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The Sonata in D for piano four hands Opus 6 was published in 1797. A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme and typically used as a last movement by Read More...
The Sonata in D for piano four hands Opus 6 was published in 1797. A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme and typically used as a last movement by Beethoven in his sonatas and concertos. They frequently contain music and melodic ideas that express the composer’s sunnier and uplifting side. Sheet music and accompaniments link: coming soon
The Rondo from Opus 6 offers a great opportunity for pianists to develop their ensemble playing skills. The playback tempo in the video score is 112 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. The sustaining pedal can and should be used in a performance although it has not been indicated in the score. Clarity in the articulation of the musical ideas is essential in a successful performance and the contrast between legato and staccato playing can be explored to the full in a performance. Beethoven’s music always has clear harmonic direction and a strong sense of drama. He is also great one for exploring musical form and the dynamic element of music and these elements are evident in what is a relatively early published work. In the video score the ornaments are written out in full. There is always great clarity of intention in the composer’s compositional approach. Accents in Beethoven’s music are quite often placed on the weaker beats of the bar to which help gives his music its characteristic restlessness. Maintaining the rhythmic independence of the musical lines is an important consideration in a performance of the movement. The loud going to soft marking fp is a very characteristic Beethoven score marking. sf in the music score indicates what is known as a forzando or a forceful accent. In the video score the ornaments have also been written out in full. The score layout is ideal for auditioning the movement as a video although the sheet music scores from the PlentyMusic website have Primo and Secondo parts separated onto different pages as is the convention for piano duets.
The primo and secondo parts can be downloaded separately as “accompaniments” enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the primo or secondo parts. The primo part sounds on the one channel of the stereo signal and the secondo part sounds on the other. The tempos are as follows in quarter note beats to the bar Accompaniment 1 plays at 116 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute, Accompaniment 2 at 112 quarter note (crotchet) note beats Accompaniment 3 at 108 quarter note (crotchet) note beats and Accompaniment 4 at 104 quarter note (crotchet) note beats. There is a four bar count in /click introduction on the accompaniment mp3 files which are recorded at 256kbps.When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. It is a good idea for players to use a metronome in their preparation. Close
Added: 2nd November, 2020 16:11 PM |
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This is a concise and dramatic movement and representative of the compositional style of Beethoven around 1800 whilst the movement itself dates from 1 Read More...
This is a concise and dramatic movement and representative of the compositional style of Beethoven around 1800 whilst the movement itself dates from 1803. The score is marked Presto and the realisation plays back at 108 dotted half note (minim) beats to the minute. The music needs to be played with a sense of one in a bar. The repeats are also played in the realisation and the music editor suggests that they should be played as the piece is being studied. Much can be learnt about Beethoven’s craft as a composer from this relatively short movement. Slow very accurate playing is needed in the first instance before building up to performance tempo. It is an excellent piece to evaluate and improve piano technique. It is a type of piece that a pianist needs to return to every once and a while both to refresh and improve. Much of the movement needs to be played with a lightness in the hands. The edited sheet music score has suggested fingering in place. The sustaining pedal is used in some of the sections and the music editor suggests a change of pedal with each change of harmony. Close
Added: 22nd July, 2020 09:07 AM |
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The aria or song is taken from the opera Rinaldo which first appeared in 1711 and was revised in 1733.
It is in ABA form and based on the sarabande rh Read More...
The aria or song is taken from the opera Rinaldo which first appeared in 1711 and was revised in 1733.
It is in ABA form and based on the sarabande rhythm which has the stress on the second beat of the three beats in the bar. When sung the Da Capo section would be an opportunity for the soloist to improvise and ornament the melody and this is option available to the organists although it is important to keep to the style and mood of the piece. This is very appropriate music for a solemn processional in an organ playing context. The use of three registrations is suggested and are indicated in the score. Rests have been indicated in all parts so that players have a clear understanding of the voicing. It is also a movement that invites interpretation and playing in different contexts. The arrangement is in the original key of F major although the tempo for the organ solo is more Larghetto than Largo which was the tempo indication in the opera. The video score plays back at a tempo of 66 half note or minim beats to the minute. Rests are indicated in the score enabling players to have a clear understanding of the voicing of the musical lines.
