Last Clementi in Book 3

A daunting passage appears on the third page of the Clementi Sonatina Op. 36, No. 3 in Suzuki Book 3.

Here is Evan, working through the RH chords. He is doing three at a time, and then putting them together. Here, he is working through measures 42 and 43. This method will continue until measure 45 when it is merely a descending scale.

Little Waltz - RH B section

By Book 3, Suzuki students are very comfortable with larger gestures to create groupings of notes.  After all, they've been doing it easily since Little Playmates in Book 1!

Little Waltz though, has a B section that is often awkward for students who approach it in the same manner as the A section.

Practicing the gestures that will group these notes together will make the section much more fluid:

Clementi Op. 36 No. 1, Vivace

This Vivace piece is a lot of fun to play, and one of the things that makes it really roll is a fluid scale passage in the RH.  This passage happens in C and in G starting on the third note of the scale.  Here it is in C:

In order to obtain the most fluid movement while emphasizing the most important notes, a student might want to practice this passage in sections.  In the picture above, the practice sections are marked.  The first in pink, the second in yellow, and the third within the green brackets.  Below is how each section would be practiced fluidly.

Kuhlau Movement 1 opening - Suzuki Book 3

Sometimes all you need to do is listen to the CD.  If that isn't the case though, it helps to count and clap something, or see how two hands are coordinated together.  The opening of the Kuhlau Sonatina is sometimes one of those spots.

Here is a video of the first two measures - first the LH alone, and then the two hands together if listening to the CD is just not enough for you!

Theme, LH alternate legato-fingering, Suzuki Book 3

When the A section material returns in the second half of the Suzuki Book 3 version of Beethoven's Eroica Symphony Theme, you may want to play it with the same type of legato fingering you used in the A section.  It requires switching from fingers 4 to 5 on the bass notes.  Here is a quick look at what you can do to make it smooth and easy:

Wild Rider, Right Hand - Suzuki Book 3

Of course, by now you already know how to play the Left Hand B section of the Wild Rider (you should start there).  So, you're ready for the Right Hand.  I know you want to go fast, and the fingering is very important, so think of it in the following three positions, and you'll be able to move through it rather quickly!

Here are the three positions marked in the score:

Theme from Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, Suzuki Book 3

Enjoy below, a version of the 4th movement of Beethoven's 3rd Symphony; and if you're one of my students in Suzuki Book 3, pay careful attention to the theme as it arrives one minute and fifty seconds into the performance.  What instrument has the theme?  How can you make this as powerful on the piano?



Further questions for the Book 3 student:

1. What does Beethoven do to this theme starting at three minutes and 24 seconds into it?  
2. A counter theme enters at about four minutes.  How does it contrast the original theme that we're so familiar with?  
3. Would you call what happens around minute six a climax in the piece?  What happens when the theme returns just after that?  
4. What about the theme at minute 7 and 45 seconds?  What kind of Classical style treatment or form are you familiar with that you can detect Beethoven using in this movement?