Which exercises for Satie Gnossienne 1 and Moonlight Sonata (1st mvt)?

[mijulan]

I have very recently joined this forum. I am roughly ABRSM Grade 6 level. I have been reading in this forum about the disadvantages of using Hanon, Czerny and other exercises, rather than specific exercises appropriate to the difficulties of the pieces I am learning. Two queries:
1. I would be grateful for help in knowing which  exercises would help with Satie Gnossienne No.1 and Moonlight Sonata (1st mvt).
2. Is there a database somewhere linking pieces to appropriate exercises?

[lostinidlewonder]

Depending on specific challenges you face in those pieces one can create exercises out of the piece themselves. So learn the piece, identify what causes you the most problems then IF necessary exercises can be created out of those specific passages that give you challenges that are not resolving.

One could go about creating generic exercises that probably help with challenges one might face but this kind of procedure sort of can put more work before you than just learning the piece and dealing with the personal challenges that arise from it.  Also many sort their problems out just by playing the piece rather than tackling it side on with exercises, so an exercise really is only created if there is a problem that is not budging after practicing the piece itself.

[mijulan]

 Thank you. So, you are recommending no exercises at all unless there is a stubborn problem. So I could throw away my Hanon book and just concentrate on my pieces!   

[lostinidlewonder]

I can't say any exercise is useless or not without actually knowing your skills in depth. I am recommending creating exercises out of pieces themselves and from problematic sections that may arise rather than doing generic exercises. Only doing generic exercises is far too scatter-gun approach if you mean to use them to learn a specific piece. It is like taking a kitchen knife to a surgical procedure.

Also too much work on exercises to solve a piece rather than just studying the piece itself may mean what you are working on is too difficult and thus it's better to build skills elsewhere with easier works.

Exercises are often segregated from musical expression. So they only ever are a partial answer, certainly if one lacks dexterity exercises are good for that, but just be wary they never are a complete answer.