Moskowski has also arranged the aria for piano. Close
Added: 24th June, 2020 17:06 PM |
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A very familiar piano piece known as “Für Elise” and sometimes described as Bagatelle in A minor WoO 59 although it is actually in rondo form. In Read More...
A very familiar piano piece known as “Für Elise” and sometimes described as Bagatelle in A minor WoO 59 although it is actually in rondo form. Interestingly it is a piece that was not published until 40 years after the composer’s death. As a popular piece with some sections invitingly straightforward and others more challenging to play it is a movement that is frequently played badly. Counting and communicating the beats to the bar particularly in the tricky octave sections is essential if the timing is to be accurate. The realisation is lacking in tonal contrast. The movement needs to be played with a lightness in the hands which means that it shouldn’t be played too loudly. The performer needs to aim to communicate the simplicity of the music which actually is quite a rare quality in Beethoven’s music. The realisation is a little bit stiff and lacks fluidity especially in the statement and of the opening motif/shape and its many repetitions. The player has the opportunity to linger a little more than is demonstrated in the playback whilst always suggesting a one beat to the bar feel in the music. The music editor suggests the use the sustaining pedal and its use is indicated in the first section of the sheet music score. The bass line from bar 81 is an opportunity for pianists to use different fingers on the repeating notes and the music editor suggests the players write in their own fingering choices. For those wanting clarity on how to play the turn in bar 51 the music editor suggests looking at the video score on our YouTube channel. Click the link on the home page of the website. The music editor has not made use of repeat signs which is an option that could have been used in the first part of the movement
Beethoven expanded the musical forms of the classical period. He also is an important link between the classical and the subsequent romantic age. As a composer he was especially interested in process and the exploration of musical ideas. Für Elise is also a romantic work in the sense that it invites a strong emotional response from both players and listeners. Close
Added: 18th June, 2020 12:06 PM |
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It's A Date is a beginner level piano/keyboard piece based on a 12 bar blues. As a beginner score the letter names of the notes appear in the note hea Read More...
It's A Date is a beginner level piano/keyboard piece based on a 12 bar blues. As a beginner score the letter names of the notes appear in the note heads and suggested fingering is in place. The tempo of the playback on the video score is 84 half note or minim beats to the minute.Players need to take notice of the accent signs marked in the score and keep their hands as light as possible. Playing a blues structured piece of music does encourage fluent playing and the development of musical memory. The 12 bar blues forms the basis of much popular music of the 20th century. Close
Added: 8th June, 2020 13:06 PM |
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A very appealing and familiar movement from the treasure trove of Beethoven’s works WoO (Without Opus number) Originally composed for orchestra, the Read More...
A very appealing and familiar movement from the treasure trove of Beethoven’s works WoO (Without Opus number) Originally composed for orchestra, the manuscript was lost and the music has essentially been reconstructed from a piano arrangement. It is a melodic piece full of character and humour and this arrangement is for clarinet in A with piano accompaniment. In performance the Minuet is played with repeats followed by the Trio section marked Più mosso again with repeats. Finally, the first Minuet is repeated but this time without repeats. A rit. (slowing down) at the end of the two main sections (minuet and trio) is appropriate. The music editor urges those auditioning this piece to listen to many performances featuring different soloists get a clear vision of how the movement can and should be played. It is a Beethoven piece that frequently is played badly. A tempo of 110 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested for the first Minuet section and a tempo of 120 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested for the Trio section marked Più mosso. Accompaniments are available for this score with a four bar count in played on a two sounds of the wood block. Because of the tempo changes and the upbeat in the solo part there is a two beat click between the sections. Wood block sounds are recorded on one side of the stereo channel so that the sound can be silenced. Accompaniment 1 has a tempo of 104 quarter note (crotchet) beats for the Minuet and 110 for the Trio section, Accompaniment 2 has a tempo of 108 quarter note (crotchet) beats for the Minuet and 116 for the Trio section, Accompaniment 3 has a tempo of 110 quarter note (crotchet) beats for the Minuet and 120 for the Trio section. This score was reviewed, revised with accompaniments added in 2020. A clarinet in A part appropriately transposed is appended to the music score. Although not quite correct the title Minuet in G has been retained for this movement. Close
Added: 6th May, 2020 09:05 AM |
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A very appealing and familiar movement from the treasure trove of Beethoven’s works WoO (Without Opus number) Originally composed for orchestra, the Read More...
