LESSON PAGE.  EDELSON
​
7/7
Richard.  As part of our "mental practice" in which you proceed to understand better how the music is built in the pieces you learn, I would like to be sure we don't skip your scales, arpeggios and other technical routines.

For next lesson, please choose three keys and play for me a basic drill of scales, arpeggios, chords and cadences.  If you would rather not use lesson time for that, record yourself playing it using your phone and send it to me.  This way I will be sure to press-on and not fall into the habit of only playing the pieces, abandoning the technical side.

I am refreshing our notes about scales and diminished chords.  Be sure to take a look at them.

Scale, Arpeggio, Chord and Cadence practice

NEXT LESSON:
Choice of 3 keys.
Play at the lesson or
Send me a recording of you playing through.

In the book of scales
BOOK OF SCALES
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Diminished chords

Reminder: Diminished chords are a chain of minor thirds.  C - Eb - Gb - A
​There are only three diminished chords:
C - Eb - Gb - A    //    C# - E - G - A#    //    D - F - Ab - B

NEW PIECES FOR THE SUMMER:

IN PROGRESS: INNOCENCE by F. Burgmuller

7/7
See the video review I recorded for you talking about the concept we used at the lesson yesterday
burgmuller_etudes._innocence.pdf
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NEW: PASTORALE by F. Burgmuller

7/7
Here simplify the LH.  Play it once, and focus your mental energy on the RH.
Then when the RH plays with flow, only then you can incorporate  the rhythm to the LH.  Otherwise you are overwhelming your thinking process and the hesitation and constant stops will appear.
burgmuller_etudes._pastorale.pdf
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NEW: French Suite in G Major Nr.5 by Bach

7/7
As difficult as this one is, you actually do pretty well with the notes here.
We worked on how sometimes you have to be creative on distributing the notes into each hand so to avoid over-stretching.
bach_french_suite_5_g_-bwv_816.pdf
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NEW: Nocturne in C minor, KK. IVb by Chopin

7/7
My apologies and lesson learned.  Next time I send you a score I will make sure it is clear where the piece starts so you don't spend your time trying to learn a piece that is not the intended one.

Go ahead and work on this one.  Keep in mind that when you learn to play the chords, you will want to bring out the top note of each chord, so there is a melody that can be followed.
chopin-op28_prelude_c_minor.pdf
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LONG TERM PIECE:
​LISTZ.  Consolation No. 3

3/2
​Good progress reading through the piece.  This is a long-term piece, so continue playing other titles but keep practicing this one.

GOAL for next lesson is ONLY the first page.

Attention to notes here:
listz_consolations_-ricordi-.pdf
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listz_grb_notes.pdf
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JAZZ / POPULAR

HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA

10/27
Many of the G-minor chords needed the B-flat.  Attention to B-flats in general.
​Also B-flats in C7 chords.
Ok not to be counting obsessively on this song.  It can be flexible and relaxed.  Same when you are trying to fit arpeggios on the LH.
HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA
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HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA Exercise
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU

9/29
Excellent application of the bass-chords for the entire song.
​

9/21 UPDATE

I have created this exercise for you to practice the application of bass+chords to "Getting to Know You" following the steps:

1- Just play melody on the RH and block chords on the LH
2- LH now will break the block chords into bass + chord.  No octave lower necessary.  As simple as possible
3- LH now will alternate in the bass the -I- and the -V- to bring more variety to the bass line.

​All these examples are included in the score here on the right margin.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU chart
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU exercise
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AS TIME GOES BY

6/9/2020 LESSON NOTES:
Much better flow in the melody than before.
The second section still needs more clarity.  The chords are not very clear.  Better definition between bass/chords.
AS TIME GOES BY -The Real Book
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Explanation on how to practice building gradual bridges over the pause.

