early steps of romanticism jane burgess the overarching

10th Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference Proceedings Jane Burgess of 43

EARLY STEPS OF ROMANTICISM

Jane Burgess

The overarching fascination with fantasy eminent in the era of Romanticism continues topermeate and profoundly influence music beyond its time. How do children respond to thisand what does it mean for them today? As a vehicle for personal and individualcommunication, music aims to broaden all human horizons and encompass the tonality of ourexperience.1 The art of Romanticism changed for all time the individual perspective offantasy and vividly influenced human thought and emotion.

“In the mirror of tones the human heart learns to know itself; it is how we learn to feelfeelings,”2 the German Romantic Wackenroder wrote.

This paper will explore the romantic notion of fantasy, ‘the unconscious, the irrational, theworld of dreams’3 demonstrated through the emotion, imagination and individualism in aselection of music repertoire from the AMEB syllabus Preliminary to Grade 3. It willexamine the logical structure of the music and the fantasy inside the story of the music. It willdemonstrate how to relate this fantasy to a child’s own life experiences inspiring children tobecome emotionally involved in the music they play.

Romanticism

The Romantic period with its emphasis on human experience and emotional context lived out

through the imagination empowers the teacher with tools to teach.

‘Romantic music with its weakness as well as its strength is still deeply engraved in

our life today.’4

‘There is no eternity in the history of art: not only individual works die out, but also

individual periods. But the Romantic era, as a symbol of cleavage and of the will to

overcome this cleavage, is an eternal principle of art. In Romantic music of the 19th

century, this principle found it’s most illuminating, its most “eternal” realization.’5

Romanticism was a cultural movement that stressed emotion, imagination and individualism.

It was a movement that put value on fantasy, intuition, instinct and emotion.

1Kamien, R 1992, Music and Appreciation, 5th edn, MacGraw-Hill Inc, USA, p. 2922Longyear, RM 1973, Nineteenth-Century Romanticism in Music, 2nd edn, Prentice-Hall Inc, USA, p. 93Kamien, op. cit., p. 2924Einstein, op.cit., cover insert5Einstein, op. cit., p. 362


Imagination

During this time the imagination was elevated to a position as the extreme faculty of the

mind. It was a time of self discovery and self expression where the romantics explored

extreme intensity of feelings which included flamboyance, intimacy, unpredictability,

melancholy, rapture and longing. This music reflected the illumination of the world within

rather than a mirror of the external world.

This new way of imaginative thinking brought with it fresh musical ideas resulting in new

expressive melodies, experimentation with rhythm and extended use of harmony for its tonal

colour and emotional effect.

Common themes for works included love, the beauty of nature, religious imagery and

mythology.

The spiritual link between music and imagination

Many romantic philosophers wrote about the spiritual link between music and the

imagination.

Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling considered music to be ‘borne upon invisible, almost

spiritual wings’.6

Danish scientist Hans Christian Oersted (1777-1851) conceived music as ‘spiritually inspired

sensuousness. A Romantic feature of his philosophy is the assertion that music does not arise

from conscious reflection, but from obscure depths of consciousness’.7

Felix Mendelssohn once wrote to the effect ‘it’s not music that is too vague for words, but

rather too specific.’ He was right, and words about music will always fall short of the

experience. Music’s emotional and spiritual depth is simply beyond their domain.8

6Einstein, op. cit., p. 3407ibid.8Moore, K 2010, Nov 22 Book Review: Piano Lessons: a Memoir: by Anna Goldsworthy, viewed 26 December2010,<http://www.instantencore.com/buzz/item.aspx?FeedEntryId=115104.>


Imagination and the emotions

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel believed that ‘music was an art of feelings and moods’. He

believed that the art of music was not merely ‘reproducing the objective aspect but the

manner and the way in which the innermost being, according to his subjective nature and

ideal soul, is moved’.9

Imagination is closely linked to our emotions. While we all have the same emotions, how we

individually respond to these emotions is different. In fact how we respond to these emotions

will also vary according to how we are feeling at the time.

Our emotions are very closely related to our own personal life experiences. As we all have

our own unique life experiences, the way we individually respond to the music will vary.

‘There are hundreds of emotions, along with their blends, variations, mutations, and

nuances. Indeed there are many more subtleties of emotion than we have words for.’10

‘The difference and variety of the tonal picture presented by various great performers

is infinite because of the differences in their personalities, just as the paint, colour and

light of great painters differ.’11

‘Music lives within us, in our brain, in our consciousness, our emotions, our

imagination; its “domicile” can be accurately established: it is our hearing. The

instrument exists without us; it is particle of the objective outside world and as such

must be studied, must be mastered and made to comply with our inner world, and

obey our creative will.’12

In the introductory remarks of Schumann’s Studies Op.3 he writes ‘After elimination of all

external difficulties, the imagination will be able to move more surely and playfully, give its

9Einstein, op. cit., p. 34010Goleman, D 2005, Emotional Intelligence, Bantam Dell, A Division of Random House, Inc, New York, p.29911Neuhaus, H 1997, The Art of Piano Playing, translated by Barrie and Jenkins Ltd, Kahn and Averill, London,p. 6812ibid, pp. 9-10


work life and light and shadow, and complete with ease what in a freer representation might

be lacking’.13

Music as a philosophy of life

‘Music represents an important and serious part of life; it is a powerful means of

enriching the human mind and developing its ideological and moral sense.’14

Alfred Einstein a German-American musicologist and music editor believes that ‘music tells

the secret story of our will’.15 To understand music is to understand life itself with full

knowledge of its frailties, intrigue, endeavour, passion and drive. The mere sense of playing

notes fades into insignificance when juxtaposed against the art of imagination and the full

realization of the musical context that is embedded in experience, knowledge and

understanding that it becomes life itself.

To teach music is to teach philosophy and a love of life. Through imagination we aim teach

freedom of hearing, sincerity, truth and love.

However, imagination alone cannot be an end in itself. Imagination without logical structure

and foundation is ‘madness’ and logic without imagination becomes a ‘post-mortem

examination’.16 Logic and imagination must work hand in hand.

