Mozart... K331

[alwaystheangel]

I am currently learning Mozart's incredible Köchel-Verz. Nr. 331. In light of his 250th birthday last friday.  Anyways, this is my first concert level piece (i skipped grade 10 Royal Conservatory)  And I'm having issues with two things:

1. The pedaling.  I have never played a song with such challenging pedaling I don't know when to start and when to stop.  All I know is it very minimal but steady not at all like Debussy were you hold it down for what seems to be the entire piece.

2. Var. III movement 1.  What would be a good exercise to work to improve my octaves?  I am finding it very difficult to connect them with out using the damper pedal.

Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

My appologies if this seems to simplistic in questions.  Maybe point out some other places that you would recommend on focusiong on?  I have only started working on the first movement.  Alla Turca and the rest will come later.

Thank you again

[lagin]

Just a quick question about you skipping grade 10.  You do know that grade 10 is the only manditory grade if you want an ARCT, right?  Like, no grade 10 exam, no allowing you to be able to have an ARCT.  You need 75% overall, or 70% in each section, in grade 10 to be able to "officially" move on.  Just wanted to make sure you knew that.  I'm in the manditory grade 10 trenches myself at the moment.

[contrapunctus]

I would have to say I generally don't use the dampers at all when playing Mozart (at least his sonatas). I don't think everything needs to be connected and legato-y. Others might have different opinions. I have played 331 with no pedal whatsoever, and it sounds fine. Every note is audible and clear. I would waste time with any octave practice excercises. With them, you learn the excercise instead of the piece! Just practice it till you get it.

I think this is a valid post.

[alwaystheangel]

Yeah... I have no particular desire to do examinations any more.  I finished my grade 8 and now I just want to play.  I take lessons and I still practice but I mean if I'm good at the piano does a piece of paper really matter?  I may go back to exams later but right now with university coming up.... I just don't see the point.  But thank you for your concern.   

[teresa_b]

Hi Always,

I have played a lot of Mozart (love him!), and I agree that minimal pedaling is the best.  It is impossible to have the octaves in Var 3 come out legato unless you pedal a little bit, though.  (My urtext score indicates legato with slurs over the passage, so the intent is not to have them disconnected.)

In var 3, use light pedaling, lifting every two 16th notes or so.  You have to have complete clarity (No blurring as you might use in an atmospheric passage by Debussy).  Don't push the pedal down all the way.

You don't have to go for speed with the octaves.  This music can sound wonderful at a moderate tempo.  Better to play clearly.

Have fun!
Teresa

[iumonito]

Where is Bernhard when you need him? 

I think those slurs are actually a pedal mark, as it would have been unthinkable for Mozart to play those with finger legato.  Smooth like oil is not synonymous with the type of legato that developed with Shulhoff some 50 years after this work was composed.

Don't play the octaves staccato, but by all means play them legato with the pedal.

The fortepianos of Mozart's time had much less sustain, and you could comfortably play this not changing pedals until you got a change in the harmony toward the end of the measure (at the d sharp).  Compare this to Beethoven's pedal marks for the last movement of Op. 53.  That hazy sound is quite Vienese.

In a modern piano you have to have a little less pedal, perhaps just 1/4 pedal fluttering (it depends on the hall.  in a large hall you can do pedal changes just to clear notes outside the harmony).

The view that Mozart must be played with no pedal on the modern piano seems to me to ignore performance practices of the period, it is not Poulenc, but the pedal is assumed to be used quite extensively.  Teresa, I agree that clarity is very important.

Cheers, great work.

[alwaystheangel]

thank you for the suggestions.   I'm glad I don't have to play it too quickly!  So lifting every 2 16ths... I think I can handle that!
Thank you again.  I'll keep working on it

[alwaystheangel]

Just a quick question about you skipping grade 10.  You do know that grade 10 is the only manditory grade if you want an ARCT, right?  Like, no grade 10 exam, no allowing you to be able to have an ARCT.  You need 75% overall, or 70% in each section, in grade 10 to be able to "officially" move on.  Just wanted to make sure you knew that.  I'm in the manditory grade 10 trenches myself at the moment.

Thank you for you consideration but at this point I have the desire to learn pieces not to get a piece of paper!

[priscilla_leen]

Joining of Octaves
 
Don't practise starting from loud dynamics, start playing it softly. Just ignore the dynamic marking first and increase on it eventually.
 
Choose to sing out the top or lower note of the melody. Top note is lighter and the sound is more free, comparing with bottom note which may sound rigid when its played loud. However, singing out top note is harder because the 5th finger is usually weaker. Make sure the bridge on knuckles is strong and 5th finger must be firm on tip, don't collapse when playing. Listen! The top notes must have a healthy sound, not a half dead tone.
 
Whole arm must be very relaxing especially for a pianist with small hands, since when stretching out for the octaves, the hand is naturally tensed up. So practise slowly in the beginning to avoid putting more tense.
 
Always adjust arm to higher/lower position and let the arm follow the fingers movement. It means when reaching out to far notes, move the arm to the side so that its lined in a straight line with the fingers.
 
Use strength from upper arm to play louder notes, because upper arm can have more strength, lesser tension and it will produce a richer and deeper sound.
 
Use 5-4 or 4-5 fingering where it is marked and work it out even if your hand is small. Practise in small segments, either 2 notes apart, 3 notes or 4. Octaves going downwards is easier to join than upwards. Try to use 5-4 or 4-5 fingering on octaves going upwards if you have big hand. If not, its an unfortunate disadvantage but nevermind
 
To make it more legato between octaves, try to feel consciously about imitating the movement of a snake's gliding on the surface of keyboard, never lift fingers higher or a little jump between octaves.
 
To make it even more legato, give more shaping motion, because shaping eventually works a miracle to make it sound more legato.
 
On bar 61-62, last 2 bar of the Variation 3, try to grab more on the tip of fingers, like trying to lift something up gently using the tip of fingers, in order to produce a more singing tone. Be careful about stiffness.
 
Pedalling - cannot pedal deep because it consisted mostly of 2 consecutive notes which are not from the same chord. Pedal very shallow only for every 2 notes. Practise on pedalling so that the sound is also not broken.