Innehållsförteckning för 130 från Pianist

For over 20 years we have been bringing you fantastic scores to learn and giving you the chance to hear the music on our exclusive CD. Due to commercial realities in the UK and across the globe, the CD will no longer be attached to newsstand copies. Newsstand readers – don’t despair, though. There are still ways that you can access the tracks: 1 BECOME A SUBSCRIBER! The CD comes free with all subscriber copies – no matter where you are in the world. 2 Stream the album on Spotify. This issue’s album can be found at pianistm.ag/spotify. Alternatively, just search for ‘Pianist Magazine’ in the Spotify search bar. 3 Write to me at editor@pianistmagazine.com, with your full name and address, and we’ll post the CD out to you. Subscribers…

TAP TO WATCH Beisembayev plays Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy LISTEN Tap the play buttons below to listen LISZT TRANSCENDENTAL ETUDE NO 12, CHASSE-NEIGE TAP TO WATCH A very young Alim © Olivia da Costa ‘I like a challenge. The thought of how I’m going to cope with cer tain reper toire with two days’ notice slightly excites me’ Winning the Leeds International Piano Competition, Britain’s leading contest of its kind, is the dream of many a youthful concert pianist. For Alim Beisembayev, the dream came true in September 2021. ‘It was an incredible, absolutely unforgettable moment,’ he remembers. ‘I still sometimes have to pinch myself. It’s hard to believe that now I am part of the Leeds history.’ He shot to victory performing Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme…

Key G major Tempo Moderato Style Romantic Will improve your ✓Polyrhythms ✓Phrase shaping ✓Evenness and control © Sven Arnstein It is no real surprise that Rachmaninov followed in the footsteps of Chopin in writing 24 Preludes for piano. Chopin was a huge inspiration, and Rachmaninov’s early piano works are very much a homage to the great Polish composer. Unlike Chopin, though, Rachmaninov did not compose his Preludes in a specific order or key sequence. Indeed, they are written over three opus numbers (if you include the C sharp minor Prelude from Op 3). You need to think of the LH as a constant stream of water which you have joined mid-flow – and that will continue to flow when you have finished Each one of the Preludes in Op 23…

August Eberhard Müller composed concertos, keyboard and chamber music, plus various vocal works. His early output was of a Mozartian style, and his later piano music was more virtuoso. This short piece is a great exercise for practising soft playing. Look at the technical tips. This piece is in the key of A minor, with the one accidental of G sharp. There is little movement in both the RH and LH parts. It’s all quite static. So it’s important to keep the musical line moving. Thinking in long four-bar phrases will help.…

Born in Kherson, Ukraine, Maykapar graduated from the Law School of St Petersburg University (1890) and from the St Petersburg Conservatory as a pianist in 1893. He continued his studies with Leschetitzky in Vienna, then divided time between Moscow and Germany, before teaching at the St Petersburg Conservatory from 1910-1930. Maykapar’s short piano pieces for children remain popular, especially the set of Biryulki (meaning ‘trifles’ or ‘bagatelles’) in which this nervously atmospheric piece appears. Playing tips: In order to gain a sense of agitation and breathlessness, keep the line moving, always making sure to adhere to the rests in the LH. Keep the touch light (dynamics are mainly piano) and think in four-bar phrases, remembering to shape each phrase with a little crescendo and diminuendo where marked. The climax appears…

TRACK 9 Bach’s 15 Inventions were originally written as ‘Praeambula’ and ‘Fantasia’ in the Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, a Clavierbooklet for his eldest son. They were later rewritten as musical exercises for his students. All 15 Inventions are two-part contrapuntal works – hence their more familiar title, Two-Part Inventions. Playing tips: The Inventions are a staple diet for most pianists in the early years of training – and one can see why! They require a solid technique in terms of rhythmic stability and good finger dexterity. You will notice there are no dynamic markings on the score, thus giving free reign to the performer. Pedal is not required.…

No 6 from Six Easy Pieces Op 52 Composed in 1810, and published five years later, this Vivace of Op 52 – often referred to as Op 42, which is atually incorrect – is anything but easy! It requires sparkle, wit and a first-class technique. Playing tips: From the very first bar, technical challenges present themselves – the first being that of quick repeated notes. Notice the change of fingering over the repeated Cs; not easy to grasp at first, but it will make the repeated notes so much easier to manage. The LH is the accompaniment; keep the quavers light and even, with a slight emphasis on the first beat of the bar. Always think in long phrases and take note of all the dynamics and articulations. We suggest…

