Solfeggietto in C Minor

Walkthrough - Practising Aspects (4)

This video looks at how to go about learning and practicing CPE Bach's Solfegietto in C Minor: Resources & links Click here to download a PDF version of the score with each of the instances of the theme highlighted. ...

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Nocturne in E-flat

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*** (Album for the Young No. 30)

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Fantasie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor (Op. 66)

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The Girl with the Flaxen Hair

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Sonata Pathétique in C Minor

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Little Prelude in F

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Harmony, History & Style

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ABRSM Grade 3 - Piano Exam Pieces

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Intermezzo in A Major (Op. 118 No. 2)

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Schumann - Album for the Young (Op. 68)

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Rigaudon

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A rigaudon is a lively French baroque dance. Telemann’s energetic example, set for Trinity Grade 2, contains plenty of springy rhythms and colour. In this video, I look at how to use simple five-finger patterns to develop the skills involved in playing the piece - forearm staccato and combined touches... Read >>

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Sonata in C# Minor (Sonata quasi una fantasia)

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Prelude in D Minor

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Partita No. 1 in B-flat Major (BWV 825)

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Schubert - Impromptu in G-Flat Major (Op. 90 No. 3)

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There’s Even More to Playing the Piano

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A Crash Course in Music Theory

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The Merry Farmer

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Mozart Sonata in G, K283 (1st mvt)

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Aria in F

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Fantasie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor (Op. 66)

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Partita No. 6 in E minor

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Arietta

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Sonatine

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Bruch - Moderato from Sechs Klavierstücke (Op. 12, No. 4)

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24 Préludes (Books I & II)

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25 Easy and Progressive Etudes (Op. 100)

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Beethoven - Sonata No. 23 in F minor ('Appassionata')

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Julian Jacobson Repertoire

Two Short Pieces

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Intermezzo in A Major (Op. 118 No. 2)

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Nocturne in C-sharp Minor

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Graham Fitch Repertoire

Intermezzo in E-Flat (Op. 117 No. 1)

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Prelude in C-sharp Minor

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Sostenuto in E flat

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Sonata No. 8 in C Minor ('Pathétique')

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Julian Jacobson Repertoire

25 Easy and Progressive Etudes (Op. 100)

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The Well-Tempered Clavier – Part 1

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Beethoven on Board

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Allegretto (from The London Sketchbook, K. 15hh)

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Mozart was 8 years old on a trip to London when he wrote this charming little Allegretto in F major in minuet-style, with a trio section in the minor. The video demonstrates how to use quarantine practice for difficult spots, and how to apply bar-by-bar chaining for secure learning. Various... Read >>

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Intermezzo in A Minor (Op. 76 No. 7)

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Sonatina in G - Second Movement

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Impromptus D899 (Op. 90)

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Allegro Assai (1st movement from Sonata in A major, Wq 55 no. 4)

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CPE Bach’s Sonata in A is full of invention and makes a great alternative to the standard Haydn or Mozart repertoire. Full of contrasts in dynamics and texture, it demands a lot of technical control and precision. In this walkthrough, I look at how CPE Bach embellishes some of the... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Sonatina in G - First Movement

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Ken Johansen Repertoire

Minuet in D major, K. 355

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Mozart’s Minuet in D, K. 355 features chromaticism that is surprising even to our ears (imagine what it must have sounded like to the listener of the day!). The piece is conceived as an ensemble piece for string trio, and we need to have this sound in our ear as... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Allegro (from Fantasia no. 1 in D major)

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Georg Philipp Telemann's Fantasia in D major, on Trinity’s Grade 6 alternative syllabus, is a worthy piece and a lot of fun to play. This video shows some of the principles involved in making decisions regarding dynamics, articulation, touch and expression and looks at several options for interpretation based on... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Toccata

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Aram Khachaturian’s Toccata is surely one of the most effective showpieces for the advancing pianist. Although it looks and sounds very difficult it is actually much more approachable than you might think, with patterns that are always highly pianistic and often surprisingly simple to memorise. There is plenty of scope... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Von fremden Ländern und Menschen