‘Freedom of hearing is based only on one thing: full understanding of what you are

doing. And only then, you’re free to create anything you like.’17

Tolstoy believed that an artist ‘should have three qualities: sincerity, sincerity and again

sincerity’.18

Neuhaus went on to say that, ‘It is much easier to say such things than to install them in

others. I have had students who tried at all costs to play in an “interesting” manner, somehow

13Einstein, A op. cit., p. 20514Kabalevsky, DB 1988, Music and Education: a composer writes about musical education, Jessica Kingsley

Publishers, London, p. 13115Einstein, op.cit., p. 34116 Goldsworthy, A 2009, Piano Lessons, Griffin Press, Australia, p. 12517Ibid, p. 18118Neuhaus, op. cit., p. 200


“specially”, and it was very difficult to make them feel and render the simplicity and truth of

the music.’19

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart believed that ‘neither a lofty degree of intelligence, nor

imagination, nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of

genius’.20

In addition, Neuhaus rightly expresses, ‘that a teacher of any instrument must first and

foremost be a teacher of music, in other words an expounder and interpreter of music’.21 In

this way we can teach both sincerity and love.

Interpreting musical markings

In playing music students are bombarded with sensory overload with all the markings and

instructions on the page. Far too often students adopt a mechanical and lifeless approach to

playing notes rather than music where playing the right notes in the right time is a means in

itself, without attempting to unlock their deeper meaning and significance, without

understanding the subtle nuances and important intricacies. So often this becomes a

superficial layer of meaningless and lifeless tones. Many teachers “tear their hair out”, so to

speak, in an attempt to overcome these obstacles in order to arrive at an end product that

satisfies the intention of the composer and the desires of the soul. There are so many

indicators of for the student to read assimilate and create. The elements of Sound, Harmony,

Melody and Rhythm all combine together in Form. When these elements all work together

harmoniously with logic and understanding the art of music making is achieved. Arriving at

this end product is the journey in which we all embark.

Csikszentmihalyi believes that ‘while there is more than one right way to pass on knowledge,

there are many wrong ways of doing it. Whenever the information is untrue, illogical,

superficial, redundant, disconnected, confusing, or – especially – dull, the chance of its

getting across to the students is diminished, and so it’s a creative response’.22 ‘So the first

19Ibid.20<http://fioramusic.tumblr.com/post/2454628600/neither-a-lofty-degree-of-intelligence-nor.>21Neuhaus. op. cit., p. 17322 Csikszentmihalyi, M 1997, Creativity: flow and the psychology and discovery of invention, Harper Collins

Publishers, New York, p. 345


step toward a more creative life is the cultivation of curiosity and interest, that is, the

allocation to things for their own sake’.23

Sivan rightly teaches that ‘to be a pianist is a great detective job’. ‘You must have eyes that

hear, ears that see. You must not miss one detail! Not one!’24

The elements of music in relation to imagination

This paper will demonstrate the Romantic notion of imagination can be used as a means of

teaching the elements of Sound, Harmony, Melody, Rhythm and Form.

First an examination of these elements is necessary to forge the link with these elements and

the imagination. Each of these elements brings with it a logical structure that must at all cost

be maintained. As already discussed, the concept of imagination is not used as justification

for playing incorrect structure. The structure cannot be and must not be changed. The

imagination starts with the structure as a given and works to breathe life into what is given by

using the imagination through connections with personal life experiences and emotions.

In essence our life is the sum of our experiences. Our experiences are what give us meaning

and depth. We are drawing on the realities of our students through imagination, to bring the

music they play to life.

We are teaching our students to read and analyze music like reading a book. Look at the

notes; look at the markings. What information do they give us? What sound are they asking

for? The students then achieve this in performance by connecting their own life experiences

and emotions through their imaginations to their performance.

‘A performer performs a musical composition in order to express his or her personal

understanding of that composition’. ‘One of the most enjoyable aspects of truly

musical listening is listening for a special artists interpretation of a given composition.

The quality of a musical interpretation conveys the level of musical understanding –

23Csikszentmihalyi, op. cit., p. 34624Goldsworthy, op. cit., p. 39


the musicianship – possessed by the performer involved. This is what we mean when

we say that music is a performing art’.25

In an examination of each these musical elements it becomes clear how important each one is

to the other and how closely these elements are intrinsically interlinked, often making one

inseparable from the others.

Rhythm is the ‘life blood’26 of all music. The elements of beat, meter, accent and tempo all

unite to create and form rhythm. ‘The essence of rhythm is a recurring pattern of tension and

release, of expectation and fulfillment’.27 In many ways rhythm is the glue that binds all

other elements together. Just as rhythm pervades our lives, so we find it everywhere in music

– in pitch, tone colour, and volume. How these elements change in time, and their rate of

change have to do with music.

Sivan believes that the ‘secret’ of ‘effortless’ playing is found in the ‘position’ of the hand, in

the ‘hearing’ and ‘listening to the pulse inside’.28

Neuhaus believes that ‘many rhythmic inadequacies are due, in fact to insufficient

understanding the composer’s spirit and style. Where the artistic image is not clear, this

affects the rhythmic element.’29

Further to this he expresses the use of movement through ‘simple gestures’, ‘a wave of the

hand’ or ‘conducting’ as a means of explaining the use of rhythm more clearly than words.

He calls this movement or ‘muscle work’ a ‘choreographic germ’.30

The use of movement or choreography becomes essential in the understanding of the

direction of the tone and the vitality of the rhythm. This was explored extensively by Jacques

Dalcroze in his method as it was by Stravinsky. The use of choreography can be likened to

25Elliot, DJ 1995, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education, Oxford University Press, New York,

p. 16526 Kamien, op. cit., p. 3727ibid.28Goldsworthy, op. cit., p. 10429Neuhaus, op. cit., p. 4630ibid, p. 33


the use of inflection in speech where the same words can have different meaning determined

fully by the use of inflection.

In stressing the importance of choreography, Neuhaus even goes to great lengths to explain

his intentions by engaging the imagination of his students.

