Staccato and double notes technique

[BuyBuy]

I have a 8 year old student who is doing pretty good (he's starting his 4th year of lessons with me).

I would like him to start working on staccato-octave technique, but his hand is to narrow for that right now, so that I would consider pieces with maybe staccato a fifth or sixth apart.

I also want him to work on his double note technique.

Can anyone recommand good pieces or etudes that are not too difficult (refrain yourself from Chopin etudes and so forth), but would allow him to progress in those aspects of technique. If you're going to mention Czerny, that's fine, but that music is not... well... very musical, so I would appreciate alternatives to Czerny. Thanks.

[donjuan]

I cant remember names, but there are many nice Prokofiev Pieces I have seen small children play very well, that incorporated the staccato touch very well, and even had some repeated notes.
donjuan

[bernhard]

If you are actually looking for studies, then the best bet is probably Burgmuller Op. 100. Have a look at this thread for more details:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=stud;action=display;num=1088871926

Heller studies are also superlative, in that they are far more musical than most studies.

But if it was up to me, I would definitely go straight for Scarlatti sonatas! Have a look here:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=repo;action=display;num=1077145772

There are almost 100 suggestions.

And Donjuan in right. Prokofiev is also a very good choice (even though these are not really studies):

Music for Children Op. 65  - 12 pieces written for children. This is Prokofiev at his most melodic and tonal. Each piece is a little masterpiece, and yet the difficulty is never above grade 6. My favourites are (but they are all excellent):

No. 2 – Promenade – Joyful and bouncy (grade 4)
No. 4 – Tarantella – Fast and rhythmical with a melodic middle section. Sounds much more difficult than it actually is. (grade 3)
No. 6 – Waltz  - A nice little waltz with unexpected turns of the harmony. Wonderfully tonal and yet very modern. (grade 5)
No. 9 – Playing tag – a fast moto perpetuo requiring good finger agility. (grade 6)
No. 12 – The moon strolls in the Meadows – This is my top favourite – A beautiful, melodic piece of great delicacy with the melody played alternatively in the right and left hand. (grade 5).

Juvenilia – These are pieces that Prokofiev wrote in his teenage years. They have no opus number and may be difficult to find. My copy was published by a Japanese company called Zen – On under the title: “First piano compositions”. There are 13 pieces in this collection. Here are my favourites:

Allegretto (A minor) – A quiet, lyrical piece  with a gentle accompaniment in repeated notes. (grade 4)

Vivo (G minor) – Exhilarating piece with a nervous, fast and percussive introduction followed (as Prokofiev often does) by a lyrical middle section of great melodic beauty. (Grade 6/7).

Allegro in D minor – Great piece. An intensive, addictive melody on the right hand with a repeated note accompaniment on the left. (grade 5).

Tarantella in D minor – Similar to Op. 65 no. 3, but more difficult (gets ultra fast at the end). (grade 5).

Scherzo in C major – Brilliant and dazzling piece. Starts with a fast section with thirds on the right hand, lush and romantic, followed by a slow section and a return to the first section. Difficult but definitely worthwhile working on it. (Grade 7/8 ).

Study Scherzo in C major – Wonderfully uplifiting piece, bouncy and joyful. Much easier than it sounds. Handspan may be a limiting factor (lots of octaves and some ninths) (grade 6/7).

Melody in Eb major – Beautiful melody over an arpeggiated left hand pattern. Main difficulty is handspan (lots of octaves). (Grade 5/6).

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[donjuan]

Yes!! I recognize some of those names!!! I remember a little girl about age 9 or 10 playing these works!

Bernhard, you never fail to amaze me!
donjuan

[rlefebvr]

I have seen Bernard quote Scarlatti several times and I know he is a big fan, but I found them all very boring. I also don't see kids enjoying those piece. Of course that could just be me.

He did get me to buy OP 100 by Burgmuller and those I love.
Very fun and not to hard most of them.

My opinion.

[bernhard]

I have seen Bernard quote Scarlatti several times and I know he is a big fan, but I found them all very boring. I also don't see kids enjoying those piece. Of course that could just be me.

Oh! The shock! The horror!

(Bernhard faints).

[chanamet]

I have seen Bernard quote Scarlatti several times and I know he is a big fan, but I found them all very boring. I also don't see kids enjoying those piece. Of course that could just be me.

When I was a kid, I found those were very boring too. I really hated those pieces every times my piano teacher ask me to learn that. Bach's are more enjoyable. However, I like Scarlatti sonatas now.  Maybe because his music is too difficult to understand for kid.

I doubt about other kids opinions too.

Also how about Kabalevsky, he also composed many pieces for kids. Are those good for introducing to the students?

[DrEvil-]

Scarlatti boring? Listen to samples of Sergei Babayan playing them

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000007TRE/qid=1091764756/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-0338957-0856967