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Hensel - Mélodie, Op.4 No.2

A song without words in all but name, we find a top melody in the right hand, supported by a bass line with broken chords shared between the two hands as the harmonic filler. Practise first the melody against the bass line, omitting the harmony, to find the direction and shaping the main line needs. It is also worth practising the bass and middle layer without the melody, to enjoy the progression of harmony. Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) Resources & links ... Read >>

Fibich - Lento (Moods, Impressions and Souvenirs, Op.41 No.139)

The tempo is slow, and the mood sombre and brooding in this gorgeous character piece by the unjustly neglected Czech composer, Fibich. Bring as wide a tonal palette as you can muster to this piece, to create contrasting orchestral textures. The player will need to carefully consider the pedalling and accommodate the spread chords so as to catch the basses in the pedal while keeping continuity in the line. Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) ... Read >>

Ibert - Le petit âne blanc (No. 2 from Histoires)

ABRSM Grade 7 – C2

This charming character piece is full of colour and contrasts, inviting the performer to come up with their own imagery, or a story line from the imagination. Make this as vibrant and detailed as you can! The mood is happy at the start, but after a while the little donkey’s delicate trotting (and occasional contented braying) is disturbed by a dark, chromatic inner voice that leads to a middle section that is much livelier and more exuberant. The player will need to develop control over light, bouncy staccato notes, and repeated chords. Resources & links ... Read >>

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

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 in the fermatas. Dabs of pedal add colour and resonance to the accents (the spread chords) but use it sparingly elsewhere to preserve clarity of texture and articulation.... Read >>

Beethoven - Bagatelle in E-Flat (No.1 from Seven Bagatelles, Op. 33)

ABRSM Grade 7 – A2

Beethoven wrote short pieces (which he called “trifles”) throughout his creative life, which he published in three collections. This piece is the first from the earliest set, op. 33. In rondo form (ABACABA with a generous coda), Beethoven brings variety to the main theme whenever it comes back. Graceful throughout with touches of humour, the player will need to respond imaginatively when phrases repeat.... Read >>

JS Bach - Prelude & Fugue in F Major, BWV 856

BWV856

Difficulty Prelude: 3 Fugue: 3 ... Read >>

S. Coleridge-Taylor - Impromptu in B Minor (No. 2 from Two Impromptus)

ABRSM Grade 8 - B1

The title “Impromptu” is a generic term that carries little meaning other than a spontaneous approach on the part of the composer. Coleridge-Taylor’s Impromptu in B minor follows the A-B-A model of Schubert and Chopin’s forays into the form, the more florid outer sections contrasting with the song-like middle section. There are frequent tempo modifiers in the A sections that indicate rubato, but nothing in the B section. Here, the performer calls upon their musical instincts to allow phrases to move forwards and backwards, and to breathe naturally. Preview (please log-in or... Read >>

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

(Op. 57)

Concert pianist and piano professor Julian Jacobson gives a guided tour of Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata, Op. 57. In this detailed lecture performance, Julian gives insights on style and interpretation with further tips and suggestions for fingering and tackling some of the technical challenges!... Read >>

JS Bach - Prelude & Fugue in G Minor (Book 1)

BWV861

Difficulty Prelude: 4 Fugue: 5 This video preview features a performance of the work, please log-in or subscribe to see full teaching video for this work. Resources & links Click here for open domain editions for this work. click here to download difficulty chart for all 48 preludes & fugues. ... Read >>