Technique - Alfred Music

Technique 6Edited by Morton ManusContentsCover Design by Ted EngelbartA Note to Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Technique Tools Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Technique Tool 1 (Slur Gestures) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Artistic Etude 1 (Form and Expression) . . . . . . . . . .Playing Diminished Triads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Building Scale Velocity in B Minor . . . . . . . . . . . . .Masterwork Etude 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Building Scale Velocity in E b Major . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hands-Together Workshop 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Primary Chords in E b Major . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hands-Together Workshop 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Masterwork Etude 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Building Scale Velocity in C Minor . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hands-Together Workshop 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Primary Chords in C Minor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Two-Octave Minor ArpeggiosBeginning on White Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Technique Tool 2 (Voicing the Melody) . . . . . . . . . .Masterwork Etude 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Artistic Etude 2 (Changing Meters) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Technique Tool 3 (Building Scale Velocityin Flat Keys) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Primary Chords in A b, D b, and G b Major . . . . .Artistic Etude 3 (The Soft Pedal—Una Corda) . . . .Diatonic Triads and Inversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Technique Tool 4 (Trills) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Masterwork Etude 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Playing Root Position V7 Chords . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Technique Tools Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Masterwork Etude 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ending with Flair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Masterwork Etude 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Music Time Traveler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Artistic Etude 4 (What Makes It Swing?) . . . . . . . . .Hanon Variations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Technique Tools Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Masterwork Etude 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Technique Tools Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Interior Design by Tom GerouIllustrations by Jimmy HolderMusic Engraving by Linda LuskCopyright 2013 by Alfred MusicAll Rights Reserved. Printed in USA.ISBN-10: 0-7390-7072-XISBN-13: 978-0-7390-7072-7No part of this book shall be reproduced, arranged, adapted, recorded,publicly performed, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by anymeans without written permission from the publisher. In order to complywith copyright laws, please apply for such written permission and/orlicense by contacting the publisher at 021222425262830313233343536384042444648

2A Note to TeachersThe technical goals in Technique Book 6 areaccomplished through five types of activities:The art of playing the piano requiresthree things: knowledge, musical feeling,and the physical skills to perform whatis artistically intended, also knownas technique. The development oftechnique is essential to future successat the piano. Developing techniqueis a result of first understanding,then practicing the correct physicalmovements many times.The technical tools and artistic skillslearned in Alfred’s Premier Piano Course,Technique Books 1A–5, are enhanced andexpanded in Technique Book 6. Eachpage in the Technique Book correlateswith a specific page in the Lesson Book.When the Lesson, Theory, Performanceand Technique books are used together,they offer a fully-integrated andunparalleled comprehensive approach topiano instruction.In Technique Book 6, students encountertechnical skills in four areas, similar to 1A–5:Technique Tools from Books 1A–5* are reviewedand new technical goals for this level are clearlypresented through appealing and descriptiveexercises:1. Slur Gestures (p. 4)2. Voicing the Melody (p. 20)3. Building Scale Velocity in Flat Keys (p. 24)4. Trills (p. 30)These Technique Tools should always beintroduced to the student during the lesson.Hands-Together Workshops focus ondeveloping the skills necessary for coordinatinghands-together playing (pp. 13, 14, 17).Patterned Exercises provide students with thenecessary repetitions to make the techniquefeel natural. Memorization, although optional,is suggested.Artistic Etudes showcase a student’s techniquein an artistic musical setting (pp. 6, 22, 26, 40).Masterwork Etudes, written by importantcomposers and teachers from the past, providetraining to play standard masterworks. Manyof them also reinforce Technique Tools andHands-Together Workshops (pp. 10, 15, 21, 31,34, 36, 46). Playing Naturally Moving Freely Playing Beautifully Playing ArtisticallyThe overall goal of the Technique Booksin Alfred’s Premier Piano Course is todevelop the physical skills needed to playartistically, expressively and effortlessly.* See Technique Books 1A–5 for descriptions of TechniqueTools reviewed in this book.

6Lesson Book: pages 6–7Artistic Etude 1Form and ExpressionForm describes the organization of a piece and provides a guide to playing thepiece with proper musical expression. Barcelona Reflections is in A-B-A form.Section A (mm. 1–16)For the repeat of the A section, change the dynamicsand/or the heart notes.Section B (mm. 17–32)When the B section begins, change the mood.Coda (mm. 33–42)Let the music build to a dramatic ending.Think about how you will play each section for everypiece you play. Your performance will then soundmuch more appealing and musically more interesting.Barcelona ReflectionsSection ALivelyœ3& 8Fœ? 38 œœ26œœ& œ œ? œœœ œœœ œœœ11223œ œ œ& œœ œœ œœ?œ.œœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœ œœœ1œ.#œ .3141‰œ œ12œœœœœœ2212œœ œœœœœ œ1œœœ1œœœœœœœ21# œœœœœœ21œ œ œ #œœ121fi2nd timeto Codaœœœœœœœœœ3œœœ œœœ œœœœ.œ.œ œ œ œ œ1œ œ œ œ œ œ œ.œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ325521œœ .œ.‰ œœ1œœœ œœ œœœ œœœœœœœœ12423œœœ œœ œœœœœœœ œœ œœœ œœœ œ121jœœ ‰ ‰œœœœœœ18585* Barcelona is a major city on the east coast of northern Spain (Catalonia) and home to one of the most beautiful basilicasin the world, La Sagrada Família. The architect for the basilica was Antoni Gaudí and it is still under construction.