A very appealing and familiar movement from the treasure trove of Beethoven’s works WoO (Without Opus number) Originally composed for orchestra, the manuscript was lost and the music has essentially been reconstructed from a piano arrangement. It is a melodic piece full of character and humour and this arrangement is for bassoon with piano accompaniment. In performance the Minuet is played with repeats followed by the Trio section marked Più mosso again with repeats. Finally, the first Minuet is repeated but this time without repeats. A rit. (slowing down) at the end of the two main sections (minuet and trio) is appropriate. The music editor urges those auditioning this piece to listen to many performances featuring different soloists get a clear vision of how the movement can and should be played. It is a Beethoven piece that frequently is played badly. A tempo of 110 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested for the first Minuet section and a tempo of 120 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute is suggested for the Trio section marked Più mosso. Accompaniments are available for this score with a four bar count in played on a two sounds of the wood block. Because of the tempo changes and the upbeat in the solo part there is a two beat click between the sections. Wood block sounds are recorded on one side of the stereo channel so that the sound can be silenced. Accompaniment 1 has a tempo of 104 quarter note (crotchet) beats for the Minuet and 110 for the Trio section, Accompaniment 2 has a tempo of 108 quarter note (crotchet) beats for the Minuet and 116 for the Trio section, Accompaniment 3 has a tempo of 110 quarter note (crotchet) beats for the Minuet and 120 for the Trio section. This score was reviewed, revised with accompaniments added in 2020. A bassoon part is appended to the music score. Close
Added: 6th May, 2020 09:05 AM |
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The 6 Variations with Coda “Ich denke dein” for piano duet (piano 4 hands) were composed in 1803 and published in 1805. A quite delightful set of Read More...
The 6 Variations with Coda “Ich denke dein” for piano duet (piano 4 hands) were composed in 1803 and published in 1805. A quite delightful set of variations based on a song melody with a text that roughly translates as “I think of you when the sun shimmers on the sea” which suggests that the composer belongs more to the romantic than the classical era. sf means suddenly loud and is one of Beethoven’s most used score markings as is not unsurprisingly fp meaning loud going to soft. In Beethoven’s music the surprise element is always strong particularly in respect to dynamics and rhythmic accents which are often placed on the weaker beats of the bar. Time signatures appear at the beginning of the theme and also the beginning of each variation. All movements apart from Variations 3 and 5 are in common time. Tempos in Variation 3 and 5 are more relaxed and slower with the music notated in 2/2 time. As his sketch books show, Beethoven was particular fond of re-working and revising his composition ideas but there is always purpose and a clear sense of direction in his music. Use of the sustaining pedal is recommended but has not been indicated in the score. The lines of music are rhythmically independent which makes playing the trills in Variation 4 challenging. Beethoven is always interested in developing piano technique and there is evidence of this particularly in Variation 4. This particular variation took the music editor as much time to prepare as the rest of the work put together! The music editor suggests omitting the ornaments particularly in this variation in the first instance. Any pianists/keyboard players not sure of how the ornaments should be played should refer to the video score on the YouTube channel to see a suggested solution. In the video score the ornaments written out in full and it sounds exactly as the realisation available as the mp3 from the website. The playing of ornaments is much more interesting and challenging in Beethoven’s time. The Primo and Secondo can be downloaded separately as “accompaniments” enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on one channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the other. The tempos are as follows in quarter note beats to the bar with the second figure indicating the half note or minim beat tempos for variations 3 and 5. There are three accompaniments: Accompaniment 112/50 Accompaniment 2 108/48 Accompaniment 3 104/46. There is a four bar count in /click on the accompaniment mp3. When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. Close
Added: 18th April, 2020 12:04 PM |
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The Three Marches Opus 45 for piano duet (piano 4 hands) were composed in 1803 and published in 1804. The march form features strongly in 19th century Read More...