PIECES ALREADY WORKED ON:

SCHUMANN Selected numbers from Carnaval 
​SCHUMANN: Scenes of Childhood 1 - 7 - 12 -​ 13
​GRANADOS Danza Nr. 5
​ALBENIZ Granada
GABRIEL'S PIECES Flowing River, Gentle Rain, Underwater
​BACH Prelude Nr 1 WTC 1
​BEETHOVEN Moonlight Sonata. First movement
​CHOPIN Prelude Op 28 #4 E minor
​MOZART. Fantasia in D minor
BRAHMS. Waltz Op 39 Nr. 15 in A-flat Major
​MOZART.  SONATA IN A MAJOR. THEME AND VARIATIONS/Rondo Alla Turca
SATIE.  GYMNOPEDIE in G Major
​GNOSSIENNE in A minor
GERSHWIN.  PRELUDE #2
DEBUSSY.  REVERIE
CHOPIN.  WALTZ IN A minor
SUITE ESPAÑOLA. Granada. Blank score
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granados_playera___danza_espanola_op5_nr5.pdf
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CHOPIN: ​Prelude Op. 28 Nr. 4 in E minor
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bach-prelude-cmajor.pdf
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BACH Prelude C Major WTC-1
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SCHUMANN Scenes of Childhood Op 15
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schumann_carnaval_.pdf
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FUTURE PIECES:

BEETHOVEN
2nd movement in D Major (I need to find the specific information about it)
SCHUMANN Scenes of Childhood Op 15
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GERSHWIN. Intermediate arrangements

1/19
PENDING: EASIER ARRANGEMENTS OF THIS GERSHWIN SONG. These are too difficult

1/5
Voicing.
The very beginning needs to be practiced purposely to voice the notes carefully:
inner notes and LH all pp
RH melody with more weight so the melody automatically comes out easily.
Practice this repeating the chord several times until you can hear the melody clearly and the inner notes in the background.

GERSHWIN Intermediate level arrangements of the following songs:
  • Love Is Here to Stay
  • Summertime
  • They Can't Take That Away from Me
  • Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

Score with selections:

gershwin_intermediate.pdf
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Love Is Here to Stay

CLEMENTI Sonatinas Op. 36

Picture
12/8
​Practice system to obtain flow.
​See each element and section ad try to understand it not by individual notes, but by concept.  LH may be playing a chord in some pattern, then learn it first as a chord, then play it as individual notes.

11/24
We will play Sonatina #2 (and if time allows, also number 1) at the next lesson

SONATINA NUMBER 1
First Movement
11/10
The notes are well read.  the rhythm is good.  The pulse needs work.

Since this piece is not difficult to play and well within your technical range, let's focus on obtaining a very steady count and a precise sense of rhythm.

Then we will be differentiating the layers that have the melody, accompaniment, and when those layers cross over from the RH to the LH, we bring the melody out.

Second Movement
Attention to B-flats!
Very clear format of accompanied melody.  There needs to be a clear difference in sound from the melody and the LH broken chord patterns.
This is a relatively slow movement, easy to play it despite the goal for the final tempo.

Third Movement
This is a fast one, which means that you need to learn the RH melody very well before adding the LH because there will be little time to think.
When you add the LH, it is more efficient to add it as chords.  You learn it faster, you understand it better, and your fingers will be in position, so it will be more efficient.
Attention to this counting:
CLEMENTI Op.36 complete sonatinas
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In general this piece is going to be easy for you to play.

Next lesson I would like to see how much closer you can get to the ideal steady pulse, more balance and differentiation between the hands, and continuity without the pauses, or a very minimum number of pauses.

Priority: INNOCENCE by F. Burgmuller

2/2
Not seen at our lesson yet.  We will see it next lesson.

12/16
​Not difficult to prepare but very beautiful.  I recorded it for you so you can listen as you learn the notes.
burgmuller_etudes._innocence.pdf
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Next lesson: ARIETTA Op12 by E. Grieg

2/2
First line:
​Let's start by learning ONLY the melody with the RH, not including any of the harmony notes.
Then, let's learn the LH by itself as written.
When putting hands together, do it this way:
RH plays the melody ONLY
LH plays everything assigned to the LH.
After that you can then add all the notes to the RH and learn it separately.

Then repeat with the second line, and further lines but keeping it in small sections.
grieg_arietta_op12.pdf
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In general there are many notes that need to be marked on the score, especially flats that are missed.  Any time you hear something that sounds like it could be wrong, mark it.

Next lesson: WALTZ Op12 by E. Grieg

2/2
We will see this one at our next lesson and pass it if it is completed.

1/5
Good job with the LH.  Finger #3 works as pivot so your hand can tilt from the bass to the chord easily.

Bass chord chord:  down up, up swinging from left to right smoothly

The notes are generally not difficult to play and you did a god job reading through them.  Now you can focus on obtaining a balance between the hands so that LH is much lighter, softer and discrete, so the RH can sing without effort.

