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If one will be able to play all the selections, then certainly finish with the most polished one.
I wonder, as I must, what would happen if teachers in Britain didn’t use any ABRSM material at all and freely chose repertoire on their own. Would there students be unable to be admitted to school, however good?
I ask, because in the U.S., we have no required repertoire except for competitions or auditions, so we have complete freedom to choose repertoire.
Which is a point in itself, the necessity of teaching how to finger music. It’s also like when a student wants to “interpret” a piece they don’t know yet.
There’s also writing the fingerings you want in a red pencil, Prismacolor Crimson Lake is the proper color. One just does not tolerate or one loses the ability to really direct the student, if it comes to that, but you must be prepared to be strict. If a student always uses their own fingerings, they will never learn good fingering.
Well, here’s how my teacher would have forced me, if necessary: not letting me play a single note with a different finger, stopping me, holding my hand if necessary so it comes out right. That is how I learned good position and technique, and it was the only thing that worked for me. Holding the student’s hand is essential, basic, primal, and most effective. I have tried using a conductor’s baton, which is good for reaching between the strings, but it was a little too pointy, perhaps.
I think this is a challenge, but a much more simple and basic one. We have to learn to perform in all stressful situations, and the lesson is the first one we have to learn to deal with. The emotions make everything cloudy and intangible, and cutting through them with logic, directness, firmness that is meant kindly is so helpful. It also has an awful lot to do with the student’s ego, and its domination at that age. Many a great teacher has had to induce tears to break through the ego’s resistance to fully learning in order to fully teach the student. Students can have so much pride or self-regard, or so little, that they cannot tolerate disappoinment, frustration or challenges. There are also students who have never run into these stepping stones before.
The Harry Somers is modern and somewhat showy, not too difficult. The Saint-Saens might stand up well to other instruments.
Good question! The Introduction et Allegro of Ravel can be used as a concerto. Widor’s Chorale et Variations might be an option, Reinecke maybe, Pierne if you want something harpy, Busser wrote a concerto I know nothing about. Rodrigo’s Concierto Serenata is a big piece, but solid and classically showy, and he’s a big name, for an easier showy piece there is his Concierto de Aranjuez. The Rota Concerto is strong, and I know there are others. Dig, dig, dig, buy, buy, buy scores.
To answer Mel, I simply keep insisting that the fingering be followed and consider it as wrong as a wrong note. Students need to learn to follow fingerings, to play well, and as well to learn how to finger pieces.
When you are descending, and this should be explained clearly in the music, you use the nail of the second finger as in “falling hail” effect, combined with the normal thumb, which gives a very good sound and makes turning around at the top easy. You have better control doing them with the second finger preceding the third as instructed. Trust your teacher, not everything is revealed at first.
Here’s another point of view: maybe you are not tough enough on her, too soft and accomodating, which allows her to go on erring. Perhaps you need to be more no-nonsense, at least to see if that firms her up. I think at that age, they perhaps need to get used to the tough approach, as they will sink into any opportunity to do less than their best. At least you don’t have to worry about her tearing up, as it is already happening. That is another lesson that does need to be learned–how not to tear up when things aren’t going right.
I had one started in my kitchen sink, but I finally got down to the bottom and washed it all down the drain.
Edition de salon has been mentioned elsewhere in these forums, I believe it is a simplified version for the salon, as it says. Salzedo edited the piece to make it more sonically effective and playable. What is amusing is that your post appeared next to musical terrorism, and having been practicing this piece, I think it is a perfect example of Musical Terrorism!