The Three Marches Opus 45 for piano duet (piano 4 hands) were composed in 1803 and published in 1804. The march form features strongly in 19th century music. In March No.1 the composer does not quite follow convention in the formal arrangement and symmetry of the typical March and Trio. March No. 1 can be represented as follows - March A B B Trio A A B March Da Capo (no repeats) A B. The realisation and music scores are presented as the movement is performed so repeats where indicated are played. The score detail in Beethoven’s music is always interesting particularly regarding dynamics. Accents for example, are often placed on the weaker beats of the bar and the surprise element in a score is always strong. The playback score plays back at a standard march tempo of 60 half note beats to the minute. The Trio is played at the same tempo as the March. Beethoven is particularly fond of adding closing sections often referred to as codas and there is a lovely example from bars 36 to 40. This is an excellent movement for understanding Beethoven’s approach to composition in his so called “middle” period. While many of the musical elements are straightforward the composer’s desire to expand and develop form, harmony and process are constantly evident. In addition, Beethoven’s music always has a strong rhythmic focus. All the way through the movement musical ideas are shared and developed creating what is a great ensemble piece. The ornaments in the music of Beethoven and his contemporaries also offer more challenges than those of the classical era. There are considerations as far starting notes and the number of notes played in trills - trills at important cadences can add to the dynamic and intensity of a performance. You might notice that the video score has a 6 note trill played at the end of the March although in the realization it is played as a four note shape. The Primo and Secondo parts can be downloaded as “accompaniments” enabling players to enjoy an ensemble music experience playing either the Primo or Secondo parts. The Primo part sounds on the right channel of the stereo signal and the Secondo part sounds on the left channel. The tempos are as follows in quarter note beats to the minute. Accompaniment 1 126 Accompaniment 2 120 Accompaniment 3 112. There is a four bar count in /click on the accompaniment mp3. When performing printing two pages of music on to one side of A4 offers a practical solution for players. It is a good idea for players to use a metronome in their preparation. Close
Added: 2nd March, 2020 09:03 AM |
Views : 467 |
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A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme The repeat is often a varied repeat. Beethoven was particularly fond of using the form and they appear frequ Read More...
A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme The repeat is often a varied repeat. Beethoven was particularly fond of using the form and they appear frequently in his sonatas and concertos especially as the last movement. This is one of Beethoven's works described as being Without Opus Number (WoO). Many of the characteristics of Beethoven's more mature compositional and performance style are demonstrated in this piece. It is is a lively, dramatic and characterful movement that needs to be approached with a light pianistic touch. Fingering is in place on the music score to encourage a secure playing technique and the movement needs to be played at a healthy one to a bar tempo of around 72 dotted quarter note (crotchets) beats to the minute. In this version the ornaments are included in the realisation although I would recommended listening to performances of this work on available recordings to understand how to best approach how they should be played. Understand that pianists rarely approach the playing of trills, appogiaturauras and other ornaments in the same way. Conventions in the performance of ornaments also change according to the prevailing performance practice - the best advice is that the performance of ornaments should not effect the rhythmic momentum inherent in the music. Close
Added: 27th July, 2017 11:07 AM |
Views : 587 |
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A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme The repeat is often a varied repeat. Beethoven was particularly fond of using the form and they appear frequ Read More...
A rondo is a piece with a recurring theme The repeat is often a varied repeat. Beethoven was particularly fond of using the form and they appear frequently in his sonatas and concertos especially as the last movement. This is one of Beethoven's works described as being Without Opus Number (WoO). Many of the characteristics of Beethoven's more mature compositional and performance style are demonstrated in this piece. It is is a lively, dramatic and characterful movement that needs to be approached with a light pianistic touch. Fingering is in place on the music score to encourage a secure playing technique and the movement needs to be played at a healthy one to a bar tempo of around 72 dotted quarter note (crotchets) beats to the minute. In the realisation the ornaments have been omitted although they are notated in the musical score. I would suggest that the piece is learnt without the inclusion of ornaments in the first instance. Close
Added: 27th July, 2017 11:07 AM |
Views : 581 |
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