‘It happens sometimes that a hand must descend rapidly on the keyboard and rise

again, as an eagle dives for its prey, seizes it and soars away; if the hand were to fall

lifelessly like a stone, it would get a sorrowful blow, and the piano would howl with

pain.’31

Sivan believes that the ‘variety of choreography is endless’. Sometimes there will be

‘clapping’, ‘sprinkling’ or ‘dancing’. The object is not to play but to ‘dance your fantasy’.32

The use of choreography brings with it freedom of movement and relaxation. Leschetizky

and Sivan both stress the importance of movement and relaxation as a means of obtaining the

right variety of sound.

‘Music is a tonal art. It produces no visual image; it does not speak with words or

ideas. It speaks only with sounds. But it speaks just as clearly and intelligibly as do

words, ideas or visual images. Its structure is governed by rules, just as the spoken

language, the composition of a picture or the architecture of a building. The theory of

music, the study of harmony, counterpoint, and form and analysis help us discover

these rules which were created by the great composers in accordance with the nature,

history and development of mankind.33 Since music is a tonal art, the most important

task, the primary duty of any performer is to work on tone.’34

‘Tone colour is described by words like bright, dark, brilliant, mellow and rich. Like

changes in dynamic, changes in tone colour create variety and contrast.’35

31ibid, p. 13332Goldsworthy, op. cit., p. 10733Neuhaus, op. cit., p. 5434ibid.35Kamien, op. cit., pp. 5-6


When played skillfully, the piano has the ability to create the tone colours of every instrument

in the orchestra making it the king of all instruments.

Anton Rubinstein was noted for saying, ‘You think the piano is one instrument? It is a

hundred instruments!’36

‘Compared to the sound of other instruments that are emotionally much more specific,

much more expressive, as for example the human voice, the French horn, the

trombone, the violin, the cello etc, it is a certain abstract quality of the sound of he

piano – perhaps precisely this abstract, cerebral quality – that gives it its incomparable

tone, its unquestionable individuality. It is the most intellectual of all instruments and

hence it embraces the widest horizons and encompasses boundless musical vistas.’37

‘Because the piano is, as I believe it the most intellectual instrument it is endowed

with the emotional substance of other instruments, the player’s imagination should,

indeed must, be peopled by the most expressive and specific musical images, by every

existing shade and timbre contained in the human voice and in every instrument on

earth in order to reveal fully all the wealth of the piano’s potential.’38

Neuhaus went on to say ‘that if the player has imagination’, then he can ‘express a variety of

shades of feelings’.39

Friedrich Schlegel, a romantic poet and literary critic understood the link between tone and

the imagination in this 4 lined poem:

‘Through all the tones there sounds

Throughout the colourful earth

A gentle tone, sustained

For him who secretly hears.’40

36Neuhaus, op. cit., p. 6337ibid, p. 6438ibid, p. 6439ibid, p. 11640Einstein, op. cit., p. 208


There is a very obvious link between the production of sound and the imagination.

One aspect of Sivan’s technique is to ‘always listen to what’ the ‘sounds tell you’ after you

have played them, because the ‘sounds come back to you’. ‘It’s like poetry inside’ you. This

way you are always in ‘communication’ with the continuation of the sound. This is the ‘secret

of music’.41

‘Leschetizky was always on the search for the purest and most beautiful tone.

Leschetizky believed that a good sound is created by the brain, not by the hands.

Thus, he always emphasized deepest concentration during practice. He suggests that

one should stop after a few measures and think if one really played what one wanted.

Just if the right sound and interpretation is achieved should one go on. Leschetizky

also suggested that "listening to the inward singing of a phrase was of far more value

than playing it a dozen times. The best study could be done away from the piano”.’42

All students seem to understand the difference of opposite poles of loud and soft yet most

ignore them as if they are optional extras that have no significance or meaning. When asked

to observe them, a forte is often played as though in protest with little fingers jamming

themselves on the keys in a forced and draconian like fashion and a piano becomes a frail and

lifeless representation of missed notes, missed opportunity and a grand and some what

compulsive slowing of the tempo.

Not to mention the outer extreme of these two markings and the greater array of all those that

fit in between not to forget the crescendos and decrescendo to be thrown into the mix as well.

The issue of dynamics has been a challenge for all teachers.

‘Skillful subtle changes in dynamics add spirit and mood to performances’43

The concept of dynamics is in itself is rather abstract. On face value the word definitions

explain the differentiation of each marking which on the surface suffices. How can

moderately loud differ from moderately soft apart from the obvious connection with volume?

41Goldsworthy, op. cit., p. 5642Bohnenstengel, C 2011, Theodore Leschetizky, viewed 5 May 2011,<http://www.bohnenstengel.net/leschetizky.html>43 Kamien, op. cit., p. 5


The issue of volume alone is not the answer to the creation of music. Dynamics need

meaning within the context of the music in which the markings are placed.

The experimentation of the depth of sound and how hard the key is pressed is part of this

difficult equation but it does not fully explain the full realm of colour it demands. Again we

find that choreography plays a key factor here.

Our job as teachers is to facilitate the connection between the music and the child’s life

experiences so that they can grasp the concepts with understanding and confidence. One such

way is to explore the range of character found in each of the dynamic levels.

When a dynamic marking takes on a character it enables the child to access that musical

information and place it within the context of his own life experiences. Only then does it

become something real that he can reach out, touch and achieve.

After all what does soft and loud really sound like. This is a very abstract concept and one

that children find hard to connect with. As already mentioned the soft will often end up not

speaking and the loud will often be forced and harsh. With a character attached to the

marking the child is focusing on the creation of a specific sound and is more likely to more

accurately connect with the meaning and direction of the marking.

Music has within itself enormous power to calm, sooth, heal. As teachers our job is to

connect students to these qualities. Once students have a taste of music’s spiritual qualities

they are free to create.

Then there is the question of melody. Essentially a melody is made up of single notes or tones

that are closely linked with the harmony. Melody is often the most easily recognized part of

the music that can be sung as a means of recognizing a piece. The phrase patterns found in

melodies give them direction. Singing a melody or playing only the melody may help the

child to understand the shape and direction that the melody is heading in and help her to

discover where the phrases fall.

On closer examination we discover that a melody has both a horizontal and a vertical

direction. The horizontal direction of the melody relates to where it is heading and moving


forward to. This is closely linked to the phrasing and the rhythm and is directed by the

harmony. Within any phrase, pattern the performer may be required to play any manner of

different connections. A phrase may be indicated by a legato formation of notes, a detached

staccato development, a combination of both or a variety of many other articulation

markings. The vertical direction relates to how each note refers to the harmonic structure. The

relation of the rhythm to the melody is of high importance. Without the correct rhythm a

sequence of notes can be quite unrecognizable.