SIMON CALLAGHAN Reinecke Concertos 1, 2 & 4 Sinfonieorchester St Gallen/ Modestas Pitrénas Hyperion CDA68339 HHHH Jeremy Nicholas’s excellent liner notes to the 85th disc in The Romantic Piano Concerto series from Hyperion state that ‘In the pantheon of great composers, Carl Reinecke (1824-1910) sits just below the salt.’ That’s putting it kindly. So no shame if you’re thinking ‘Reinecke who?’ Turns out he was an arch-conservative, and jaw-droppingly prolific. And sort of derivative too: the three concertos here, composed between 1860 and 1900, keep reminding one of ersatz Mendelssohn and Weber. (Yup, even in 1900, he still wrote like that.) But if these works are rather like upmarket muzak, they’re quite sweet and charming too, and pianist Simon Callaghan does a superb job with them. His crisp articulation…

‘Gnossienne’ is a musical form created by the brilliant and eccentric French composer Erik Satie, who wrote six of them for solo piano. This fifth Gnossienne was composed around 1889, but not published until 1968, along with Nos 4 and 6. Playing tips: The pulse is crucial in this piece, and it is controlled by the LH. Make sure you learn the LH notes well and that you keep the quavers steady – like a heartbeat. Within the pulse, the RH can be a little bit more flexible (with subtle rubatos here and there). We suggested learning hands separately, always bearing in mind the pulse. The RH obviously needs more work, but the notes sit well under the hands, and we have added some fingerings to guide you. There are…

EMAIL: editor@pianistmagazine.com  WRITE TO: The Editor, Pianist, Warners Group Publications,The Maltings, West St, Bourne, PE10 9PH. Letters may be edited. A musical journey I started playing the piano at the age of four. I loved it and made a cardboard keyboard to practise at home and coloured in all the drawings in my first piano book. My music journey continued into my teens and intermittently into adult life. Then, three years ago, we were hit by Covid. With loads of time to play, I realised that the piano was taking centre stage in my life. I couldn’t wait to get to the piano first thing in the morning. I was inspired by Graham Fitch’s online lessons for Pianist, and was delighted that he accepted me as a student. Through him…

Most of us respond positively to a challenge. Among the more rewarding aspects of working towards an exam, concert, music festival or other event, are what we learn about ourselves along the way, how we respond to aspects that don’t settle so easily, and of course the sense of accomplishment we gain from feeling we’ve done ourselves proud. It’s by no means the case that we need a competitive angle to spur us forward; indeed, anything we can do to nurture and sustain a positive cycle of inspiration, endeavour, improvement and onward progression is surely a good thing. Although preparing for a concert performance is undoubtedly a different matter from gearing up to meet the more specific/varied requirements of a competition, audition or exam, there will nevertheless be similarities in…

Key F major Tempo Allegro Style Classical Will improve your ✓ Articulation ✓ Ornament technique ✓ Rhythmic pulse © Sarah Barnes This elegant miniature appears in Mozart’s The London Sketchbook. With its bright and breezy RH tune and mainly chordal LH accompaniment, it perfectly illustrates the composer’s Classical simplicity of writing. Set in binary form (AB structure), a firm rhythmic pulse is crucial; a suitable tempo might be 120 beats per minute, but it shouldn’t be played too fast or else the graceful melody will feel compromised. Spend ample time working on finger articulations. The markings over the quavers in both hands in bar 1 indicate a crisp, non legato touch. The quavers which appear without a slur or phrase marking should be played in this detached manner. Similarly,…

LESSON 56: PRACTISING INTERVALS Inter vals from a Second to an Octave Follow the fingerings and try to maintain a strict tempo (use of the mentronome can help – starting out slowly), making sure that you adhere to all the different articulations such as staccatos, slurs and longer phrase markings. The rests are of equal importance, too.…

