Speed isn’t always synonymous with clarity. My work as an adjudicator can testify to the fact that’s it’s quite common to hear semiquaver (or demisemiquaver) passages played in a ‘garbled’, unstable, or just plain unrhythmical, manner; either too fast, with the tendency to rush through technically challenging sections resulting in the inevitable slips, errors and…
Tag: Etudes
Etude Op. 97 No 1 by Anton Reicha
Some readers will know that I write a regular ‘how-to-play’ article for Pianist magazine. If you’ve yet to discover this magazine, you can find out much more by clicking here. My article focuses on elementary level pieces for students of around Grade 1 – 3 level. It’s actually called a ‘beginners how-to-play’, but in reality…
To play Studies or not to play Studies – that is the question…
There has been much debate recently online as to whether technical exercises are important or not when learning to play the piano. These include comments here on my blog, as well as via my inbox, regarding the merits of playing and practising studies irrespective of the standard or level of the pianist. Many believe them…