‘Part of the organization of music is horizontal – the relationships among the pitches

as they unfold over time; and part is vertical the effects produced when two or more

notes are emitted at the same time, giving rise to harmonic and dissonant sound. Next

in importancy to pitch and rhythm is timbre – the characteristic qualities of a tone.’ 44

The assimilation of all this information provided by the composer on the page is vital to the

final musical outcome of the performance. With so many different variables for a young

performer to absorb and portray where do we begin to teach?

One useful way in helping children to understand the direction and purpose of a melody is to

find the melodic skeleton. The skeleton refers to the bare bones of the melody. Accessing

these notes can help students to understand the direction and purpose of the melody and the

phrasing. A melodic skeleton essentially picks out the most significant notes of the melody to

play. The most significant notes from the harmony can then be added to the melodic skeleton.

From this foundation it is often useful to pulse these essential harmony notes against the

melodic skeleton to give an understanding of the underlying rhythmic direction and how it

relates both to the melody and the harmony. This technique will be explored with examples in

this paper.

The elements of harmony and form will appear throughout the paper in the musical examples.

44Gardner, H 1993, Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences, Fontana Press, UK, p. 104


‘Our purpose is modest, and at the same time vast; it is to play our amazing, our

magnificent piano literature in such a way as to make the hearer like, to make him

love life still more, make his feelings more intense, his longings more acute and give

greater depth to his understanding.’45

In demonstrating the teaching of logical foundation and imagination through the elements of

the music, this paper will examine a range of 18 pieces from preliminarily to grade 3 from the

series 16 and 15 AMEB syllabus. These pieces were written by Romantic and Contemporary

Composers and use descriptive titles and writing styles that serve to spur the child’s

imagination.

These pieces will be explored to demonstrate how imagination is taught hand in hand with

the logical structure or the science of the music. This structure gives the boundaries and the

freedom within which imagination can be utilized. The use of imagination teaches children to

look beyond the notes on the page, to search for meaning and to find the story within the

music.

In each piece attention will be drawn to some of the elements of structure essential in

understanding the logic of these pieces when teaching them. At times the structure and the

imagination are interlinked and at other times the structure is the foundation upon which the

imagination is built upon.

Each piece tells its own story either through its descriptive title, its form or other important

markings.

Throughout the remainder of the paper suggestions will be made to spur the imagination.

These are intended as a spring board of ideas and valid approaches to these pieces.

45Neuhaus, op. cit., p. 22


Rondo-tokkata by Kabalevsky from the AMEB Grade 3 series 15 List C

Here the title gives us vital clues to the form and character required in this piece. Rondo as

we know has a recurring “A” theme: ABACA and Toccata refers to a fast piece with

rhythmic vitality.

Section A: bars 1-15

It is this rhythmic vitality that is essentially linked to the imagination or rhythmic excitement

of this piece. Emotions of excitement, happiness, strength, or determination could be used to

describe this vitality.

The underlying pulsing of the beat is important and falls into 2 bars of 4 pulses each. Each of

these 2 bar rhythmic phrases makes up a larger phrase, bars 1- 8 being the question phrase

and bars 8-16 being the answer phrase.

The strong tonic, dominate relationships and the use of accenting in the melody demand a

sense of forward motion. In Fig 1 below the circled notes represent the melodic skeleton. By

pulsing on the circled notes, the direction or emotional pull of the melody is established. The

other notes including those notes that technically belong to the harmony, form a more

decorative function and therefore are less dominant in the function and direction of the

melody.

Fig 1 Rondo-tokkata by Kabalevsky bars 1-8

Section B: bars 16-32

The quaver on the off beat keeps the pulsing alive inside the octave crotchets. The pulsing A

is played softer, perhaps piano in comparison to the octave melody which is written piu forte.

Perhaps this inside quaver could be described as a beating drum heard far off in the distance


or a heart beat. The tied note at the end of each phrase serves to maintain the strong pull of

moving forward.


Section C: bars 49-64

Rhythmically the section C is similar to that of section A. The first note of each bar forms the

melodic skeleton and guides the direction of the melody with the exception of bars 52 and bar

64 where the D# gives way to the E dominant note as a function of returning to the tonic.


In bar 64 the A section returns again for one last time. The vitality of the driving rhythm

remains right to the end, where the use of the crotchets and the crescendo to the ff ensure a

triumphant ending.

Andantino by Khachaturian from the AMEB series 11 Grade 3 (Extra List piece)

This piece is very contrasted to the Rondo-tokkata. It is more reflective and dreamy, however

the maintenance of the pulse in this piece is equally as important in achieving the right

character. The pulse of Andantino, has a different direction with longer more connected string

type sounds. The left hand serves as a support to the right hand with the first bar of the left

hand setting the mood.


Notice the downward semitone pattern found in the lowest LH note C-B-Bb-A-Ab-G-Gb-F-

Eb. This progression serves to lead the direction of the left hand. Pulsing on the descending

note in isolation may help the child hear and understand this connection.

Fig 4 Andantino by Khachaturian bars 1-9

The right hand fits neatly into 2 bar phrases throughout the piece, with each 2 bar phrase

forming part of a bigger 4 bar phrase. The cantabile marking suggests that the right hand is to

sing above the supportive left hand. Singing or playing the melody part separately can help to

develop the correct breathing needed in these phrases.

From bar 18 the left hand maintains its downward semitone progression, however the

emphasis of the pulse is different. The repeated crotchet, quaver notes played by the thumb as

if like a distant drum, dynamically sit inside the minim note taking secondary importance to

it. I will refer to this differentiation of dynamics as being “inside”. For example the pulsating

C in bar 18 is inside the E, the pulsating B natural of bar 19 is inside the minim D and so on.



In bar 25 the bold forte fragment of the opening rhythm returns before ending on the tonic

chord. The downward semitone passage is again evident in the left hand. Notice the contented

distant piano right hand echo of the left hand tonic chord in the last bar.


