Thursday, April 23, 2015

Another Look at Autumn by N. Sabin - audio File you can access and listen to

This recording of Nigel Sabin's piano solo, Another Look at Autumn is focussed on balance of voices.  Texture is another consideration in this piece as well as the subito pianos that are throughout the score.  the piece starts around  9 seconds into the recording (you can hear me set up the  device, sit down and open the pages of the score)


Another Look at Autumn audio File performed by Ellen Johansen

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Developing Repertoire from April 1 - Through July 1

Honors Recital - Play the Sabin piece daily three times by memory
1. Full speed
2. 3/4 speed
3. 1/2 speed.

Careful work ups with dynamics, phrasing and imagery.


Baroque

1.  Sinfonia in C major by J.S. Bach    
       Goal: Memory and hands together

       Below tempo two parts with metronome




(Future Bach includes the B flat Invention and the b minor Sinfonia which is the last one in the book)



Classical

2. Haydn Divertamento in the Repertoire book 6

    April 23 - More attention to the articulation and balance of hands.  Even tempo.  Work up with a metronome and begin to memorize this lovely piece



Romantic  - Will hear this first next week - memorize?

3. Mazurka in F major op. 68 no. 3 (in the book chopin - an introduction to his piano works)

   Goal: new -Going for the style of the piece.  Also get the middle section up to tempo.  No mistakes in those high notes please


(Developing technique to be able to play the c sharp minor polonaise of Chopin)


5. Liszt - Etude in D minor op. 1, no. 4 (found in the liszt book)
4/23/15 - we worked on making a longer line, transferring the weight and sound from hand to hand.  Careful fingering as you are learning the piece and work within the dynamics.  move up the tempo with a metronome gradually five notches one notch higher per day

Impressionism

Debussy

Golliwog (found in the Children's Corner Book)

Begin working on this piece this week hands separate and very rhythmical.  Work on hands together SLOWLY particularly with hand over hand section.



 last piece of the book
Shephard's song

(leading to First Arabesque)


Contemporary

4. Fantasy - Nancy Telfar - page 47 in the repertoire book 6

Jazz

Gershwin Prelude

6. The second prelude -

Copland Piano Blues