10Lesson Book: pages 10–11Masterwork Etude 1Playing with a Warm SoundWhen pianists play espressivo (expressively), they create a warm,beautiful sound that is not harsh. To create this sound, play withrelaxed arms and hands as your fingers play deeply into each key.Play Prelude in D Minor with this technique to achieve anexpressive sound.Technique Tip: Play the first LHwhole note (sustained note) in eachmeasure with slightly more weight.Prelude in D Minor(Introduction to the Art of Playing on the Pianoforte)Andante moderatoespressivoMuzio Clementi (1752–1832)Op. 42(adapted)œ œŒŒœœ&bC Œœœ œ œœœœœœœ#œœœp œœw œ .? b C œwœ .œw œ .1424234&b Œœ œ œ œœP œ? b œ .œw15241simile7&b Œ?bœ œ œ œœœ1œw œ .124Œœw532112œ œ œ œœœœ .1241Œ321124œœ œ #œ œ œœw œ .%ŒŒœ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ œ p œ poco cresc.œ .œwœw œ .125312424

20Lesson Book: pages 19–21Technique Tool 2Voicing the Melody5Voicing means to bring out the melody by playing it so thatit stands out from the other notes played by the same hand.Usually this note is played louder. Play with more weight onthe notes to be voiced as the melody.more weight431. Play the RH melody notes with added weight ( f ).## 3& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œfAllegro moderatoœ45œœœ œ œ œ œ œœ54œœ2. Play the RH melody with added weight ( f ) while you simultaneously andsilently “play” the other RH notes. Pianists call the silent notes “the shadow.”Allegro moderato## 3& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œfVoice top note42œœ5œœThe shadowœœœ œ œ œ œ œVoice top note5œœ42œœThe shadowœœ3. Play the RH melody in No. 2 with added weight ( f ) as you play the other RHnotes softly. The soft notes were previously “the shadow.”4. Finally, add the LH playing the bass notes. Remember to play all melody noteswith added weight ( f ).## 3& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œf? ## 3 4Allegro moderatoVoice top note425Pœœœœ24œœœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ5 Voice top note42œœœœ14œœœœœœœœ

21Lesson Book: pages 19–21Masterwork Etude 3VoicingUse the voicing technique you learned on page 20 to play this etude.In the measures that include RH harmonic intervals, listen carefully sothe top note melody sings out above the other RH notes.Etude in D MajorLudvig Schytte (1848–1909)Op. 108, No. 7## 3& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œœfœœ? ## 43 PAllegro moderatoVoice top note425œœœœVoice top noteœ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œœœœ24## œ œ œœ œ œ&5? ##9##5## œ œ œœ œ œ&œœœœœ? ## œ1351414Voice top note (through m. 8)œœœœœœœœ414œœ œ œ œ œ œœf? ## œœœ13œœœœœ œ œ œ œœ 5œœœœœ4215œœœœœœ

22Lesson Book: page 22Artistic Etude 2Changing MetersChanging meters often can have an unsettling effect. When changing26from 4 to 8 , the eighth note pulse should remain the same. This isindicated by the symbol e e (see m. 2).In Section A of Whirlwinds, the beat should remain steady.WhirlwindsTechnique Tip: Stay close to the keys toplay the staccato notes at a fast tempo.Section AAllegro giocoso (lively and humorous)? bb 42 ‰ œ œ œ œFj? b 42 œ ‰ Œb œ1œ&b 2 œœœbœœ& 4 œ1? bb 42 œœŒ68 ‰œœœœ5œœœb 6 ‰ œ œ œ œ #œb& 8œ? bb 68 œœ ‰ ‰ œ ‰ ‰ & œœœJJ23468 ‰24œ œ œ œ #œ68 œœ ‰ ‰ œœ ‰ ‰ 42JJ31 214 168 œœ ‰ ‰ œœ ‰ ‰JJœœœœ1&fi 2684œ œ . .68 ‰ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œ2œŒœ œ œ œ œœœœ 4111œ2nd timeto Coda68 ‰ œ œ œ œ # œ912œ? 2 ‰ œœœœ #œ 4j2‰ ‰ 4 œœ ‰ Œ1125b2 ‰bœ œ œ œ œ& 4f? bb 42 œj ‰ Œœ1œ œ œ68 œœ ‰ ‰ œœJJ15155e eœ42 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ24 œj ‰œœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ1‰ œœœ2341‰ œœœ234‰?Œœ œ #œ œ œœœœ‰6868##

The art of playing the piano requires three things: knowledge, musical feeling, and the physical skills to perform what is artistically intended, also known as technique . The development of technique is essential to future success at the piano . Developing technique is