Marche by Prokofiev from the AMEB Grade 3 series 15 List C

This piece is a march of young children. It is not a march of toys. At first glance this piece

looks reasonably easy, however there are some technical challenges for young hands.

The first two bars serve to establish the March pulse with the left hand underpinning the

character of the march.

The harmonic logic of the left hand can be demonstrated by pulsing on the first and third beat

of every bar bars 1- 6.

Fig7 Marche by Prokofiev bars 1-4

In bar 7 the direction of the harmony changes with the downward movement beginning and

ending on C (C-B-Bb-A-D-C)


Fig 8 Marche by Prokofiev bars 7-10

In bars 11-14 the pattern repeats in a similar fashion to bars 3-6, this time based on the key of

F.

The main harmony notes here are the F and the G flat. The C found on beats 1 and 4 of bars

11 and 13 is the dominant note and is secondary to the note on the beat. The high C found in

bars 12 and 14 requires the crossing of the left hand over the right hand. This creates the

challenge of keeping the pulse steady while crossing the hemispheres of the brain. Children

frequently struggle with this.

As a starting point to hear the harmony and keep the pulse even, the high C could be initially

substituted with the low C found in the previous bars. Once the student is confidently playing

the lower C, exchange it for the C that is written.

Fig 9 Marche by Prokofiev bars 11-14

The downward passage that we find in the left hand at bar 19 -21 and again in 19-26 is based

in the key of A major.


Fig10 Marche by Prokofiev bars 19-22

The return of the original theme found at bar 26 finds the right hand playing an octave higher.

Some help may be required with the grace note found in front of many notes in the right

hand. It may be useful to have the child play the lower right hand note without the grace note

to establish the pulse of the right hand. The introduction the grace note with this lower note

only will help to establish the hand position required. Of course then play all the notes.

The March character can be further developed with the imaginative use of character

connected with the dynamic markings. The piano in the opening bars could be connected

with distance or secrecy, the crescendo of bar 7 through to the mf of bar 8 connected with

coming closer and the piano in bar 9 marking time. The forte in bar 27 could be associated

with confidence. Children can be encouraged to come up with their own ideas about what

each of these dynamic marking represent thus engaging them imaginatively in the music.

O, the scent of roses! arr Petr Eben from the AMEB Preliminary series 16 List C

This piece could be an emotion response to the beautiful perfume of a rose. This is an apt

representation of Romantic emotional sentiment.

It is interesting that this music sounds not unlike a hymn in character. Perhaps in this way the

composer is connecting God with the beauty of nature. This was a very common notion used

by Romantics in the arts.

In the Fig 11 below the circled notes show the skeleton of the melody. Bar 1 for example

would be played crotchet C, crotchet C, crotchet G – bar 2: crotchet E, crotchet E, crotchet C

etc. Not only will this enable children to understand the direction of the melody, it will also

help in maintaining the 3 pulse.


Fig 11 O, the scent of Roses arr Petr Eben bars 1-4

The movement of the left hand is important in supporting the melody. This can be seen in bar

2 in the semitone movement of left hand notes G-G#. This step wise movement in the

harmony continues in bars 3-4 with F-F#-G in the left hand. Notice also the rising notes in

bars 7-8 F-G-A-Bb and in bar 10 the descending passage B-A-G. As well as serving to

support the melody, perhaps this could suggest the sense of euphoria at the beautiful scent of

the rose.

Fig 12 O, the scent of Roses arr Petr Eben bars 5-8

Bars 5-6 and bars 9-10 and bar 12 again offer this connected support from the left hand

figure. While bars 7-8 and bar 11 continue to support the melody their function is different

with no legato connection indicated. This could suggest more of a sense of space.

The final bar again returns to the connected legato movement this time supporting the gentle

rocking between the tonic and dominant 7th chords perhaps suggesting s sense of completion

and contentment.


Fig13 O, the scent of Roses arr Petr Eben bars 9-12

A little hush song by Dunhill from the AMEB Preliminary series 16 List C

This song could be likened to a lullaby. Here with the use of 6/8 time, the rhythmic pattern of

the left hand creates a sense of movement similar to that of a small child being rocked to

sleep.

Children often have difficulty keeping the flow of a pattern where there is a common

repeated note on the weak pulse. Playing the crotchet notes only may help them to hear the

connection between the moving notes. It could be helpful to play the left and right hand in

this fashion leaving out the repeated G. The note on the off beat can then be introduced as a

pulse to help the child hear this note inside the connection of the moving note.

Fig14 A little hush-song Dunhill bars 1-6

Engage the child’s imagination by creating a character with the dynamics. For example the

piano could represent an adult is rocking a child quietly in the hopes that that child will go to

sleep. Perhaps the mf suggests that the child has other ideas and is determined to fight sleep.

The ritenuto could suggest that the child is showing signs of tiredness despite themselves and

at the a tempo of bar 13 the quiet lullaby returns.


Fig 15 A little hush-song Dunhill bars 9-12

The poco ritard and pianissimo in bars 20-21 perhaps suggest that the child finally gives in to

sleep.

Fig16 A little hush-song Dunhill bars 19-22

Hopscotch by Lionel Salter from the AMEB Preliminary series 16 List C

In this pieces Salter uses the quaver pulse of 2/4 time to represent the quick movements of

agile feet used in the game of hopscotch.

Here the imagination is very closely tied to the rhythmic vitality which is the key to achieving

and maintaining musical interest.

The jumping backwards and forwards between the hands while maintaining a strong sense of

the pulse can present challenges for a child. Playing the hands separately and pulsing on each

of the notes may help in establishing the direction of the pulse. In the first phrase it is the left

hand that is leading; this then reverses in the second phrase with the right hand leading.


Fig 17 Hopscotch by Lionel Salter bars 1-4

With each new phrase the leading hand changes. This can be likened to a conversation

between the hands or between the children playing the game allowing each child to have a

turn at leading. The sense of conversation between the hands is clearly seen in bars 10-13.

Fig 18 Hopscotch by Lionel Salter bars 10-13

The old Abbey by Dunhill from the AMEB Preliminary 15 List C

It is possible that some children may not know what an Abbey is and therefore an explanation

may be needed. As the word old suggests, this Abbey is perhaps in ill repair and not in its

former glory. This suggests a hint of sadness.

