Bernhard: What pieces and in what order for an Adult (quasi) beginner

[RJones]

Berhard,

I've been reading several discussions where you explain your teaching philosophy and have found it to be both sound and refreshing. I've gone so far as to have my son (playing for ~6 years) read some of your postings and hopefully he'll find them as rewarding as I have.

I was just reading one of your notes on repertory and the need to be working on several pieces at once with a goal of at least 20 per year and even go so far as to suggest 20 per month. You mention that the key is to be working on pieces that are not too difficult and that naturally lead to learning similar pieces (but slightly more difficult).

I would like to follow you methodology but finding that much repertoire that is progrssively more difficult (at my level) is extremely difficult. Do you have a master list that you work from or perhaps have specific music repertoire books that meet this criteria. (Suggestions PLEASE!!)

I'm currently playing pieces I'm currently working my way through "Harris Piano Classics Vol 3/a" and can currently play from this volume:

Air en Gavotte ( Graupner, C.)
Bourree ( Kirnberger, J.P.)
Hornpipe in B flat ( Purcell, H.)
Menuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 114 ( Bach, J.S.)
Menuet in G Minor, ( Bach, J.S.)

It takes me about 2 weeks to completely master a new piece at this level (about an hour of my time per day). I can sight read HS (both left and right) pieces at this level but HT is brutally hard until it just seems to click.

I split the rest of my time on scales, arpegios, memorizing chord fingering, and sight reading practice.

I made it through Alfreds Adult course volume 1 and part of volume 2 but became bored with the method pieces so I switched to developing sight reading skills. I checked on the weekend and discovered that I can now sight read nearly every piece in volume 2 at about half tempo and can play any piece at tempo with anything from 1 to a few hours of practice.

Rodney

[bernhard]

I was just reading one of your notes on repertory and the need to be working on several pieces at once with a goal of at least 20 per year and even go so far as to suggest 20 per month. You mention that the key is to be working on pieces that are not too difficult and that naturally lead to learning similar pieces (but slightly more difficult).

You got it!

I would like to follow you methodology but finding that much repertoire that is progrssively more difficult (at my level) is extremely difficult. Do you have a master list that you work from or perhaps have specific music repertoire books that meet this criteria. (Suggestions PLEASE!!)

As I said several times, the best pieces for you to play are pieces you love. The difficulty is to find pieces you love at your level. So basically your job is to go through a whole bunch of pieces  - in your case I am quite confident you can tackle any piece up to grade 5 – listen to them and choose. Here are some lists:

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,7008.msg80656.html#msg80656
(Beautiful music that is not hard to play)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1970.msg15762.html#msg15762
(easy sonatas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2035.msg16633.html#msg16633
(Shostakovich preludes op. 34)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2147.msg18098.html#msg18098
(Easiest piano piece ever written)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2314.msg19869.html#msg19869
(Schumann’s Album for the young)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2340.msg20224.html#msg20224
(Building your piano foundations – suggestions for a progressive repertory)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2398.msg20989.html#msg20989
(Scarlatti sonatas and Prokofiev pieces of beginner/intermediate level).

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2562.msg22127.html#msg22127
(Suggestions for repertory for someone who has been playing for a year)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2851.msg24984.html#msg24984
(Introduction to romantic pieces – how technique is specific to pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3721.msg33399.html#msg33399
(grade 4 – 6 repertory)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3729.msg33455.html#msg33455
(Haydn sonatas – best recordings – grades).

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3741.msg33719.html#msg33719
(Soler sonatas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3786.msg34321.html#msg34321
(grade 6 repertory)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4094.msg38101.html#msg38101
(Liszt easy pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4140.msg38111.html#msg38111
(True repertory for total beginners)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4227.msg39060.html#msg39060
(contemporary and modern pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4238.msg39061.html#msg39061
(easy show off pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4371.msg40871.html#msg40871
(Mendelssohn favourites)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4416.msg41105.html#msg41105
(nice slow romantic piece for beginner)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4737.msg44794.html#msg44794
(Jacques Duphly)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5063.msg49589.html#msg49589
(Albums for the young)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2357.msg56150.html#msg56150
(Joe Hisaishi sheet music)


And also have a look at Torp’s amazing excel sheet, where he has collected almost 2000 pieces and their grades:

https://pianoforum.net/Graded_Pieces_All.xls

Alternatively, just ignore grades completely and simply make a list of the pieces (no matter how difficult they may be) you would like to be playing in five years time (100 is a reasonable number). Then come back here with your list and I will order it for you (or someone else will). Have a look here to get the gist of it:

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,7872.msg79188.html#msg79188
(How to plan your work for the next five years)

I can sight read HS (both left and right) pieces at this level but HT is brutally hard until it just seems to click.

Yes, this “click” holds the key. You must investigate it. Do not wait for it to happen by itself as a result of blind trial and error – this is too slow and inefficient. Observe this “click”. Figure out what exactly happens, and go after it in a fully aware and conscientious way. Remember that intuition is the result of 2 million years without thinking.

Have a look here and see if it helps:

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,7682.msg77042.html#msg77042
(hand independence: how to create a cue system and what is hand memory).




Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[Torp]

And also have a look at Torp’s amazing excel sheet...

Thanks for your kind words.  Glad I could be of some service.  Though I do continue to feel compelled to acknowledge that none of the knowledge behind the spreadsheet is my own.  So, for me, the real thanks goes to you and others who have provided the data.

Jef

[RJones]

Thanks to you both!!!

Any chance that a similar list exists for music of different styles (Jazz, Pop, Blues, Rock, etc.)? As much as I enjoy classical music, it is not my first love. As Bernhard says:

"the best pieces for you to play are pieces you love"

Rodney

[Torp]

Thanks to you both!!!

Any chance that a similar list exists for music of different styles (Jazz, Pop, Blues, Rock, etc.)? As much as I enjoy classical music, it is not my first love. As Bernhard says:

"the best pieces for you to play are pieces you love"

Rodney

I think a list like that for Jazz would be just about impossible.  There are so many jazz "standards" that by themselves are pretty straight forward, but you put one in the hands of Art Tatum, or similar, and you have a piece that few people could touch.  You'd end up with so many rankings for the same piece depending on who interpreted it.

As far as blues and rock are concerned the basic structure of the music is not that complicated.  The complications arise when you get into the realm of instrument solos and improvisation.

The best way to really learn the 3 styles above, I think, is through jamming with people who play those styles and transcribing the music of as many different performers you can find.

Jef