Questions concerning parallel play and C. C. chang's book

[8426]

I'm reading his book right now, and i do not understand exactly what he means by parallel play. Does it mean to play two notes together and the next two, like in. c-d, d-e and so on?  also about the trills...this is what is killing me right now, in mozart's sonata k. 545 there's a passage that requires the use of a trill with the 4 and 3 fingers, i don't understand exactly what he's (chang) trying to tell me.  i really would appreciate help regarding the making of this piece into music.

[faulty_damper]

There are two (2) terms C.C. Chang uses:

Parallel Play - simultaneously playing 2 or more keys in one hand.  For example: playing keys C and D together; or C, E, G together.

Parallel Sets - 1 key plays at a time.  For example: C, then D; or C, then E, then G.

In Parallel Play, the purpose is to experiment and find out how best to coordinate your body to play rapidly those same notes.  (Look at Chapter One: Section III, 7b exercises for a guideline on how to figure out the movements.)

In Parallel Sets, the purpose is the experiment and find out how best to coordinate your body to play successive notes extremely fast.


I hope this answers your question.  But as to your Mozart sonata question:

The passage does not require you to trill with fingers 3 & 4.  While it is not impossible to trill with these fingers, it's not the best choice of fingers.  Where did you get this idea?

[8426]

not the trill that lasts for a whole measure, there's one before that last half a measure. thank for clearing the pp and ps.

[rc]

I'm not sure what trill you could be referring to...?

All I can see is the long ones (bar 25), and some short ones (bars 4, 15).  I used to do them both with 1 2, but I've found I can get the trill at bar 15 cleaner with 1 3, and using 2 to hit the F# that follows.

[faulty_damper]

I'm not sure what trill you could be referring to...?

All I can see is the long ones (bar 25), and some short ones (bars 4, 15).  I used to do them both with 1 2, but I've found I can get the trill at bar 15 cleaner with 1 3, and using 2 to hit the F# that follows.

I think that's it, measure 15.  It may seem like a 3-4 trill because the 2 would fit the F# but that's just not very easy to do.  I would also use 1-3 and play F# with 2.

[keypeg]

Parallel Play - simultaneously playing 2 or more keys in one hand.  For example: playing keys C and D together; or C, E, G together.

Parallel Sets - 1 key plays at a time.  For example: C, then D; or C, then E, then G.

I find that terminology confusing. The first is vertical notation and the second is horizontal.  If it is a broken chord, so that you play C, then E, then G, I have learned to call these melodic intervals.  If there is a full chord with all notes played at once, these are called harmonic intervals afaik.

So is Chang refering to melodic and harmonic intervals?  If so, is his terminology common usage?

I find the terms confusing on a musical level.  When I think "parallel" I think of two melodic lines, for example, that are in parallel movement to each other.

[faulty_damper]

Chang wants to make it clear that the words "chord" and "interval" have very precise musical definitions.  But he is not referring to these, he is referring to the tactile and mechanical sense in piano playing.

Chang is referring to neither of these definitions when he uses the terms "parallel play" and "parallel sets."

I agree that the word "parallel" can be confusing in these two terms but they are defined well enough and understood when it is actually applied.

[keypeg]

But he is not referring to these, he is referring to the tactile and mechanical sense in piano playing.

Chang is referring to neither of these definitions when he uses the terms "parallel play" and "parallel sets."

Playing the piano is a tactile and mechanical action.  It is right for him to isolate the mechanics of piano playing.

But he is defining *what* is being played.  What you describe as "parallel play" sounds to me like "harmonic intervals" which would be played simultaneously.  What you describe as "parallel sets" sounds to me like "melodic intervals" which are played one note after the other.

There is a "what" and a "how".  I am trying to figure out whether new terminology is being used, or whether he is describing something different.

Mainly I'm after the terminology becuase I understand that there are common terms so that musicians everywhere will always know what is being talked about.  Is "parallel play" and "parallel set" terminology that is used by others, or is this terminology that is unique to Chang?

[faulty_damper]

I have never heard of the terminology before Chang used them so I assume it is his terminology.

Parallel play may seem like "harmonic intervals" but it is a reference to a practice technique, not music.  Parallel sets is also a practice technique.

[db05]

I don't get the difference between PS and PP. I understand parallel sets are meant to be used as a tool to get to speed. First, divide the passage into parts that you can play simultaneously in one hand. These are what Chang calls PSs and the way to get to speed is to first play the PS as a chord (infinite speed) and then experiment on how to slow down to normal speed.

 

I'm reading his book right now, and i do not understand exactly what he means by parallel play. Does it mean to play two notes together and the next two, like in. c-d, d-e and so on? 

I don't think so... if CD is a PS, and DE is the next one, practice all the PSs separately with conjunctions and then connect them. PS studies may help with your learning of the trills, but the best thing to do is to relax! Don't force it if your hand is tired. Try using your wrist. Honestly, I can't trill with fingers alone. Good luck!

[keypeg]

It appears that Chang has taken known things and given them new names.  It has been pointed out that this is for the purpose of getting at the physical act of playing, otherwise known as technique.  However, in any music study, we take the theoretical part of music (what we want to produce) and examine the physical way of executing it.  We name the theoretical part by its name, and then discuss the physical way of doing it.

As I understand it, "parallel play" involves the music that you would see lined up vertically in music, where you play a number o f notes at the same time.  Two or more notes which are a given set of intervals apart, are played simultaneously.  Thus you would play CE at the same time.  Or you would play CEG at the same time.

Afaik, this is usually known to be "vertical".  The intervals are known as "harmonic intervals".  Chang has chosen to call this "parallel play" meaning that all the notes are played at the same time.  The term is confusing since "parallel" usually refers to melodic lines that mimic each other.

The notes C E can be played one after the other.  If you play C E G C one note after the other, then essentially you have played a chord, but "broken" it, so that it is usually called a broken chord, or arpeggio.

This is known as the "horizontal" flow of music.  The intervals from C to E, E to G etc. are known as "melodic intervals".  Chang has chosen to call this "parallel sets".

There is a physical way of playing several notes at the same time, and there is a physical way of playing notes one after the other.  It seems that this is what Chang is describing.

Would this seem to be correct?  Imho, with so many "schools" existing, would it not be advisable for a standard terminology to be used?