The long sustained sounds in the left hand are not dissimilar to the sounds of a church organ.

The peaceful legato right hand sings out above the left hand with the occasional rest where

the stretching sounds of the left hand are heard to continue. These sustained sounds could

represent peacefulness or prayer. Create a story line with the use of the dynamic changes as a

guide.

Some children struggle to effectively portray the rests found on beat 4 of some bars. It could

be useful to pulse on the melodic skeleton note (shown by the red circles in fig 19 below)

listening to the rest on beat 4 ie bar 1 G-G-G rest bar 2 D-D-D rest etc. It may then be useful

to play the left hand chord while pulsing on the melodic skeleton note. Be careful to listen to


the chord singing while the right hand has a crotchet rest on beat 4 before introducing all the

melody notes.

Fig 19 The Old Abbey by Dunhill bars 1-4

Upryami bratishka by Kabalevsky from the AMEB Preliminary 15 List C

Children love this piece as they take delight in recognizing the stubbornness in other people!

Kabalevsky very cleverly captures the dynamics of an altercation in this piece. Here the

stubbornness of the little brother is demonstrated through the quaver crochet motive on the

Db in the left hand. The right hand is the older sibling asking the young child to do something

with the child’s constant refusal.

The dialogue between the two siblings in the first four bars could be something like this:

Sibbling 1: Will you help me pick the toys up? Please come help me pick the toys up? Will

you please come? Will you please come?

Sibbling 2: No I wont!

The fingering here is very specific and indicates the articulation of the phrasing.

Fig 20 Upryami bratishka Kabalevsky bars 1-4


The development and variation of second phrase could suggest the reemphasis of the

question.

In bars 8-13 the length of the phrases drastically decreases suggesting the pleading of the

older sibling being reduced to the pleading, “will you please?’” with the stubborn child’s

constant refusal “No I won’t!”.

Fig 21 Upryami bratishka by Kabalevsky bars 8-13

In bars 14-17 the rise of the pitch perhaps suggests that the situation is beginning to escalate

with the stubborn child exclaiming – NO, NO NO!NO! before they come to blows on the

final sforsando chord in the last bar.

Fig 22 Upryami bratishka by Kabalevsky bars 14-20

Skipping rope by Khachaturian from the AMEB Preliminary 15 List C

In this pieces Khachaturian uses 4/4 time to capture the 1-2-3-4 pulsing of the feet that occurs

when skipping with a rope. The long note in the right hand perhaps represents the circular

motion of the rope.

In order to gain an understanding of the direction of the melody and the pulse, it may be

useful to pulse the melody. The anacrusis and the first bar would be played for example as A-

F-F-F-A etc as crotchets. In addition to this, by playing the melody as written and repeating


the first note of the left hand as a crotchet pulse, the child may better understand the pulse in

both hands.

In bars 6, 7 and 11 there is a tied minim followed by a moving quaver passage. Children often

find it difficult to maintain the pulse through longer tied notes. In order to hear the pulse

inside this long tied note it may be useful to play this note as quaver pulse, then continue by

playing the quaver pattern as written. For example the F# minim tied to a quaver would

become 5 quaver pulses on the F# followed by the quaver notes F# -F# -F# -F# -F# -E# -F# -

D. This exercise may also help him to relax so that the quavers sound even. Alternatively, it

may also be useful to focus on relaxing the thumb while holding the tied note before playing

the quavers.

The imagination in this piece is the understanding of the pulse in connection with the action

of skipping.

Fig 23 Skipping Rope by Khachaturian


The new flute by Hyde from AMEB Preliminary 15 List C

The beautiful flowing melodic line in this piece perhaps suggests a song of the heart

displaying the beauty of a flute melody. This piece has three distinct parts indicating Ternary

Form. The opening 8 bars are characterized by a legato flute melody accompanied by

supportive string sounds in the left hand. The left hand provides the foundation for the right

hand. In bar 4 the use of the repetition of the melody an octave higher could represent an

echo heard in the distance. The melodic phrasing is characterized by reoccurring legato

phrases ending on a staccato followed immediately by a tenuto minim.

From bar 8 the character of the left hand changes with the introduction of a drum sound in

staccato 5ths. This two bar pattern alternates between beats 2 and 3, then 2 and 4 in the

following bars. While the dynamic marking in bar 5 indicates forte, for the sake of balance

this is intended for the right hand. The staccato drums are a supportive accompaniment to the

right hand. Due to the different accompaniments found here, it is possible that this piece

could be a group of village musicians performing in the market square entertaining passersby.

The introduction of a dotted crotchet quaver rhythm from bar 9 adds a sense of more

insistence. Again in bar 10 the use of pianissimo could suggest distance. In bar 14 there is a

reminiscent return of the first three bars leading us to the final two bars played an octave

higher.


Fig 24 The New Flute by Hyde

Poseidon’s throne by Poe from the AMEB Grade 1 series 16 List C

In order to help a child to capture the majesty of this piece, it may be useful for them to have

an understanding of the power of Poseidon a mythical god who is known as The King of the

Sea. When one considers the awesome power of a body of water such as the sea and how

helpless we as humans are against its forces one can begin to understand the awesome power

and majesty of Poseidon who has control over the sea.

This piece is in Ternary form. Bars 1-8 form the A section and bars 9-16 the B section.

At first glance this piece looks daunting with 4 lines of staff. However at a closer inspection

two distinct parts are unearthed. The first is found in the lower two staffs where the melody is

played at the octave in crotchets and minims. This occurs in both the A and B sections.


In the upper two staffs of the A section, three chords are used. These chords are played in

both hands simultaneously an octave apart. In bars 1-2 and 5-6 the G minor chord is used; in

bars 3-4 the C minor chord and bar 7-8 the D major chord. The octave melody found in the

two lower two staves is bold, strong and continuous, demonstrating strength and power. The

chords found in the upper two staves are an accompaniment to the melody. Their role is to

support the melody not interrupt it. The minim of the melody sings on thorough the

accompaniment. The melody is strong and majestic.

Fig 25 Poseidon’s throne by Poe bars 1-8

The B section is more mysterious than the first. The interval of a 5th played in the lower

melody section echoed by seconds and thirds in the upper part could almost suggest a call

from the depths of souls lost at sea.

