Piano Forum

Hello,

Long post. I give some background in the beginning. If you want, you can skip to the questions at the bottom.

I've been playing the piano for about a year and a half. I used to play the clarinet (12 years) and saxophone (6 years) when I was younger and reached a good level, but I knew I didn't want to become professional.

I start on my own for a month using Alfred's adult all-in-one course level 1 that I almost finish. I then found a teacher that I had for 6 months until he moved abroad. We played the following:

• Mozart Allegro K3
• Gillock Fiesta
• Reinecke Minuet
• Wanhall Rondo from sonatina in A major op. 41
• Kabalevsky Little song no. 2 from op. 27

and played the last three at audition/exam. When my teacher left, I didn't try to find a new one (which I should have done). I played the following pieces on my own for the next 8 months:

• Tchaikovsky Old French song, op. 39
• Tchaikovsky Sick doll, op. 39
• Tchaikovsky Doll's funeral, op. 39
• Rameau Menuet en rondeau, RCT 4
• Bach/Petzold Minuet in G major BWV Anh. 114
• Bach/Petzold Minuet in G minor BWV Anh. 115
• Schumann Little song without words no. 5, op. 68
• Schumann First loss no. 16, op. 68
• Dussek Canzonetta no. 11, from 12 Leçons progressives

I chose the last one as a challenge and spend about 4 months on it. I got it to a decent level, but my lack of experience made it that I couldn't interpret the piece because I was more focused on the notes. I got the other pieces to about 80%-90%, which is not at full speed and performance ready. After that, I joined a music school and got an experienced old teacher who got in an accident a month after starting. The teacher was replaced by another young less experienced. Played the following:

• Bach Minuet in D minor, BWV Anh. 132
• Puccini Musette's Waltz arranged by Hans-Günter Heumann
• Clementi Sonatina 1 mov. 1, op. 36
• Schubert sehnsuchtswalzer (Longing) arranged by Hans-Günter Heumann

Got the last three up to performance level and played them at an exam. This was last month. Most of the pieces were given to my by my teachers or from a book collection of pieces. I got tired of looking around for some piece to print and practice, so I searched the for famous books. I got the following:

• Bach Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
• Bach Little preludes and Fughettas
• Clementi Six sonatinas op. 36
• Mozart Piano pieces from the "Nannerl music book"
• Mozart Second book of sonatas from KV 330
• Beethoven Two sonatinas, Anh. 5
• Chopin Preludes, Nocturnes and Waltzes
• Schumann Album for the Young op. 68
• Bartok For Children I and II
• Manfred Schmitz Der neue Jazz Parnass

I wanted to work on stuff from all periods (baroque, classical, romantic, modern, jazz). I sent an email to the old piano teacher that got the accident, and she recommended me the albums from Schumann, Bartok, Kabalevsky and the Jazz book. Unfortunately, the young teacher has no clue about jazz, so I'm putting that book aside from the moment. The young teacher said just as a suggestion that it would be good to work on challenging piece such as the Mozart K 545 sonata. I got the book but also an email from the old teacher telling that piece is actually quite hard and many beginners still don't have the skills to make it sing, which I think is right. So I'm also putting the sonata book aside for some time.

For the last 3 weeks, I've been working on the Beethoven sonatina in G Anh. 5. I got both movements to a good level. Also been working on the Chopin Waltz in A minor posth. More challenging, I think I can get it to an acceptable speed in a few weeks. I've also worked on the Schumann Melody no. 1 op. 68. That's almost done too. I've also checked a few of the Bartok's pieces. They look easy, but there are many dynamics, accents, etc. Sounds different and interesting.

The old teacher also recommended the easy Heller etudes, but they looked challenging. So I thought it would be better to do something easier first.



Questions

1. Is it worth getting the Burgmüller 25 easy studies op. 100, Tchaikovsky Album for the young op. 39, and Kabalevsky 30 children's pieces, op. 27? Or is there too much overlap between these and the books I have from the last list above? I want to develop good beginner technique and have enjoyable pieces, but at the same time I don't want to stay stuck at the same level forever.

2. How many pieces from a book should I aim to practice (too a decent level)? 60%? 100%? If I play 4-5 Bach minuets, can I move to the preludes or is it too early? Should I finish most of the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach then put it aside and move to the Preludes? Or you think it's good to go back and forth?

3. This is the curriculum I've been thinking:

Baroque

• Bach Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
• Bach Little preludes and Fughettas
• Bach Inventions
• Bach Sinfonias
• Bach Well-Tempered Clavier
• Bach French Suites
• Bach English suites

Classical

• Beethoven Sonatina in G major, Anh. 5
• Mozart Piano pieces from the "Nannerl music book"
• Clementi Sonatinas and Beethoven Sonatina in F major, Anh. 5
• Mozart Viennese Sonatinas
• Beethoven Bagatelles/Fur Elise
• Mozart Sonata K 545 and Beethoven Sonata in G minor op.49
• Mozart Sonata K331 Turkish March

Romantic

• Schumann Album for the Young op. 68 and Tchaikovsky Album for the Young op. 39
• Heller Etudes
• Grieg Lyrical pieces
• Easy Chopin mazurkas, nocturnes and waltzes
• Mendelssohn Songs without words

Is it a good idea to set such a curriculum? Do most of the easy pieces first, then move to a higher level? Or should I challenge myself with something a little more complicated? Or did I miss something?

4. Do you have any recommendations?

5. Should I have divided this thread in different threads?