirrels easily in fast tempo only with such

learning.

59

Lesson 26Timbre with Movement.

Position Change. Polyphony

Assignment Using Fig. 27, p. 60:

1. Analyze timbre and sound movement in the piece.2. Analyze position changes.3. Imagine each hand in timbre with movement. Imagine double notes

by the rule of polyphony.4. Play the piece by each hand with correct technique while imagining

each note in timbre with movement.5. Imagine both hands in timbre with movement.6. Play the piece by both hands with correct technique while imagining

each note in timbre with movement.

60

Ave Maria

violas

cellos

soprano

simile

3 4

54

5 4 1 3

3 3 5 5

4 3 4 2 4 2

4 4 1 1 54 5 5 2 2

61

Fig. 27

Preserve timbre movement in mordents:

5 4 3 2 3 2 3 2

2 1 1 1 2 5 2 2 2 5

2 3 2

3 4 3 2 1

54

3

62

Lesson 27Intonation and Weight.

Articulations

Assignment Using Fig. 28, p. 63:

1. Gather weight and play the piece by each hand with correct technique while imagining each note in timbre with movement and intonating each interval with weight and correct articulation.

2. Gather weight and play the piece by both hands with correct technique while imagining each note in timbre with movement and intonating each interval with weight and correct articulation.

Attention: before playing with intonation and weight, dont forget to gather weight (feel how freedom in your body passes to your feet and then raises from your feet, passes through your pelvis, torso and hands to the instrument).

From now and on, play the piece with intonation and articulations and gather weight before playing.

63

3