Fig 26 Poseidon’s throne by Poe bars 9-16


Barcarolle by Salter from the AMEB Grade 1 series 16 List C

This boating song sung by Venetian gondoliers, is often a song of love. The 6/8 rhythm

cleverly mimics the tidal wave like motion of water against the boat both in the

accompanying LH and in the melodic skeleton, (the red circled notes shown in fig 28). This

rocking motion perhaps provides a sense of contentment, comfort and security.

The structure of the melody and harmony becomes apparent when playing the melodic

skeleton and the harmony notes found on the main beats (with the exception of bar 4 where a

C is played and bar 8 where an A is played). It may be useful to play the melodic skeleton

and pulse the harmony note to secure the direction of both the melody, the harmony and the

pulse.

This piece consists predominantly of 2 bar phrases. Bars 1-2 form the question and bars 3-4

the answer. This same idea is reflected in bars 5-6 and 7-8. Bars 9-10 and 11-12 form a

sequence. Notice that the rhythm here is different to the preceding bars. In bar 13-14 a

suggestion of the opening phrase is found with the return of the same rhythm, however there


is no question here. Bars 15-16 continue in this confident statement before finishing on the

dominant and tonic chords in bars 17-18.

Fig 27 Barcarolle by Salter

Rhyme time by Milne from the AMEB Grade 1 series 16 List C

This piece is like a nursery rhyme, cheeky, childlike, energetic and fun. The form of this

piece is ABA coda. The A section consists of two, 4 bar phrases. The melody uses 5 notes D-

E-F-G-A. On closer examination the melodic skeleton discloses the 3 fundamental melodic

notes F-E-D. In bars 1-2 the note F dominates; in bars 3-4 E dominates; in bars5-6 F

dominates; in bar 7 E and in bar 8 D. It could be useful for the child to play these skeleton

notes using the given rhythmic pattern as a springboard for understanding the structure of the

melody. The other notes not played in the melodic skeleton, serve as decoration notes and

give the melody a relaxed almost improvised feel.


The walking baseline found in the left has two distinct 4 bar phrases. The first phrase which

ends on the dominant suggests a question while the second phrase suggests an answer

finishing on the tonic D. This D has a dual function. It is the tonic note that completes the

second phrase of the first 8 bars, however it also becomes part of the pattern D-E-F which

leads into the modulation of G major in bar 9.

Fig 28 Rhyme time by Milne bars 1-8

The B section in the new key plays the same melody with the supplement of an additional

accompaniment note on beats 2 and 4. At bar 17 the first melodic idea returns in its original

form.


Bar 23 leads into the coda with a 6 note repeated sequence before ending on the tonic D.



In Waltz Time by Shostakovich from the AMEB Grade 1 Manual C List

At first glance this piece looks incredibly simple, however many young children struggle to

understand the legato touch required. This is very much a children’s waltz. While it could be

dance by two young children, it is more likely to be a young girl in a pretty frilly dress

twirling around pretending to be dancing a waltz. The hands work together in a little

dialogue. They politely take it in turns to speak and support each other within the confines of

the dotted minim.

Each harmony typically extends over two bars and is predominately in A minor however it

moves through Bb major on the second page before returning again to A minor.

The first page consists of 2 four bar phrases and an 8 bar phrase. The melodic skeleton shown

in figure 31 may help understand the melodic direction. By pulsing on each of these notes the

inflection of each melodic phrase can be found. Understanding the gentle pulse is important

to achieving this waltz feel.

Fig 31 In Waltz Time by Shostakovich bars 1-4

Das arme Kind (The poor child) by Gurlitt from the AMEB Grade 2

series 16 List B

This intensely emotional piece, beautifully expresses a child’s grief. A sense of emotional

maturity and understanding is necessary to capture the full emotion content that is provided

here. The tempo marking, Lento e doloroso indicates – slowly and with sorrow. Several


compositional techniques that are used in this piece, serve to create and develop this sense of

sorrow. Firstly the anacrusis at the beginning of the piece immediately provides a feeling of

delay, stretching, questioning and suspense. This is then joined by the remainder of the D

minor chord establishing the minor key. The following interval of a 6th could suggest crying

out as part of an intense 2 bar downward phrase. The 2 note phrase in bar 3 could suggest

sobbing and the step wise movement in the left hand across bars 1-2 and again 2-3 could

suggest sighing. The first phrase ending at bar 4, ends on the tonic chord D minor confirming

the sense of sorrow, hopelessness and despair.

Bars 5-6 repeat the same pattern as bars 1-2. In bars 7-8 the direction of the melody and

harmony changes ending on the relative major. This perhaps suggests a glimmer of hope.

Fig 32 Das arme Kind by Gurlitt bars 1-8

From bar 17 to the end, the ideas found in the first four bars are developed with entries found

in both the left and the right hands. The phrase ending on the relative major does not appear

at all in the second half of the piece which ends in D minor.


Fig 33 Das arme Kind by Gurlitt bars 25-32

Petite reverie (Little daydream) by Tansman from the AMEB Grade 2 series 16 List C

This beautifully imaginative piece aptly captures the delight of a daydreamer. As most people

usually day dream about something they find pleasant, a day dream has the potential to

transport us immediately to a happy place. In our minds when day dreaming, anything is

possible and it is here that our imaginations can be expanded.

This piece in Ternary Form begins softly and tranquilly as the day dreamer considers their

dream. The use of the dotted crotchet and the quaver creates a very soothing rocking motion.

The melodic skeleton can be found on beats 1 and 3 of each bar. The harmonic direction is

found in the downward pattern of the quavers in the left hand on the second half of beats 1

and 3. A student may find it useful to play the melodic skeleton as a minim note and pulse the

left hand quaver to help show the direction of the melody and harmony.

Fig 34 Petite Reverie by Tansman bars 1-4


In the B section bars 9-18 the harmony becomes much more dramatic and intense as if

something exciting is beginning to unfold before returning again to the more tranquil A

section.


The left hand and the right hand work together to support each other. The underlying pulse

and the direction of the melody and the harmony all work together to capture the delightful

dreamlike mood of this piece.