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Schumann’s Von fremden Länder und Menschen (Of Foreign Lands and People), the first piece of his Kinderszenen (Scenes of Childhood), is a poetic evocation of the dream-like world of children. In this article, the three strands of the music — melody, bass, and accompaniment — are studied individually before being... Read >>

Ken Johansen Repertoire

Ecossaise in E-Flat (No. 4 from Six Ecossaises, WoO 83)

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A lively dance in 2/4 time, an ecossaise is actually the French word for “Scottish”! Flexibility in the right hand is necessary to avoid tension, and flexibility in the pulse (while not indicated in the score) is essential to bring grace and elegance at the start, and then some forward... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Jacques Ibert - Little White Donkey

Le petit âne blanc (The Little White Donkey) is the second piece from Jacquest Ibert’s set of ten pieces entitled Histoires and requires plenty of imagination to play it with the necessary colour and vibrancy. This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and other practice tools to... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Sonatina in G

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Handel's Sonatina in G is part of a new series on the ABRSM syllabus designed for youngsters, or elementary players. This series of articles provides a step-by-step (or phrase-by-phrase) approach to learning the piece thoroughly and securely, building a solid foundation for performance in an exam, or if you are... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Lyric Pieces

Grieg wrote his famous Nocturne (Night Piece) in the summer of 1891 during his annual country retreat to the Norwegian mountains and fjords. Along with five other pieces, he included the Nocturne in Book V of his Lyric Pieces, Op. 54.... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Diabelli - Moderato Cantabile (from Sonatina in F major, Op. 168 No. 1)

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The first movement (Moderato) of Diabelli’s appealing Sonatina in F is a model of sonata form in miniature, an ideal way to teach form and structure to the intermediate pianist. In this video I demonstrate the art of finger pedalling in the left hand alberti patterns and show how to... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Reger - Versöhnung (Reconciliation) (No. 20 from Aus der Jugendzeit, op. 17)

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Max Reger’s Versöhnung (Reconciliation) demands from the player a vivid imagination, the ability to tell a story in sound. This delightful late Romantic piece describes a character asking someone to be their friend again after a disagreement – pleading, commiserating and even dancing to win back their affection. In the... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Intermezzo in B minor (Op. 119 No. 1)

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In 1893, Brahms wrote his last work for the piano, a set of four piano pieces, op. 119. The Intermezzo in B minor is the first piece of the set. As a composition it is full of riches, arousing keen interest in composers and scholars (including Arnold Schoenberg) as they... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Mazurka in G minor (Op. 67 No. 2)

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The mazurka is based on the Polish folk dance that originated in Mazovia, near Warsaw. Chopin wrote more than 50 mazurkas and listening to a variety of them will help develop a sense of the characteristic style. This example, in G minor, was written in the last year of Chopin’s... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

From the Ground Up

From the Ground Up is a series devoted to learning individual pieces using outlines and reduced scores that help you to practise more effectively, memorize more consciously, and interpret music more creatively.... Read >>

Ken Johansen Repertoire

Mazurka in A minor (Op.17 No. 4)

A ravishing melody floats in the air above the left hand’s meandering harmonies, creating a haunting, melancholy atmosphere. The second section invites us to a rustic dance but even though the music has now moved to the major key the colour remains dark, the bass drone keeping us grounded. The... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Waltz in A minor

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/106-waltz-in-a-minor?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 4</a></h3>

Grieg’s Waltz in A minor is full of character and contrasts, and not without its challenges - especially concerning how to use the pedal. In this video I show how to organise the pedalling in order to make some of the joins possible without covering over Grieg’s slurs and staccato... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Fanfarinette and La Triomphante (from Suite in A minor)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/121-fanfarinette-and-la-triomphante-from-suite-in-a-minor?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 8</a></h3>

Jean-Philippe Rameau was an important composer and theorist of the High Baroque. He wrote three books of very fine pieces for harpsichord - Fanfarinette and La Triomphante come from the Suite in A minor (third book), and are examples of character pieces with descriptive or fanciful titles typical of the... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Fantasy in D Minor K397

This video provides a section by section waltkthrough of Mozart's Fantasy in D Minor K397 (sometimes referred to as Fantasia).... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Knight Rupert (Album for the Young No. 12)

