DON’T MISS MELANIE SPANSWICK’S Ludvig SCHYTTE (1848-1909) TRACK 1 LESSON BEGINNER ON THIS PIECE PAGE Melodious Study Op 108 No 12 20

The career of Ludvig Schytte should be an inspiration to all musical late-starters: Playing tips: For step-by-step tips on this simple study, read Melanie Spanswick’s having begun to receive lessons at the age of 22, he studied with his fellow Dane lesson. The LH melody is the focus: it should be clearly and smoothly projected , and then . He taught in for most of his career, and from start to end, while the RH chords are light and even. then . His Schumannesque Piano Concerto is available on CD as part of Pedal tips: Only start to use the pedal when the notes are secure. Danacord’s series of Danish Romantic Piano Concertos. Read Melanie Spanswick’s step-by-step lesson on page 20.

Moderato q = 100 4 5 2 3 1 f1 f f f f f f f #2 f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f & 4 HOW TO p il basso cantabile f™ f f f™ f f ?#2 f f { 4 1 J 1 1 J 1 2 2 4 3

4 4 4 5 2 3 3 1 1 1 # f f f f f f f f ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff & f f f f

f™ f f F f ?# f f Œ { 1 J2 1 5 4 3 ø FULL SCORE ON PAGE 28 & 29 °

4 5 9 2 3 f1 f f f f f f f f1 f f f f f f f # f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f & mf f™ f f f™ f f ?# f f { 1 J 1 J

4 4 4 13 3 3 2 1 1 1 # f f f f ff ff ff ff f f f f f & f f f f Œ p f ?# f f f f f f # 2 n F f Œ { 1 4 1 2 4 3 5 °

play 28• Pianist 102

P28 SCORES Schytte 12-FINAL.indd 28 08/05/2018 14:55 SCHYTTE Melodious Studies Op 108 Nos 12 & 16 Melanie Spanswick introduces a pair of studies to hone both your fingers and your ears

Ability rating Beginner Melanie Spanswick is a pianist, author and educator. Info Will improve your She selected the repertoire for The Faber Music Piano Key: G major (No 12); C major (No 16) 3 LH cantabile Anthology, and is the author of Play It Again: PIANO Tempo: Moderato (12); Allegro (16) 3 RH chordal control (Schott Music) for those returning to piano playing Style: Romantic 3 Finger independence after a break. Melanie has given workshops in Germany, the USA and the Far East; she is a tutor at Jackdaws Music Education Trust and curator of Ludvig Schytte was a Danish the Classical Conversations series on YouTube, composer, pianist and teacher. where she interviews pianists on camera. He penned numerous piano pieces www.melaniespanswick.com (including a concerto) and his educational literature remains popular. Turn your attention to the LH. Note The quaver movement at bar 5 and 6 This pair of studies belongs to a set of the two-bar phrases at the beginning benefits from thoughtful shaping. 25 designed for elementary pianists. of each line. Mark the most important The 4th fingers could receive slight note in each phrase; give a little colour tenuto markings (leaning into the Study No 12 focuses on the LH. to the G at the start of bar 2 and taper notes), and each note played by the Its charming melody requires an astute off the D on the second beat. Shape the sense of phrasing. Crotchet equals 100 longer phrase (bars 5-8) and place the Learning Tip beats per minute will give the melody high point of the phrase in bar 7 on The sustaining pedal comes in some air, but a quicker tempo will suit the D. The concluding phrase (bars handy for Study No 12, but keep it pianists who wish to inject some sparkle. 13-16) builds to the D (bar 14) via to an absolute minimum in No 16: a chromatic scale before dying away. let your fingers do the talking! Let’s start with the RH chords. Triads (three-note arpeggiated chords) anchor This study trains a basso cantabile or thumb (in bar 5, beats 2 and 4, every bar. Each note of the triad should singing style. To cultivate the required and bar 6, beats 2 and 3) could be sound at the same moment, demanding rich timbre, make sure that your considered the climactic point of careful balance, coordination and tonal fingers are well connected to each key. the phrase, demanding more colour. control. Taking the tonic triad in bar 1 Stay close to the keys, with the wrist as an example (G-B-D), play each note and arm providing sufficient weight The RH consists mainly of separately at first; 1-2-4 will balance for a warm sound, so that the melody semiquavers. These must be articulated the hand better than 1-2-5. Play the may sing freely above the RH chords. with clarity and evenness. The patterns G with the thumb and experiment train strength in the weaker 4th finger. with the sound. How softly can you Study No 16 is a zippy number. It is Although the thumb frequently plays play before the note fails to sound? perfect for those who are trying to the first beat of the bar, it’s the 4th Repeat the process with the B and D. develop finger independence. The short finger which requires attention. Begin phrases use repeated note patterns, ideal by adding accents on every note you You may prefer to balance two notes for strengthening the fingers, so long play with the 4th finger (in bars 1, 2, together at first. Work on G and B as hands and wrists are flexible and are 3, 5 & 6). Don’t strain or hammer at first: depress both keys with the thumb able to release tension, should it arise. the note: start slowly, and as you leave and 2nd finger slowly. The slower you The tempo suggestion is a conservative your thumb to play the next key with play, the softer the sound. You may one; you may prefer a quicker pulse. the 4th finger, turn the wrist and hand need to weight your hand towards the to the right, away from your body. 2nd finger, as the thumb is generally Let’s begin with the LH. Notes and stronger. Also practise this technique chords (in bars 2, 4, 7, 8) must be Finally, a more general practice tip. with the upper notes (B and D); the articulated in a detached, staccato Playing with a deeper touch to begin 4th finger will need extra weight too. style. It’s vital to leave the keys quickly with will reap rewards when you and efficiently, but this should be done increase the tempo and play with a This process will attune both hands tastefully, so that the accompaniment lighter tone. By this point, your fingers and ears to a soft sonority. You are figures support the RH melody. The should feel stronger and be more able training your hand to become aware of technique required is finger staccato, to achieve tonal and rhythmic control. the weight required from the wrist and using the top joint of each finger in a Count every semiquaver beat as you arm to balance each chord. Playing the flicking motion. The two-note chords practise to ensure that the rhythm is top note of each triad with more weight can be practised with the same method even and the pulse is strict. Watch out will achieve better balance and a fuller suggested for the triads in Study No 12. for the changing note-patterns in bars sonority. Hold each triad until the last Practise landing on each two-note 4, 7 and 8, where the 4th fingers still moment; this will help you to create chord with a swift movement, in good need a firm approach but they appear n © Erica Worth an unbroken legato in the RH line. time for the next beat. in a different place in each group.

20• Pianist 102

P20 Mel HTP 102-FINALish.indd 20 09/05/2018 10:51