A question about phrase-marks

[terscheckii]

Hello piano enthusiasts. I wonder if you could help.

I’m currently working through “The Classic Piano Course” by Carol Barratt (Omnibus Edition). She explains on p. 19 that notes within a phrase-mark should be played legato, but that between phrase-marks the hand should be lifted briefly without changing speed.

Exercises beginning on p. 24 use notes in both the Treble and Base Clefs. There are phrase-marks, but only over the Treble Clef notes.

So my question is, do phrases over the Treble Clef notes also require the Base Clef notes to be played within those phrases? Or do phrase-marks only apply to the Clef over which they are placed?

I thank you in advance for your feedback.

[pianistimo]

it depends upon the piece, imo.  if you have something of schumann's that is a sort of 'match the hands' deal - then, typically he would already write a small eighth or sixteenth rest or staccato at the end of the phrases in both hands to indicate short ending and beginning of next phrase. 

in other pieces you have an alberti-bass where if you stopped it each time you stopped the treble phrasing - it would sound completely idiotic. 

now - this question is a good one because you have to not assume that the phrasing in the treble is for the bass as well.  typically there would be some kind of phrasing for things that have voicing between two,three, or four voices (or more) - as with bach chorales.  fugues on the other hand will stagger the voices so that no one voice ends at the same time as another - excepting at maybe the half point (a complete page). 

singing along with what you do might give an indication what to do with lh.  if you can't sing the left hand part as harmony - it's probably some kind of accompaniment - in which you can fudge and not attempt to phrase it with the melody.  or use it sparingly for effect.  beethoven did this at certain points.  and sometimes lengthening the length of the lh phrase as compared to the rh - for smoothness - but still giving a slight break.

i don't think you literally have to bring both hands up as you get good at ending phrasings.  just a little wrist movement that allows the fingers to stop touching the keys.   like a little wave to someone.  keeping the wrist where it is (low) and not like you are lifting hands out of a basin. (not that you would be doing that - but some teachers require too much movement.  no wonder students arms/wrists get sore).

[terscheckii]

Thank you pianistimo.

Your response is so helpful that I’ve printed it out and kept the copy in my piano studies folder.

Take care and have a good day.