Flamenco dancer by Goldston from the AMEB Grade 2 series 16 List C

The use of rhythmic drive is vital in capturing the fiery spirit required in this piece. In the

Flamenco art form, Spanish guitar, castanets and or clapping are frequently used to provide

accompaniment for the dancer. It is likely that the rhythmic quaver figure found in this piece

represents one of those forms of accompaniment. To achieve the rhythmic vitality necessary

it may be useful to begin by playing the left hand only, making sure that the repeated A has a

sense of moving forward not just jumping up and down statically. The touch is almost an

excited light bouncing. There is no room for heaviness or “sitting” even in the forte sections.

In bars 1-15 and again at the return of the initial motive in bars 24-32 the left hand leads and

directs the right hand. Young children may enjoy tapping out his rhythm with both hands on


the lid of the piano before trying to achieve this very active and challenging rhythm on the

piano. The repetitive rhythmic figure found in bars 1-4 forms the introduction.

Fig 37 Flamenco dancer by Goldston bars 1-4

From bar 5 the melody in the left hand begins.


Bars 16- 23 form the lyrical middle section, which is slower and more expressive. This

section could represent the hand of the flamenco dancer expressively telling a story.



The first motive appears again at the tempo primo before accelerating into a flashy run of 6

notes working its way higher and higher before finishing on staccato chords in the last 3 bars.


Chastushka by Kabalevsky from the AMEB Grade 2 series 15 List C

Chastushka is a very contagious genre. It is a type of traditional Russian poetry, derived from

the word chastyi, meaning, "to speak fast." Chastushkas are notable for their particularly

vulgar character, short four-line structure, and their generally humorous or satirical nature.

The chastushka is commonly performed by two people one of which will make a statement

and the second will make a silly comment either to contradict or make fun of the first person

in jest, hence the use of the word Scherzando at the beginning of the piece.

This piece clearly shows a two part dialogue in short two bar phrases. Bars 1-2 could

represent person one making the statement, while bars 3-4 could be the second person

contradicting them. At first glance it would appear that certainly the first two bars of this

piece could not be easily sung. On closer examination we find that the bar 1 really only


consists of the notes F-F-A-F from the subdominant chord and bar 2 C-E-G-E from the tonic

chord.

The forte used in bars 1-8 could represent a bright bubbling character however the touch

remains light and joking.

Fig 41 Chastushka by Kabalevsky bars 1-8

The middle section bars 9-16 retains this light joking touch, however the piano indicates a

change in character, perhaps that of secrecy. In bars 9 -12 and again in bars 13-16 the

direction of the harmony shifts with a downward semitone pattern of F-Eflat-D-Dflat-C.

Notice the use of some minor chords, which validate the change of mood: in bar 9 f minor,

bar 10 c minor, bar 11 D major and b diminished before returning again in bar 12 to the C

major chord.



Bars 17-23 are a direct repeat of bars 1-7. The final bar while using the same notes and same

rhythm finishes on high C.


Summary:

In summary, imagination or fantasy is a powerful tool. It is linked very closely to our

emotions and life experiences. Teaching the logical foundation of the music with the

imagination gives children the freedom to express their inner most feelings and convey them

through the story found inside the music.


REFERENCES

AMEB 2008 Piano series 16 preliminary grade, All Music Publishing, Australia.

AMEB 2008 Piano series 16 grade 1, All Music Publishing, Australia.

AMEB 2008 Piano series 16 grade 2, All Music Publishing, Australia.

AMEB 2002 Piano series 15 preliminary grade, Allans Publishing Pty Ltd, Australia.

AMEB 2002 Piano series 15 grade 1, Allans Publishing Pty Ltd, Australia.




Bohnenstengel, C 2011, Theodore Leschetizky, viewed 5 May 2011,

< http://www.bohnenstengel.net/leschetizky.html.>

Einstein, A 1947, Music in the Romantic Era: A history of Musical thought in the 19th

Century, WW Norton & Company Inc, USA.

Csikszentmihalyi, M 1997, Creativity: flow and the psychology and discovery of invention,

Harper Collins Publishers, New York.

Elliot, DJ 1995, Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education, Oxford University

Press, New York.

<http://www.fioramusic.tumblr.com/post/2454628600/neither-a-lofty-degree-of-intelligence-

nor.>

Gardner, H 1993, Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences, Fontana Press, UK.

Goldsworthy, A 2009, Piano Lessons, Griffin Press, Australia.

Goleman, D 2005, Emotional Intelligence, Bantam Dell, A Division of Random House Inc,

USA.

Longyear, RM 1973, Nineteenth-Century Romanticism in Music, 2nd edn, Prentice-Hall Inc,

USA.

Kabalevsky, DB 1988, Music and Education: a composer writes about musical education,

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London.

Kamien, R 1992, Music an Appreciation, 5th edn, MacGraw-Hill, Inc, USA.

Moore, K 2010, Nov 22 Book Review: Piano Lessons: a Memoir: by Anna Goldsworthy,

viewed 26 December 2010,


<http://www.instantencore.com/buzz/item.aspx?FeedEntryId=115104.>

Neuhaus, H 1997, The Art of Piano Playing; translated by Barrie and Jenkins Ltd, Kahn and

Averill, London.

Shostakovich, D Six Children’s Pieces, Boosey and Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd, UK.


About the Author:Jane Burgess has over 20 years experience teaching the piano. She currently teaches atBrighton Special Interest Music Centre, Scotch College, Unley High School and in her ownprivate studio. She regularly prepares students for concerts, competitions, AMEB exams andYear 12 Solo performance achieving high results.

For many years she refined her piano perspective with Eleonora Sivan and she continues tohave professional contact with her.

Jane was invited and presented a lecture demonstration at the SA Music Teachers’Association 2011 and 2009 Biennial Conference, the 9th Australasian Pedagogy Conferencein Sydney in 2009 and at WA Piano Pedagogy Convention in April 2010. In 2010 Jane wasappointed the convenor of the Adelaide Eisteddfod Piano Division and Examiner for AMEB.Along with six other dedicatees she performed in the World Premier of Larry Sitsky’s TheGolden Dawn at the University of Adelaide in November 2010.

early steps of romanticism jane burgess the overarching

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