Piano Technique: Re-arranging hands for speed and agility in Burgmuller’s “La Chasse” (The Chase) Videos

I used Burgmuller's "La Chasse" (The Chase) as my springboard for this particular discussion. The opening section of this composition, at break neck speed, quickly builds to a forte dynamic with an ensuing spill of staccato broken octaves, against a chordal Left Hand carrying a melody. It's plainly a bummer! For some players, the only…

The Suzuki Method for Piano, Pros and Cons

The traditional Suzuki method, devised by its pioneer advocate, Shinichi Suzuki applied originally to violin instruction. Students as young as 2 or 3 learned to play their instruments in the way language was acquired, through imitation. (I recalled black and white film footage showing hundreds of Japanese children lined up in rows with baby-size violins,…

Burgmuller’s “The Return”–like a light opera, with interspersed drama (videos)

"The Return" from the composer's Twenty-Five Progressive Pieces, Op. 100, is ear-catching. Like an Offenbach opera replete with an Overture, it delights in a set of lighthearted staccato chords that spill into a passionate MINOR sequenced interlude, setting the heart afire. Extinguished by the revisit of Eb Major punctuations, the music drifts off by authentic…

Burgmuller’s “Tender Flower” for rolling wrist motion (from 25 Progressive Pieces, Op. 100)

This charming Romantic character piece provides a perfect opportunity to practice the forward rolling wrist motion, especially with its motivic pairs of 8th notes. While the second one under the slur is notated as staccato, it should not be clipped. As an example, think about how a singer would phrase these notes. She certainly wouldn't…

Piano Lesson: More intensive work on J.S. Bach Fugue in C minor, BWV 847 (phrase shaping, voice balancing and form/theory analysis)

Claudia, 11, and I refined our work on measures 9 through 21, with special attention to Episodes. She practiced shaping voices, balancing them, and creating a gradual crescendo where needed. (form and theoretical analysis were woven into our Fugue exploration) We concluded by playing the Fugue from the opening to measure 18. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5shZxgti0s

Piano Technique: Two nifty warm-up routines, one loopy, the other for zig-zaggers

Claudia, 11, and I do a 20-minute warm-up before she tackles repertoire at her weekly lesson. Today I snatched two routines that might help others with the time-honored, upper arm roll, supple wrist, and elbow swing. Just my bias showing about technique and what I favor in its development. I've presented this one before, but…

More and more “piano” students are going Digital. Is it a good idea?

It's sad but true that a glut of former piano buyers who would have considered piano lessons for their children at age 7 or so, have made the choice to invest in a DIGITAL. (known as a DP) Of further testimony to the culture's relatively new fixation on electronic piano technology, are the 35,000 plus…

Rina, 5, shows outstanding progress over 6 months of piano lessons! (Videos)

I'm overwhelmed with joy to nurse along this child's musical growth. In truth, I'd never expected a 4-year old to be ready for private instruction. The undertaking was creative and experimental, falling into the iffy range of outcomes. A fledgling who has ingested the physical connection between the singing tone and how to produce it,…

Menahem Pressler, Mozart, and Masterclasses (Videos)

There are snips of folkore surrounding this elder statesman of the piano, but aside from slights about his teaching etiquette and temperament, I've always adored Menahem Pressler's artistry. An "old" 1974 recording of the pianist's Mozart's Bb Concerto, K. 450 is an ambrosian delight. The playing is pure singing poetry permeated by impeccable phrasing. An…

Building Piano Technique: Extracting passages from pieces to practice

Instead of playing through laborious Hanon and Czerny exercises to improve aspects of piano technique, a student can cut to the chase, by snatching selected passages from their pieces that magnify a particular technical/musical challenge. As an example, one of my adult students, devoted part of her lesson time to practicing a series of descending…