Teaching in Spain in the 70's

[qpalqpal]

Hello everyone
I've been intrigued by how different teachers teach and how different schools teach etc. Specifically, I am interested in how they teach/or taught in Spain. My mother began taking piano lessons after years of singing and solfege at 12 years old in the Conservatory of Spain. In Spain, if you wanted to learn piano or music you went to the local conservatory and signed up and they taught you for free. Hopefully I am not mistaken, but this is what my mom told me. She only took lessons for 1 month or so and she quit. She told me she didn't have the patience to play notes sooo slowly (I guess this is how they taught). Also, she stresses how she saw other kids a little older than her playing things really fast and well and felt really stupid. She told me she was stupid for quitting piano and truly regrets it as a 50 year old adult.

Anyways, to my main point; My mom went to Spain in February and brought me back some books she used to use when she was little. This was me  . She brought me a book on solfege and theory (several), and, the book she used for piano. Let me just translate from Spanish into English the requirements before beginning Piano in Valencia. A couple of things noticed:

First year: The explanations necesary for the complete knowledge of the keyboard; how to sit; hand position;habits to avoid; Bertini exercises. The repertory for the end of year one are a couple of sonatinas from Clementi and Steibelt.

Second year:More theory; exercises for mechanical movement, both free and firm; Bertini exercises; Czerny; Heller; Rpertory: Handel fughetas, sonatinas

Third year: scales, more and more and more etudes from Bertini and Czerny;Bach prelude and Sonatina from Dussek

TFourth year: musical education (whatever that means); execution of works; music reading; harmony; Cramerl Czerny; Heller; Bach inventions(finally!!!!!); Mozart sonatas; Dussek

Fifth year: memory; pedal (that late??); Mozart d minor piano concerto first movement (wow);

So, there's probably more to it than that in the actual teaching. But why the stress on Classical and Baroque and no Romantic or pedal pieces or Beethoven or idk. It seems very Classical and technique based, which is very different from what people in this forum talk about for practicing (7x20 method, learn what you like, no hanon or czerny etc.).

Also, why the Bach inventon after 4 years? It seems too important to put it off. And is pedal really that difficult a skill set?

Thoughts on this system would be appreciated: what's good, what seems off etc.

Sorry for the long post

[outin]

Hello everyone
I've been intrigued by how different teachers teach and how different schools teach etc. Specifically, I am interested in how they teach/or taught in Spain. My mother began taking piano lessons after years of singing and solfege at 12 years old in the Conservatory of Spain. In Spain, if you wanted to learn piano or music you went to the local conservatory and signed up and they taught you for free. Hopefully I am not mistaken, but this is what my mom told me. She only took lessons for 1 month or so and she quit. She told me she didn't have the patience to play notes sooo slowly (I guess this is how they taught). Also, she stresses how she saw other kids a little older than her playing things really fast and well and felt really stupid. She told me she was stupid for quitting piano and truly regrets it as a 50 year old adult.

Anyways, to my main point; My mom went to Spain in February and brought me back some books she used to use when she was little. This was me  . She brought me a book on solfege and theory (several), and, the book she used for piano. Let me just translate from Spanish into English the requirements before beginning Piano in Valencia. A couple of things noticed:

First year: The explanations necesary for the complete knowledge of the keyboard; how to sit; hand position;habits to avoid; Bertini exercises. The repertory for the end of year one are a couple of sonatinas from Clementi and Steibelt.

Second year:More theory; exercises for mechanical movement, both free and firm; Bertini exercises; Czerny; Heller; Rpertory: Handel fughetas, sonatinas

Third year: scales, more and more and more etudes from Bertini and Czerny;Bach prelude and Sonatina from Dussek

TFourth year: musical education (whatever that means); execution of works; music reading; harmony; Cramerl Czerny; Heller; Bach inventions(finally!!!!!); Mozart sonatas; Dussek

Fifth year: memory; pedal (that late??); Mozart d minor piano concerto first movement (wow);

So, there's probably more to it than that in the actual teaching. But why the stress on Classical and Baroque and no Romantic or pedal pieces or Beethoven or idk. It seems very Classical and technique based, which is very different from what people in this forum talk about for practicing (7x20 method, learn what you like, no hanon or czerny etc.).

To me it sounds like a pretty normal curriculum. It reflects the thinking that is quite the same that I remember from the "official" music schools around here (in the seventies/eighties). The idea is that you learn the basics first (which stresses finger technique in Baroque and Classical), pedal use and Romantic style are reserved later when you are older, a bit more "mature" and have the basics down. Bach is considered difficult and reserved for later also. The system is designed for kids in the same way as the curriculums in the schooling system (everyone goes through the same route). It suits  some people better than others. If you are the kind that does what you are told and don't stop when bored, you'll be quite accomplished technically when you finally start exploring the repertoire. Those who weren't often dropped out...

People on this forum are adults (mostly) so they experiment and like to jump ahead of things. And many of the teachers are private, so they are free to build their own system.