Moonlight advice
My mom has been taking piano lessons at the local community college and really liked the simplified practice version of the moonlight sonata they gave her. So I got her the actual sheet music, but she's having some trouble getting through it. I'd appreciate any suggestions for certain exercises or techniques or even advice regarding any particular rough spots that are frequently encountered.
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Well, It has been a long time scince I have stidied that piece, but I remember very clearly what helped ME through it!
1) If at all possible listen to it on C.D(casseste or vinyl ect). And that hepls with the counter melody that is on the top.
2) As anyone would tell you, hint to your mother that she should practise her C# minor scales and CHORDS!! they are crutial! They are through out the piece!
3) I don't think (off hand) that it modulates to any other keys, but if it does, practise the chords of those keys!
4) I know that the piece is very slow, and it would give me great pain to hear it any slower, but maybe, make the tempo a little slower. Most people tend to take things slower at first (with the exception of my music teacher who is the most AMAZING pianist I have ever met, and probably the best sight reader I ever will meet!).
Have fun with it, It is quite hard to start with, and here in New Zealand at our school, that piece is considered a grade four, (I don't know if that is relevant, or if it is the same in the U.S.A).
Beethoven Rocks!
oboe_15
[This message has been edited by oboe_15 (edited 08-01-2001).]
[This message has been edited by oboe_15 (edited 08-01-2001).]Beethoven and all composers Rock! -
If it's the first or second movement that's giving her problems, practicing and listening to recordings are about the only things she can do. If it's the third movement, I'd suggest putting that aside for a few years, until she's progressed a little more. That third movement is a killer.Comment
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As Chris says it depends which movement. Hopefully it's the first (which is actually far more difficult than most people imagine!) The first essential is to get those slow accompanying triplets absolutely even. Practice the hands seperately and never play a slow movement fast! If a particular passage is causing problems, work at in isolation from the rest of the piece. Fingering is also vital and should be mastered in the very first stages of learning anything.
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'Man know thyself''Man know thyself'Comment
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That is for sure!Originally posted by Chris:
That third movement is a killer.
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Beethoven and all composers Rock!Beethoven and all composers Rock!Comment
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Thanks guys! I'll relay the information...Comment
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And tell your mother she must feel decontracted from the shoulders to her fingers because this piece ask a good freedom of the 5th finger at the right hand to sing the melody, and the 4th and the 5th fingers are weakest than the others, and left hands plays octaves which ask also a relaxed hand,even in a slow mouvement.
It is impossible to teach piano by mail... but you have got here good advises from many people.
I suggest further to play also each phrase complete a few times and to play the bass separatly a lot to learn it "by heart" so she can after concentrate on reading the notes of the right hand. It helps a lott : the good tempo to study is the one were we do not make mistakes ! When it is possible to play without mistakes several times one can try a little bit faster.... and take back a slower tempo in case of problems.
To listen the piece WHEN reading the notes is useful.
I remember my joy when I have been able to play it (the 3 mouvements !) quite well...
All the best to your mother !
ClaudieClaudieComment
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I think I forgot that your mother is studying a simplified version.... anyway those advises are good even if she only get triplets on the left and the melody on the right !
Honnestly I am not for "simplified versions" of classical pieces... It is always better to hear the music we love and be patient, practising a lot of exercises (Hanon, scales, arpeggios etc) and easy pieces from composers B. himself advised to study (one exemple are the sonatinas of Clementi) than to go through a "easy" version of such a great work than B's "mondschein" or other hits...
Question of taste, naturally, and also of time to study... and of patience !
I understand one can be impatient to play any version of Mondschein sonata anaway and still wish your mother good luck with it !
ClaudieClaudieComment
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Absolutely! Far better to begin with easier pieces.Originally posted by Claudie MICAULT:
Honnestly I am not for "simplified versions" of classical pieces...
Claudie
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'Man know thyself''Man know thyself'Comment
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Actually, she's trying the real thing...the simplified version was what she originally fell in love with. I don't think she realized the immensity of the task when she took on the sheet music!Originally posted by Claudie MICAULT:
I think I forgot that your mother is studying a simplified version.... anyway those advises are good even if she only get triplets on the left and the melody on the right !
Honnestly I am not for "simplified versions" of classical pieces... It is always better to hear the music we love and be patient, practising a lot of exercises (Hanon, scales, arpeggios etc) and easy pieces from composers B. himself advised to study (one exemple are the sonatinas of Clementi) than to go through a "easy" version of such a great work than B's "mondschein" or other hits...
Claudie
If anything, simple versions are useful for beginners who can't handle the real thing, but want desperately to play some recognizable strains of a difficult piece.Comment
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Maybe. But not being able to play a certain piece that you really love is also a great motivator to practice hard so you can get up to the point where you can. At least, that's how it is for me.Comment
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Very true. I think that's what my mom's trying to do right now. She's practicing diligently, but doesn't have long fingers, so she's struggling a bit with the extension required.Originally posted by Chris:
Maybe. But not being able to play a certain piece that you really love is also a great motivator to practice hard so you can get up to the point where you can.Comment
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I sympathize with your mother. I have the same problem with extension.Originally posted by Jin:
Very true. I think that's what my mom's trying to do right now. She's practicing diligently, but doesn't have long fingers, so she's struggling a bit with the extension required.'Truth and beauty joined'Comment
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Maddening to think some pianists can play 10ths as though they were octaves - truly a large hand is a bonus!Originally posted by Joy:
I sympathize with your mother. I have the same problem with extension.
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'Man know thyself''Man know thyself'Comment
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