Notes from the composer: Inspired by puppets, this happy little piece consists of a joyful tune in the key of F major. Set in 16 bars, the four-bar phrases are based on the opening motif in bar 1, which moves around the tonic triad (F, A, C). For the legato melodic line, seamlessly join one note to the next, using a finger legato touch. The quavers in the melodic line should be even and slightly lighter than the crotchet beats. The LH features an Alberti bass – arepeated accompaniment figure based on notes within a triad: for example, bar 1 contains the notes of the tonic triad: F, A, C. Practise this part by blocking out each minim beat, playing all the quavers together as one chord. When practising as…

Alfredo Casella was an Italian composer, conductor and pianist. He studied in Paris, and remained there until 1914. After touring as a pianist, Casella returned to Italy in 1915. In 1917 he founded the National Society of Music, soon renamed the Italian Society of Modern Music. Casella helped to revive interest in early Italian music and he also published valuable editions of the keyboard works of JS Bach and Mozart. Playing tips: With its roots in Spain and Cuba, the bolero dance, in 3/4 time, should move methodically and moderately slowly. This piece, from Casella’s set of 11 Pezzi Infantili (children’s pieces), is no exception. The marking at the start, Allegro spagnuolo, means ‘Spanish allegro’ – and the LH’s persistent rhythm (think Ravel’s famous Spanish-inspired Bolero) gives it that Spanish…

American composer Scott Joplin wrote over 40 ragtime compositions during his life. Because of the fame he achieved for these pieces, he was dubbed ‘King of Ragtime’. Composed in 1909, this slow waltz is particularly tender – and it’s perfect for the intermediate-level pianist. The few recordings to be found on YouTube present some different embellishments on certain notes. When researching Joplin’s own pianoroll recording, we noticed he added octaves on some of the repeats; Chenyin Li takes this on board with a ‘cadenza-style’ final eight bars. Playing tips: The first four bars act as an introduction to the waltz, and as such, can be much freer in tempo. From bar 5, keep a calm swaying tempo, saving subtle use of rubato for the ends of sections. Always aim to…

DON’T MISS LUCY PARHAM’S LESSON ON THIS PIECE Prelude in G Op 32 No 5 Sergei Rachmaninov wrote a total of 24 Preludes: the standalone Prelude in C sharp minor (Op 3 No 2), the 10 Preludes Op 23 and the 13 Preludes Op 32. They cover all the keys, but unlike those by Chopin and Bach, they were not composed in ‘key order’ and were not meant to be performed as complete sets. The track is performed by Lucy Parham on the Pianist album. Read her lesson on the Prelude in G inside this issue.…

PIANO ANTHOLOGY EXAMINATION PIECES FOR 2023 & 2024 GRADES 5-8 Edition Peters Edition Peters have published anthologies of piano music covering ABRSM’s Grade 8 piano exam syllabus for many years, but this is the first time they have also created volumes devoted to Grades 5, 6, and 7. These books are slightly more expensive than ABRSM’s counterparts, but they provide many more pieces from the 2023-24 syllabus at each grade (14 for Grade 5, 15 for Grades 6 and 7, 20 for Grade 8) than the nine pieces that ABRSM print in their books, giving teachers and students a wider range of choice under one cover. The presentation isn’t as polished, with the quality of engraving occasionally unrefined – in the Grade 7 book, for instance, the Haydn looks dated…

Tchaikovsky’s Album for the Young, dating from 1878 and dedicated to his seven-year-old nephew Bob Davidov, does what it says on the tin: it’s a collection of 24 pieces written for children to play, unlike Schumann’s similarly titled yet more challenging Album for the Young. This folk-inspired D minor dance is a real audience pleaser. Playing tips: The LH follows a pattern throughout. Aim for a slight emphasis on the third beat (notice how the pedal helps). Also make sure that the hand comes off the keys for the middle crotchet rest – this is where you have time to place the hand over the following chord. The RH needs a playful lilt to it, making the emphasis on the minim. Practise the RH on its own, as the rhythm…

From youth in artistocratic Russia to fleeing the revolution, from uneasy perches in European capitals to his last days in Beverly Hills, Sergei Rachmaninov led a life that was nothing if not dramatic. The Elégie is an early work (1892) from the great pianist-composer, the first of the five Morceaux de fantaisie. It is worth seeking out the recording of the piano roll of Rachmaninov himself playing this piece. For those players with hands on the smaller side, the LH is going to be challenging here. Luckily, you are able to divide the LH line between the hands, so do experiment with that. Being an advanced-level work, it would be advisable to seek advice from a teacher. That said, is is a heartbreakingly gorgeous piece to play, so it’s worth…

