Trinity Grade 5
All is Calm by Dennis Alexander
There Sleeps Titania by W. Alwyn
There Sleeps Titania is from Midsummer Suite, published by Forsyth (1936).
A Walk at Strumble Head by Gareth Balch
Strumble Head is on the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales ...which we visited in December 2019!
Blues for Beth by M. Cornick
Andantino by P. Járdányi
This Andantino is the first movement of Sonatina no. 2, published by Editio Musica Budapest (1959).
And Now Let's Handel by M. Proksch
And Now Let's Handel is from Piano Poetry: 34 piano pieces for all sides of life, published by Breitkopf & Härtel, (2013).
I used the pedal here, primarily once per bar, though more frequent changes where the quaver movement is in the LH (bars 9-16 & 25b to the end). I also held the pedal back in bar 24a to avoid smudging the bass walk up. Teachers may like to give precise instructions to their pupils, though in reality, we adapt our use of the pedal to the acoustics of the room: a resonant room will need less pedal. This is illustrated, quite unintentionally, at the start of the Tutorial video. At the start, I play the piece through with no pedal at any point, but rather I added an acoustic effect at the computer. The effect is as if I were pedalling throughout - the notes ring out.
The Trinity teaching notes (thank you Kollabathula!) draw attention to the fact that there are several possibilities with regard to pedalling. The whereabouts of the quaver movement on the piano should inform our decision making. (Low notes will, by their nature resonate for longer than high ones, indeed at the very top end of the piano there are no dampers). The suggestion is every crotchet in the passage from bar 9 ...or no pedal at all. Every minim (or crotchet) for the opening section; once per bar from 25a to make it "more misty".
Here is a video of Paul Barton and his very young daughter Emilie playing a Handel-inspired Passacaglia, very much like our ‘And Now Let’s Handel’.
Perhaps the Passacaglia final movement of Handel’s Suite in G minor HWV 432 inspired these pieces? Here it is played by Lucca Raggi on a magnificent two-manual harpsichord. The variation at 3m40sec sounds very familiar!
A synthesia display of our piece.
Circus Theme by F. Pustilnik
This short, lively piece uses swing quavers and a LH stride piano technique. This style of piano playing originated in the USA during the first half of the 20th century. In stride piano we hear a bass note on the strong beats 1 & 3, and a chord on the weak beats 2 & 4 (aka the backbeat). This can be tricky, especially when playing at a fast tempo!
Here are some examples of fantastic stride piano playing by two of the great early players of this style.
James P. Johnson, Jingles (1935)
Thomas 'Fats' Waller, Ain't Misbehavin'
Gavotte en Rondeau by J. S. Bach
Moderato cantabile
Pop Looks Bach
This will be familiar to many as the theme tune to the BBC's long running programme 'Ski Sunday'.
Cavalryman
Cavalryman is no. 29 from Kabalevsky's group of Children's Pieces, op.27.
There are two performances here, the first slow.
I misread the quavers in the top line of bar 37, they ought to have been staccato and there are alternative ways of fingering this section. As the score suggests, it may be best to divide the notes between the hands slightly differently here.
All 6 Exercises
1a. In the chapel
1b. Ornamental Garden
2a. Penny Farthing
2b. Gentle Arabesque
3a. Jumping Beans
3b. By the Brook
Scales & Arpeggios
Scales
♩= 110, f or p, legato or staccato, two octaves, hands together
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D♭ major & B♭ minor (harmonic or melodic)
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B major & G♯ minor (harmonic or melodic)
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Chromatic scale in similar motion starting on D♭
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G harmonic minor contrary motion
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Chromatic scale in contrary motion; LH on C, RH on E (legato)
Arpeggios
♩= 90, f or p, legato or staccato, two octaves, hands together
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D♭ major & B♭ minor
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B major & G♯ minor
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Diminished 7th starting on B
All 9 Pieces
ALEXANDER, D. - All is Calm
ALWYN, W. - There Sleeps Titania
BALCH, G. - A Walk at Strumble Head
CAMIDGE, M. - Scherzando
CORNICK, M. - Blues for Beth
HAYDN, F. J. - Andante in A
JÁRDÁNYI, P. - Andantino
PROKSCH, M. - And Now Let's Handel
PUSTILNIK, F. - Circus Theme