​On page 2, make sure that the RH does't intrude on the sound of the LH.  The LH is now leading and has the principal melody.
Counting could be better.  Your RH quarter notes sound too impatient and they easily become 8th notes.  Keep them lined up in the beat.

Return of the theme.  Attention to m. 62+63.  Notice the common notes and focus your reading effort to the changing notes.
grieg_waltz_op12.pdf
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WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS from Nutcracker -Tchaikovsky-

2/2
Skipped measures happened again.  Watch out for these measures:
2/2 continued...

Some other measures skipped as well.  That could be happening because of looking up and down the score.  To keep that from happening you could learn the melody with the RH alone first for a small section.  After the melody id easy to play with one hand, add the LH.  At that point, since you now now the RH well, you will not skip measures because your ear knows what note comes next and knows the entire phrase as a unit.

Also, a piece this long is better to break it into sections rather than playing the complete thing as one unit.
Ways to practice this in a progressive manner:
RH as written, but accompanied by the LH playing only the bass notes without the chords.​
waltz_of_the_flowers.pdf
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FREDERIC MOMPOU.  Canción y Danza (Only the Canción portion)
​Nrs 6, 7 and 8

3/16
Canción Nr. 8
last line LH bass clef
page 2 top line. m3 I could not recognize the notes you were playing on the RH
Simplifying is a very effective way to learn pieces, [;saying first the layers that carry the melody and bass, then adding the layers that carry the harmony and inner notes.

I feel you may have been practicing this piece playing everything at all times.  It is not necessary and also not very effective as a way to memorize the structure of the piece as you learn it.
MOMPOU Cancion 6, 7
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MOMPOU Cancion 8
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Passed: ENRIQUE GRANADOS.  Vals Noble 1 through 6.

4/13
Follow the practice system we saw at the lesson:
1- Learn the RH for 4 measures to the point of almost memorizing it
​2- Play a simplified LH.  Either just the first note of the bass, or the notes grouped as a chord.
Then put hands together in a simplified manner and practice only that section before adding more notes or moving to the next section. 

3/16
Thank you for preparing the "Preludio", but I find that section very difficult and my goal is to start on the actual waltz, which starts on page 3.

​Here on the right margin I have replaced the previous score and now I have uploaded a new score that has ONLY the pages I want you to practice.  I selected the waltzes that are easier to play and eliminated the most difficult ones from the score.  That will eliminate the chance that you may spend your time practicing very difficult scores.
SELECTION from GRANADOS "VALSES POETICOS"
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DONE:

BACH from Well-Tempered Klavier Vol.1
Prelude #9  in E Major

5/11
Develop the ability to reduce the score to terms that are more playable, and you can always add the rest of the notes as you become more proficient.
​For example, play melody on the RH or LH as written, but then the accompanying hand just the first note, the chord, or just a simple sketch.  As you learn the notes better, you start adding the rest of the omitted notes.
bach_prelude_9_in_e_major.pdf
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McDOWELL to a Wild Rose

5/11
Reading through the piece was mostly fine.  A few sharps need correction, so anytime you are in doubt that thee sound may not be correct, check the notes and write down on the paper any corrections or reminders you may need.

Remember that the 8th notes are not too fast.  You were playing them as if they were 16th notes.  
to_a_wild_rose.pdf
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CHOPIN: Mazurka in A minor, Op. 67, No. 4 (Posthumous)

6/15
Notes are very well played.
Which are the main and most frequent chords you are playing on the left hand?  Think about them so memorization happens gradually as you play.

How many sections are in the piece:
1- in A minor
2- in A major 
3- in A minor

Practice systems:
1- Gradual layers: Play the melody on the RH, no additional notes.  Play the bass and the lowest note on the LH.  Gradually add the rest of the notes
2- Play everything but very small sections: This requires many repetitions in very small cells to build up your muscle memory.

Very interesting chord on the first page, first line, measure 4. LH plays an F7 with the 7 at the bottom, and the effect is extraordinary.

Another one: Last page. line 4 meas 1.  LH plays a B7 with the 7th in the bass.  This chord is very far removed from A minor, yet is sounds beautiful there.

Chord progression on last page, line 4-5, is so beautiful also.  The use of the far removed chords in unexpected inversions, often with the 7th in the bass is masterful.
chopin_mazurkas_op_67_4.pdf
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