Oh..... 
.....
Also, you experts out there: Can someone offer a suggested plan for breaking this piece down into sessions?
Thanks,
Ryan
Yes.
But let us also understand why the plan below is so good and efficient. (And give a blue print of how to go about making such a plan).
Incidentally I count
all the bars. This means that the anacrusis bar at the start is for me, bar no. 1 (traditionally this bar is no. 0. So don’t fret if my bar numbers seem different form your edition. Remember that I am counting that first anacrusis bar).
1. Analyse the piece. Nothing too complicated. Just look at its
form, or in other words, the pattern of repetitions. You should see the following patterns without difficulty:
a. The section starting on the last beat of bar 17 to bar 33 is repeated exactly form the last beat of bar 33 to the end of the piece on bar 49. This means that I have subtracted 17 bars from my learning work. (Good, is it not?)
b. Bars 1- 5 are repeated exactly from the last beat of bar 9 to bar 13. So another 5 bars subtracted from my work load.
c. The section from the last beat of bar 5 to bar 9 is repeated exactly form the last beat of bar 13 to the first two beats of bar 17. So another 4 bars and a half can be subtracted from the work load.
d. If we now compare bars 1 – 5, the last beat of bar 5 to bar 9 and the last beat of bar 25 – to bar 29 (first three beats), they differ only on few notes. This means that these bars can also be subtracted form the work load.
e. So, although this piece has 49 bars, we only need to learn thoroughly 17 bars! (bars 1 – 5; last beat of bar 17 – bar 25 and last beat of bar 29 – bar 33).
2. Next we sightread through the piece. Observing the patterns above, and finding out which of these 4 bar phrases are the most difficult. Personally I would say is last bar 29 – bar 33, followed by last bar 21 – bar 25, then last bar 17 – bar 21 and finally bars 1 – 5 are the easiest.
3. Now all I have to do is to sequence the sections going from the hardest to the easiest. If this piece is
challenging, I should be able to master each of the practice sessions below totally and completely after working on them 15 – 30 minutes. If I cannot, then this piece maybe difficult or even impossible at my current stage of technical development. I have them two choices: drop the piece and return to it later, or break down the practice sessions into even smaller chunks. But this may increase the time to learn the piece to many months, and result in me hating the piece forever.
4. So here is my scheme:
Session 1 – Last beat of bar29 – bar 33. This is written in four voices. I strongly suggest you rewrite the score and learn each voice separately before joining them. Pay special attention to the notes that need to be held while other notes are played. Take your time to figure out the best fingering, the one that will make your motions flow and that will feel and look easy to play. Because this is such a complex section, it may take you more than one day to master it. Work on it for 15 – 30 minutes, drop it and resume work on it the next day. If it takes more then 3 or four days to master it, it is too difficult for you. Consider returning to it later.
Session 2 – last beat of bar 25 – bar 29. This is a much easier section. So easy in fact that you can work on it in parallel with the previous section. When you master both, try joining them:
Session 3: last beat of bar 25 – bar 33. Have you noticed the overlap between both sections? Overlapping will avoid stuttering at the joints when you put together sections.
Session 4: last beat of bar 21 – bar 25. This is another very difficult section. Again, the four voice texture should be isolated and each voice learned separately before joining them. Leave the turn on bar 24 for the moment. You can add it alter once this section is thoroughly mastered. (keep working on the previous sessions as needed).
Session 5 – let us join it all together: last beat of bar 21 – bar 33.
Since these 5 sessions have been pretty hard, the next one will be an easy one to boost your confidence:
Session 6 – Bars 1 – 17. Start with Bars 1 – 5. You already know that section: it is almost the same as the section you learned in session 2. Mastering it should take only a few minutes. Now move on to the last beat of bar 5 – bar 9. Again, this is almost the same as bars 1 – 5. So master it and play the whole section from bars 1 – 9. From the last beat of bar 9 to bar 17 is an exact repeat of bars 1 – 9. There, after 5 – 10 minutes, you mastered bars 1 – 17! So use the reaminder of your practice session to do further work on bars 21 (from the last beat) – bar 33.
Session 7 – Last beat of bar 17 – bar 21. This is difficult but not as difficult as sessions 1 and 4. Here the structure is in 3 voices. Learn the soprano and bass together, and then the middle voice. Finally join them. Take your time figuring out fingerings and motions. This may take a couple of days. Meanwhile, keep working on sessions 5 and 6 in parallel.
Session 8 – Join everything together! First from the last beat of bar 17 – bar 33, and then from bar 1 – bar 33. If you are feeling confident, just add bars 34 – 49, since from the last beat of bar 33 – bar 49 is an exact repeat of bars 17 (last beat) – bar 33.
And there you are, 8 days to master this piece working on it 15 – 30 minutes a day!
Best wishes,
Bernhard.
Topic: Schumann op. 68-30