Studies - Burgmuller

[chadefa1]

Hi all,

I am a beginner (1 year) and going through Burgmuller as a way to improve my technique. I like it because the pieces are easy enough to be learned in a week, and are musical.
I realize, however, that each of them emphasizes one or a few technical difficulties. Therefore, I am wondering if I should go back to them regularly. So far, I have learned a piece for the following lesson, "mastered it" for that lesson, and then have forgotten about it to go on to the next one, without playing it ever again.
Is this the right way to go about it? Or am I supposed to keep practicing them so that I keep working through their technical difficulties?

In short, learn them once and forget about them, or keep playing them  regularly?

Thank you!
Tom

[bernhard]

Hi all,

I am a beginner (1 year) and going through Burgmuller as a way to improve my technique. I like it because the pieces are easy enough to be learned in a week, and are musical.
I realize, however, that each of them emphasizes one or a few technical difficulties. Therefore, I am wondering if I should go back to them regularly. So far, I have learned a piece for the following lesson, "mastered it" for that lesson, and then have forgotten about it to go on to the next one, without playing it ever again.
Is this the right way to go about it? Or am I supposed to keep practicing them so that I keep working through their technical difficulties?

In short, learn them once and forget about them, or keep playing them  regularly?

Thank you!
Tom

Forget the ones you don´t care for and keep the ones you love and that you would like to play as part of your repertory.

Your question, however arises from what I believe to be a misconception: To learn a piece in order to improve technique. This is putting the cart before the horse. It is the other way round: you learn pieces that you love and that you would like to share as repertory - and as a consequence you acquire the technique needed to play them. If you do that, your question vanishes.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[bernhard]

You may find these threads interesting:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,15365.msg170716.html#msg170716
(Burgmuller op. 105 and 0p. 109)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2689.msg23132.html#msg23132
(Best fingering for Burgmuller op. 100 no. 14 - fingering is not sacred)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3607.msg32313.html#msg32313
(Burgmuller op. 100 – and detailed analysis of Burgmulle op. 109 no. 13 – Orage)


Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[rlefebvr]

You may find these threads interesting:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,15365.msg170716.html#msg170716
(Burgmuller op. 105 and 0p. 109)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2689.msg23132.html#msg23132
(Best fingering for Burgmuller op. 100 no. 14 - fingering is not sacred)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3607.msg32313.html#msg32313
(Burgmuller op. 100 – and detailed analysis of Burgmulle op. 109 no. 13 – Orage)


Best wishes,
Bernhard.

B, My daughter is learning the storm as we speak. Actually all she has left is the speed.
She has reached 108, but is still far off the 160 mark.

I could only find a mp3 version on the net. Can't find it at all in the music stores. Heck hard to find Bugmuller period.

Problem is I am not sure it sounds right. Seems muddled to me. Would love it if you could listen and tell me if the mp3 is a good rendition to go by.. About 2 megs worth.


Thks in Advance
Ron


https://www3.sympatico.ca/rlefebvr/Burgmuller.mp3

[chadefa1]

Thank you Bernhard! I guess you are right, but I believe it's also useful to be well rounded so that, in the future, I can tackle or even sight-read a piece without needing a special preparation. But I agree with you overall.

Thank you,
Thomas

[bernhard]

Thank you Bernhard! I guess you are right, but I believe it's also useful to be well rounded so that, in the future, I can tackle or even sight-read a piece without needing a special preparation. But I agree with you overall.

Thank you,
Thomas

You are welcome.

[bbush]

Forget the ones you don´t care for and keep the ones you love and that you would like to play as part of your repertory.

Your question, however arises from what I believe to be a misconception: To learn a piece in order to improve technique. This is putting the cart before the horse. It is the other way round: you learn pieces that you love and that you would like to share as repertory - and as a consequence you acquire the technique needed to play them. If you do that, your question vanishes.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

Love BOTH of Bernhard's observations!  I picked up Burgmuller's pieces and started to work through them in lieu of Hanon and other much-more-boring studies.  But I keep working them not only to improve my technique, but because they are very "musical" and often even get stuck in my head for a few daze as the piece I find myself humming.

And my personal experience as a largely self-taught amateur proves to me that the more I love a piece, the more likely I am to be motivated to learn to play it.  In this manner, I've "mastered" pieces far beyond the level at which I would score in a standardized test. (FYI, after only two years of lessons in college, I was heavily distracted away from the piano for many years, first, by poverty, then, by career and relationships and the exigencies of life-as-I-knew-it.)

So, I always encourage pianist-friends to "go for it!"  But also to make some time to practice exercises/etudes to advance technique, that is, to make the next piece you'd love to learn more accessible and ultimately better-sounding.

Bruce

[burcush]

How can I listen "Peasant Pas de Deux" from Burgmüller? Or Ballet music of Giselle?
I couldnt find it in Piano street?
Thanks