fresh look at overplayed pieces

[amanfang]

It's inevitable that most of your students will bring in a copy of Moonlight Sonata and ask to play it.  (First mvmt)  How do you bring a fresh look to these overplayed pieces?  What are some common mistakes that students make on these?

[mariocast]

I don't think from a teacher's standpoint that we have to bring a fresh look.  I used to have hangups about teaching pieces like Moonlight Sonata and Fur Elise because from my perspective I've heard them way too many times.  Yet I realized that to the students, these pieces were very fresh to them, and I would be doing them a disservice if I refused to teach it solely based on my overexposure to this repertoire.

The most common mistake that I've found is that students want to play some of these popular classics before they are at the level of being ready to perform them well.  If they are not, then I try to guide them to repertoire that is similar but technically and musically easier for them to handle.  Almost every time that I've done this, the students and/or parents have reacted positively.  Just as long as you make your case without saying or implying "you're not good enough for this yet".

Hope that's clear.

[spitz]

(I'm not a teacher just student browsing forums) I came to my teacher after being with her for 8 months and wanted to play 'Moonlight' fisrt movement she started saying I was not good enough and crap like that and gave me a simplified 'Moonlight'. That just pissed me off . So just to prove her wrong I went on the internet and found the first movement of 'Moonlight' and practiced and practiced till I was able to play the piece perfectly. Next lesson when she asked me play the simplified version I pulled out the real one and played it...she was astounded and started saying I had some kinda natural talent. So I think that teachers should encourage kids to play songs harder than their level you just might find a student with some 'natural' talent

[alzado]

Like Spitz, I just wandered in here and am not a teacher.

I do agree with Mariocast.  To the student, something like Fur Elise or Moonlight is new and very exciting.

Both pieces, I think, are only moderately difficult, but sound more challenging to a listener than perhaps they really are.  Also, the notation is pretty straightforward, so they tend not to pose a great challenge in reading the music from a page. So to the learning student, such pieces offer "more bang for the buck."

On the OTHER hand . . . there are pieces that may not sound as impressive as Moonlight Mov. 1, but can be much more tricky to play.  Some of Edward MacDowell's pieces, for instance, are riddled with peculiar chords and key changes, double sharps or double flats, leger lines until hell won't have it, quirks of timing (e.g., 3 against 2), and other challenging little "traits."  Sometimes a number of these little challenges all come together in a single piece. In addition, sight-reading can be difficult. The page is sometimes just riddled with accidentals.   When such a piece is played, it sounds very nice, but a casual listener may not appreciate that the piece is not well suited to beginners, or even to some intermediate players.

[cfortunato]

Why do you need to do something "fresh" with them?  To the student, the piece itself is completely fresh.  And there is real delight in the student learning to play something that he has only heard.  Probably MORE delight than in playing something he has never heard.

It's also good to remember that there is a reason why Moonlight Sonata and Fur Elise are so popular - it's because they are genuinely great, great music - among the very greatest - and yet they AREN'T too hard for most students to play.  That's not a common combination.

[cora]

For the Moonlight Sonata, I recommend having the student name each chord and memorize as they learn. I also stress that the thumb be played stronger (slightly longer) on the first beat, and lighter in the subsequent beats. In all cases, the thumb should be pulled in towards the hand after being struck.

[totallyclassics]

I too am a student!  I agree with Mariocast.  I believe enthusiasm and desire has a lot to do with the way we play.  I personally play songs I want to learn way better than songs suggested by my teacher.   I am an adult returning to piano after 30 years and only two years as a young child.   I have been playing for 18 months and have had two teachers.  The first teacher allowed me to play what I wanted, and allowed me to play the pieces as I felt them.  He too thought I  had a natural ability.  I on the other hand recognized that with desire, comes the need for technical ability as well.   I was playing pieces I desperately wanted to play, was able to play them, however, They sounded like I had only been playing for 18 months, and not like I wanted them to sound (10 year exp!)  My teacher now is very, very heavy on independent fingers, and preciseness with how each finger hits the keys.  Although new to that mindset, I have to say that over the last 6 weeks my playing has improved tremendously.  I am learning how to get the sounds in my head to come out through my fingers.   Having said that, If I had first been taught by my current teacher, I would have been scared off.  I needed to get neck deep into the love of classical music and discover for myself the need for experience and technical precision to grow in my playing ability.   Just never discourage anyone from trying to play something they want.  The way my first teacher handled it was to let me find out the hard way, after trying it, that it was not yet a doable piece.  He would patiently try to teach, and after about 4 weeks, I would come back with a different piece and just not mention what happened to the other one!   He would eagerly teach whatever I brought in.   My teacher now tells me what to play!  She keeps me focused on no more than two pieces at one time.  I have a tendency to want to learn 12 or more at once!   Can you tell the enthusiasm?  lol!!! 

Great topic,


tc

[arensky]

(I'm not a teacher just student browsing forums) I came to my teacher after being with her for 8 months and wanted to play 'Moonlight' fisrt movement she started saying I was not good enough and crap like that and gave me a simplified 'Moonlight'. That just pissed me off . So just to prove her wrong I went on the internet and found the first movement of 'Moonlight' and practiced and practiced till I was able to play the piece perfectly. Next lesson when she asked me play the simplified version I pulled out the real one and played it...she was astounded and started saying I had some kinda natural talent. So I think that teachers should encourage kids to play songs harder than their level you just might find a student with some 'natural' talent

I had a similair experience as a teenager with Scriabin's Etude in d# minor op.8 #12. It is not wise to tell me that I can't do something! By the end of the year I had won prizes in several competitions playing it, including an appearance at Carnegie Recital Hall. 

Good for you! I like your spirit, I can relate to it...