Home Practice
Elvina Pearce, Editor
The Burgmüller "Ballade" of Op. 100 is usually a favorite with all students who can play it well. In my studio, we frequently refer to it as the "Beauty and the Beast" piece, with the "misterioso" A sections (mm. 1-22 and 49 to the end) portraying the "Beast," and of course, the "dolce" B part (mm. 23-48) suggesting the appearance of the "Beauty."
As with most pieces,
how the student practices it pretty much determines its ultimate
fate. A careful initial workout followed by specific practice
strategies for ways to achieve a tempo, technical evenness
in the 16th note passages in places like mm. 3 and 4 and 71-75,
balancing the melody and accompaniment, adding the dynamics and
pedaling, etc., can lead to an impressive, imaginative performance
- one that is rewarding for both the performer as well as for
others who might hear him/her. Of course, as teachers, our job
at the lesson is to help the student experience maximum success
in achieving such a performance with as little time and effort
as possible. This is what our three writers for this issue have
been asked to address, so do read on.
from Barb Hinnendael's article
Only "perfect practice makes perfect!"
"Practice makes perfect." We all know that this statement doesn't accurately apply to our students who sit at the piano and merely "wiggle their fingers." I prefer the saying of Vince Lombardi (former football coach of the Green Bay Packers):"Perfect practice makes perfect." Below are my practice strategies for "perfectly practicing" the Burgmüller "Ballade" from Op. 100.
Week 1: Presentation at the lesson
My first step is to play this piece for the student so we can analyze and discuss its form, including changes in key (Part A in cm; B in CM; A and Coda in cm.). I would also point out the different types of articulation used, noting that often the hands are using different touches at the same time. We would also observe the frequency of changes in melody from one hand to the other.
Week 1: Steps for home practice
The first week's practice assignment will include slow, hands separate (HS) practice of the A sections, and the Coda with the following added practice step for the LH in mm. 3-5:
1. LH slow and staccato
2. LH slow and legato
With this 16th note pattern, I want the student to pay attention to the direction of the melody and therefore the shift in weight from one part of the hand to another, depending on which finger is playing. This helps ensure that all 16th notes stay even when the piece is played up to tempo. I compare the back of the hand to a beanie baby and describe shifting the beans from above one finger to above the next finger so that every note is supported by weight from the hand.
These same practice steps can be used in both hands in mm.71-75 (HS). I would also want the student to discover that the notes in mm. 76-78 are the same in both hands, but played in higher octaves. . .
Barbara Hinnendael is an independent piano
teacher in Green Bay, WI where she lives with her husband and
four children. She enjoys accompanying, especially music theatre.
She is a former student of Elvina Pearce and a graduate of Lawrence
University.
from Allison Hudak's article
A thorough analysis of the music's character, its structure, and suggested practice procedures prepare the student for success
When presenting the "Ballade," I would first play it for the student. The piece is incredibly lively and imaginative, and after the student has heard it, I would ask questions to focus his/her attention on the character of the music, i.e., "Describe the mood of the different sections of the piece. What keys are these sections in? Do any sections repeat? Describe the form. Where does the melody occur? What do 'Allegro con brio,' 'misterioso,' 'dolce,'and 'animato' mean?" During our discussion, I would demonstrate a few measures of each part so that the student has an immediate aural picture of the contrasting characters of the different musical elements used.
Next I would ask the student to play and name the two chords used in the A section (mm. 1-22). Then I would demonstrate the technique used to play those chords: "drop, lift, lift" for light, staccato, even-sounding chords. I would also want the student to be aware that since a chord occurs on every beat, the RH creates a "driving forward" feeling. If the chords are played too forcefully or heavily, the piece will lack the energy needed to create the "misterioso" sound. After playing these measures, I would ask, "Where else will you play these exact measures?" It's encouraging for students to see the similar patterns in new music that will allow them to learn the piece faster. When assigning practice steps for these chords, I would ask the student to isolate the RH and practice it, saying "drop, lift, lift" while analyzing the wrist and forearm. We would want to make sure that those muscles stay relaxed.
Practice strategies for securing LH evenness in the sixteenths
To play even 16th notes in the LH of the A section,
the student needs to practice using different rhythms and groupings.
I suggest practicing "jazz" rhythms using a 32nd note
followed by a dotted 16th note. Then reverse this rhythm. Another
practice step is grouping the notes into 4's, i.e., first practice
"c-b-c-g" slowly and then gradually increase
the tempo. Then practice the second half of the measure plus the
1st note of the next measure - "g-a-b-c" in the
same manner. When this is secure, practice groups of "6+1"
(playing all six LH 16th notes in m. 3 plus the first sixteenth
note in m. 4 - "c-b-c-g-a-b-c." Also, for evenness,
practice playing the passage all staccato. Because of the Allegro
con brio tempo, the LH fingers must stay close to the
keys. To play evenly from Bass C down to G, use
a slight rotation of the wrist to facilitate the fingers. . .
Allison Hudak is a doctoral candidate at The University
of Texas at Austin where she is studying music education and piano
pedagogy. Her dissertation topic is "The Continuing Legacy
of Frances Oman Clark." She received her BM and MM from Southern
Methodist University in 1997 and 1999. In 2002, she was selected
as the Post-Graduate Piano Pedagogy Fellowship Recipient at The
New School for Music Study in Princeton, NJ, where she taught
both children and adult students and facilitated with group classes.
Ms. Hudak has presented research papers at conferences of both
the Music Teachers National Association and the Texas Music Educators
Association. During the 2003-04 academic year, she is teaching
pedagogy and class piano at Colorado State University.
from Helen Marlais' article
Preparing the student for an imaginative performance and productive practice
Burgmüller's wonderful "Ballade" displays many attributes of the Romantic style - big climaxes, sudden changes of emotion, lyricism, and a technique which requires both fluidity and facility. Playing the "Ballade" for the student can peak the interest and provide motivation for practice. After I have asked, "How would you describe this piece (energetic, lonely, dramatic, innocent?)," a child can't help but create a story or an image inspired by this exciting and energetic music!
The driving rhythm, pulsating chords, dramatic rests and pauses, along with the lyrical middle section in major, all stimulate the imagination. After the student has told me his/her version of the image or story, it is an opportune time to define the term "Ballade," a piece in narrative style, or more simply, a piece which tells a story imagined by the performer.
The first goal: 100% accuracy
A primary goal for the private lesson should be to make sure that the student has six productive practice days at home. Given the assumption that the goal for the first week is to play the piece at a steady and slow tempo with 100% accuracy, here are some suggestions for the lesson presentation.
Formal analysis and fingering
As we discuss the different sections of the piece, the student would mark the form with a pencil. As I play parts of the piece, I would ask the student how the A sections are different from the B section and the coda. The A section begins with a 16th-note motive which leads to a broken c minor triad played by the LH in m. 18. The correct fingering must be established and practiced in the first lesson. I always plan this aspect of the lesson ahead of time so that I can surmise where the difficulties may be for the student. Of course, excellent fingering primes the student for superb technique. . .
Helen Marlais is an associate professor of piano
and piano pedagogy at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids,
MI. She has played concerts throughout the U.S. and in Canada,
China, Western Europe, Turkey, Lithuania, and Russia, and has
performed and lectured at local, state, and national music teacher
conventions. Dr. Marlais directs a piano pedagogy certification
program, and hosts a thriving annual summer piano pedagogy conference.
For the other Samplers from this issue
