Different ideas for learning Major Works?

[scott13]

Does anybody have useful advice for methods of learning a concerto?

The concerto in question is Beethoven 1 (all movements).

So far i have thought of simply picking through the 3 movements and devising exercises based on the hardest sections of the concerto, and working backwards towards the easier parts.

Another idea was to learn the different parts of each movement and piece together is logical order.

But does anybody have other possible ways of learning large scale works ?

[prok_2]

This is quite difficult to answer as you didn't specify how much time you have to learn the work. I decided to learn Beethoven's Appassionata this year and what helped me was to finish note learning all three mvts.

After you have all the notes focus on only one mvt and get that up to speed and ready for performance before moving on to the next mvt (if you have enough time). If you do this you would at least have some solid work done on a mvt which will remain even if you move on to another mvt.

Hope that helps

[scott13]

Sorry should have mentioned that I have around 8-10 months to learn all three movements for Beethoven 1, however the first movement needs to be perfect by 8 months.

Why did you prefer to note learn all 3 movements before focusing solely on one to achieve the tempo ? Just curious as this is not an approach i use.

Thanks

[mcdiddy1]

You can organize your practice sections for learning concertos by analyzing the forms of the concerto. For example you can make the first and second subjects of the concerto and learn them first in the different keys.

You may also mark the sections that you deem are the most difficult and number the sections based on degree of difficulty. You may choose to learn the most difficult parts first but you may decide to work on sections you find easier also to help your feel motivated in the fact you are getting things done.

 You may also decide to practice sections of your work that is intended as a melodic response to the orchestra vs parts where the piano carries the melody. I find it also helps me to be able to play the orchestra exerpts as well so I can know exactly when the entrances are and how they fit together.

[prok_2]

Learning lengthy works is very personal and everyone will approach it differently.  I just find if I note learn all three mvts I get a better feel of the overall work and a better sense of exactly where I'm going. That way you also find that by the time you start focusing on seperate mvts the work will have been memorised much sooner and that will decrease the possibility of a memory lapse or something going wrong during a performance... So when you do start focusing on seperate mvts start with the most difficult first.

But like I said everyone's different and will have a different approach as to how they learn lengthy works.

Hope that makes sense

[scott13]

That does make some sense. What i have done today is taken movements 2 & 3 and created exercises based on what is the most technically difficult sections, and combined with sections from movement 1, these will be added to my technique practice daily until such time that these sections become easier to play at tempo, then i will use your method of note learning the rest of the movements.

Also what are you thoughts on the Cadenza? Better to write your own, or use Beethoven's original (which i happen to like)

[prok_2]

Glad I could help in some way - but like i said learning longer works is very personal so see what works for you and what doesn't. I've never played the first concerto so I'm not too familiar with what options you have for the cadenza - the only advice that I have is that you should play what you love - If you like the original go for that as you'll end up practicing more due to the fact that you enjoy what you're playing!

All the best!