Knight Rupert, No. 12 from Schumann’s Album for the Young, Op. 68, is a favourite recital piece for the intermediate player, and great fun to play. The rousing A section contrasts beautifully with the more lyrical B section. This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and other... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Sonata in G Major

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/97-sonata-in-g-major?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 3</a></h3>

Here is an opportunity for the developing player to explore various possibilities for touch and articulation. In this short sonata there are also several technical challenges to overcome, including jumps, rotary freedom, delicate grace notes.... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Camidge - Scherzando (Second movement from Sonata no. 1 in G major)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/107-camidge-scherzando-second-movement-from-sonata-no-1-in-g-major?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 5</a></h3>

Matthew Camidge's Scherzando in G is a worthy example of Classical period music, a light-natured piece full of melodic embellishments, opportunities for variety in phrase shaping, articulation and dynamic colouring. In this video I demonstrate solutions for the fast repeated notes we find in the B section, and show how... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Prelude in B Minor (Op. 28 No. 6)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/113-prelude-in-b-minor-op-28-no-6?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 6 - B2</a></h3>

Chopin’s dark, somber Prélude in B minor is much more difficult to play than it looks. This video demonstrates how to approach this piece technically and musically with particular attention to the pedalling which requires a lot of thought... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Allegro molto (3rd movement from Sonata in C major, Hob. XVI:50)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/119-allegro-molto-3rd-movement-from-sonata-in-c-major-hob-xvi50?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 7</a></h3>

This is the last movement of the so-called “English” Sonata in C, inspired by the powerful and resonant Broadwood pianos Haydn encountered on a visit to London in the 1790s. The music is full of humour and lightness of spirit, requiring a sense of comic timing, clarity of texture and... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Intermezzo in E major (Op. 116 No. 6)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/186-intermezzo-in-e-major-op-116-no-6?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Walkthrough</a></h3>

Brahms’ late piano pieces are among his most personal and intimate music. This bittersweet, nostalgic Intermezzo is from the set of Fantasies, Op. 116, completed in 1892. Within the progression of harmonies in the outer sections we discover interweaving melodic lines; imagine a dialogue between a violin and a viola... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

No. 2 from Kinderstücke (Op. 72)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/120-no-2-from-kinderstcke-op-72?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 7</a></h3>

Mendelssohn wrote his set of six Children’s Pieces, op. 72 for his young relatives during his summer holiday to England in 1842. No. 2, an andante sostenuto in the key of E flat, close in spirit to the composer’s many Songs without Words, features a lyrical melody in the right... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Tarantella (No. 4 from Musiques d’enfants, Op. 65)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/159-tarantella-no-4-from-musiques-denfants-op-65-?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 5 – C3</a></h3>

Prokoviev’s Music for Children was composed in 1935 and contains 12 pieces with descriptive titles. The Tarantella is one of the best examples of this type of dance piece, featuring spinning patterns in both hands and plenty of quirky harmonic and rhythmic features that make Prokoviev’s style so engaging.... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Prelude in C minor (BWV 999)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/158-prelude-in-c-minor-bwv-999?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 4 – A1</a></h3>

Built from a harmonic progression and originally written for lute we can recreate some of the resonance of that instrument either by short touches of pedal, or by overholding some notes of the broken chords.... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Invention in D Minor No. 4 (BWV 775)

Bach's Inventions (in two parts) and the Sinfonias (in three parts) were written for the Bach’s eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann and are played throughout the world by intermediate players and concert artists alike. This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and other practice tools to approach two... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Für Elise

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/140-fr-elise?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">(Bagatelle No. 25 in A Minor)</a></h3>

This evergreen miniature of Beethoven scarcely needs any introduction at all, since Für Elise is known to the world at large. What beginning piano student does not itch to play it, pestering their teacher long before they are ready? This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Elgar - Andantino (First movement from Sonatina)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/118-elgar-andantino-first-movement-from-sonatina?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 4</a></h3>

Here we find the first movement of a two-movement sonatina that Elgar wrote for his niece. It is song-like and gently expressive, calling for sensitivity in shaping phrases and timing larger melodic intervals. The Andantino demands careful listening in the balancing of the hands, the accompanying left hand, while quieter,... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Solfeggietto in C Minor

Walkthrough - Practising Aspects (4)

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