TRINITY Initial (2018 - 2020)

 

This canon at the second needs our hands to be able to play autonomously, each playing the melody. It's a quiet piece, but just a slightly bigger sound (mf) for the final 5 bars.

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Quite a steady tempo for this piece where the RH appears to be doing most of the 'talking'.  Perhaps you could turn it into a conversation by adding words? There are a lot of slurs aren't there, so the few staccato notes will really stand out. Bars 11-12 and 15-16 are particularly tricky I think. Take them really slowly whilst trying to observe all the detail.

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This is a little unusual as the melody begins in the LH before it moves over to the RH from bar 5. It's tricky to place those accompanying chords on beats 2 & 4. Some table-top practice might help. We should try to play quietly from bar 9, a real contrast to the bar before!

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This piece is a great exercise in rhythm. A rock-steady, lilting LH accompaniment and a smooth RH melody that so often plays in the gaps between the beats. It dies away at the end becoming gradually quieter and slower.

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This is a characterful piece and certainly gets my imagination going! It feels as if something might happen at any moment. Getting the two hands to work together for lines 2 & 3 is very tricky. Perhaps practice it very slowly, whilst being aware of all the staccato dots. Great last chord! 

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Ooh, there's a lot of detail here! Accents, tenuto signs, slurs, staccato dots and a crescendo! The rhythm of line 2 is tricky - try tapping it on a table-top, remembering the accents in the LH. From bar 9 we have a smooth RH melody above carefully held LH chords. It's also quite fast!

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Allegro by Alexander Reinagle is from 24 Short & Easy Pieces

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This piece has two 'voices'; we could easily play it on two instruments ...a violin & cello perhaps. Try to play a clear smooth melody in the RH above carefully held 'background' notes in the LH. With the 'da capo' it becomes a musical sandwich. Playing bars 11 & 12 quietly helps create interest. 

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Stick and Hat by Michael Stahl is from the collection of 4-hand piano pieces 'Der Wurm im Turm' by Michael STAHL, published by Breitkopf & Härtel.

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You can play this piece either as a duet or a solo, though the middle section makes more sense as a duet! Smooth RH melody over carefully held LH chords. How quiet can the ending be?

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Ooh, those RH crunches do sound like croaking toads, especially when we play them short (staccato). This piece is particularly effective when we play 'piano' at bar 9 and gradually build up to end loudly.

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Canon by Henk Badings

Conversation by Nathalie Béra-Tagrine

Tickery Tockery by Kay Charlton

Lullaby by Daxböck et al.

Spies on a Mission by Paul Harris

Spanish Guitar Player Hans-Gu00fcnther Heumann

Allegro by Alexander Reinagle

Stick and Hat by Michael Stahl

The Waltz of the Toads by Kirtsin Strecke

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Exercises

1a. Joining In

1b. Westminster Walk

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2a. Dialogue

2b. Caribbean Sunshine

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3a. My Turn Now

3b. Viennese Waltz

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Scales (60bpm, mezzo-forte, legato, one octave, hands separately)

C major,

A minor (either natural, harmonic or melodic)

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Broken Triads

C major

A minor

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