Learning how to Learn

It’s always valuable to revisit a process of growing a composition to full potential, keeping in mind that self-imposed progress deadlines are in opposition to a non-judgmental, self-accepting learning environment.

In this regard, it’s not how long it takes to gain control of technical/expressive dimensions of a piece, but rather, the quality of the steps taken to expand artistic horizons should be front and center and archived for future reference.

These past weeks, I posted two tutorials, not just for students near and far, but to examine my particular baby steps that addressed individual challenges in Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in G, K. 146, and separately, in Burgmuller’s “La Pastorale,” Op. 100, No. 3.

Domenico Scarlatti

In K.146, the composer is centered on a relentless crossed-hands motif that requires an examination of what happens before and after the crossover. A first learning step embodies a “feel” for RH over LH jumps that are beyond an octave, as it simultaneously requires a kinesthetic awareness of the reciprocal RH return destination as the music progresses.

Because the sonata has a preponderance of descending arpeggios in sequence, an orientation of harmonic transit and modulations help ground the player at all junctures of the work. (A “feel” for various keys is best reinforced by a daily regimen of practicing scales and arpeggios through the Circle of Fifths.)

Scarlatti provides relief from myriads of hand crossover arpeggios with contrasting interludes of detached stepwise notes, and chromatic lower neighbor ascending legato passages divided between the hands, (in Sequence) that springboard into parallel thirds in staccato. The latter, devoid of crossover hand challenges, and having a built-in pattern of ascent, requires an awareness of principle notes, their auxiliaries and how they travel. (Blocking clusters of half steps from RH to LH is helpful as is demonstrated in my video tutorial)

In early learning stages, all lines must be expressive; imbuing a singing tone, using supple wrists and relaxed arms, and taking a very slow tempo. Finally, a natural flow of well-spaced notes combined with varied arm weight transfers help contour phrases and vary dynamics.

Video Tutorial

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Friedrich Burgmuller

“La Pastorale,” from the start, requires a “feel” for the lilt of 6/8. It’s a duple compound meter that imbues two underlying beats per measure. With this springboard metrical understanding, the opening right hand solo “sings” expressively without the confinement of 6 beats.

Once chords enter in the bass, they support an ever lilting treble melody, providing a cushion of harmony, floating across measures in TWO. (not having a vertical pulsating chordal dimension)

In my self-learning tutorial, I underscore the lyrical dimension of this tableau by separating the hands, and using blocking techniques in the bass, that first allow one chord to be sustained per measure in horizontal movement. (Floating harmony to harmony encourages an awareness of RESOLUTIONS, and intensifications where needed.) Singular chords floating under the melody also supports an understanding of voicing–or how to balance the bass against the leader treble line.

Through a layered approach: examining treble and bass lines, using a supple wrist, relaxed arms, and various weight transfers in back tempo framing, the learning process is incremental and satisfying.

from Arioso7's Blog (Shirley Kirsten)
https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2020/01/06/learning-how-to-learn/