There are several so-called rules about piano playing that, although formulated long ago, may still haunt us today. In the previous issue, I centred on the myth of the perpetual finger legato in melodic lines and concluded that it is best practice to aim for this when it is comfortable to do so, because it is easier to control our sound. However, when hand connections are tight or awkward, we release the key and allow the pedal to make the join. Another rule, one that I shall be exploring in this article, concerns the use of the thumb on black keys in scales and passagework, often problematic when pivoting around the thumb. It is basic ergonomics in conventional scales to place the short fingers (1 and 5) on white keys…

Key A flat major Tempo Andante cantabile Style Romantic Will improve your ✓ Pedalling ✓ Voicing ✓ Ornamentation Louise Farrenc (1804-1875) is amongst the most distinguished yet neglected composers. Her output deserves investigating further. After all, becoming a professor of piano at one of the most successful music colleges ever, the Paris Conservatoire, is an achievement in itself, but that is not all she should be remembered for. Farrenc’s sustained musicological work as an editor of early music is testimony to her scholarly expertise. Add to this a deep understanding of how to develop piano technique in young players, and the range of her abilities becomes apparent. This Mélodie in A flat is a character piece. It is written in a style that became popular from the 1830s onwards.…

German composer Daniel Gottlob Türk remains best known today for his extensive and extremely detailed musical treatise, Klavierschule (1789), one of the most important sources for keyboard performance practice of the late 18th century. His collection of keyboard miniatures – the Kleine Handstücke für angehende Klavierspieler – are useful pieces for the beginner student. Look at the technical tips within the score. The key is F major. Notice the B flat in the key signature. Notice the short slurs over pairs of notes. Try a hand movement as such: a slight downwards movement on the first note – and then a lighter, upwards movement on the second.…

French pianist Henri Jérôme Bertini was born in London, but his family returned to Paris six months later. He received his early musical education from his father and his brother, a pupil of Muzio Clementi. He was considered a child prodigy and at the age of 12 his father took him on a tour of England, Holland, Flanders, and Germany where he was enthusiastically received. After studies in composition in England and Scotland he was appointed professor of music in Brussels but returned to Paris in 1821. Playing tips: Remember that this is a study – hence, it addresses a particular technique throughout. The technique being honed in on here is the ability to pass the LH over the RH (in order to play the second quaver melody note). Ensure…

When the editor first heard this hypnotic piece on Isata Kanneh-Mason’s Summertime album, she knew it had to feature it inside the magazine. With its stillness and hauntingly subtle changes of harmonies, it’s thoroughly intoxicating. Thanks, Isata! Playing tips: In order to capture the magic, try to maintain a very steady tempo throughout. The meandering quavers depict the still water, and, as suggested, the quavers should be played extremely legato. Try to imagine that your fingers are creeping like a spider over the keys. You might encounter some awkward finger movement around the thumb, but if you remember to implement lateral arm movement, you should be able to avoid any tension. Pedal tips: Continuous pedal changed against the harmonies.…

DON’T MISS NILS FRANKE’S LESSON ON THIS PIECE After completing her studies at the Paris Conservatoire, Louise Farrenc started her career as a concert pianist, becoming quite famous in the 1830s. In 1842 she became the only woman to be appointed to the position of professor at the Conservatoire – the only such appointment for a woman for the entire 19th century. She stayed there for 30 years, over which time she became one of the greatest piano professors in Europe. As a composer, Farrenc never got the full recognition she deserved during her lifetime. She wrote orchestral symphonies and overtures, but it was her chamber music that made the biggest impact, and her two piano quintets were held in particularly high regard amongst the Parisian critics. She also wrote…

This piece comes from The First Lessons on Pianoforte op 125 by Austrian publisher, composer and teacher Anton Diabelli, who wrote many such educational volumes.Even though this piece is marked at a fast speed, you should avoid the temptation to rush. It will help to listen to the CD. Think in four-bar phrases. There are two sections – the first one being bars 1-8, the second being bars 9 to the end. Each section is repeated. Try to make subtle differences when you play the repeats, such as altering the dynamics a little. Pedal not required. Take a look at the technical tips within the score. Count the pulse silently to yourself for a couple of bars before you begin. As suggested in the introductory text, it’s helpful think of…