Hong Kong Festival 2017 - Grade 2 Piano

Grade 2

Sonatina - Haslinger

Tips:

1/       A 2-in-a-bar tempo is needed, but not too quick.  Remember it is Allegretto. Minim = 72 is about the slowest  working tempo, but anything much more than minim = 84 is likely to make the music rushed.

2/       Phrase it in 4 bar phrases.

3/       A gentle rit in bars 19 & 20 before the a tempo works nicely.

4/       Be certain to slur the pairs of crotchets in the RH (bar7/27) also in bars 16 - 19.

5/     The tone should always be beautiful and light, never forced or hard.

You can't catch me! - Sandre

Tips:

1/    Agile fingers are needed.  Be sure to articulate the RH clearly and rhythmically in all semiquavers.  Don't over-work the fingers, but keep them close to the key surface.

2/   Be consistent with the fingering so that it works every time.

3/  Work at the triplet rhythms for clarity and rhythmic tautness (bars7 & 21).

4/  Practice the acciacaturas (bars 9 - 16) by playing all the RH notes together first, then when they are rhythmically secure separate them ever so slightlys.  This is the easiest way to get them sounding neat.

5/   Notice the sf markings (bars 14 & 17) but don't overdo them.

6/  By taking a little time (rit) at the end of line one (bar 4) and also again on the pause (bar 19) you will make the music sound more fun.  Other than these two places it should be strictly n time.

7/  Don't play too quietly, especially on a piano you don't know.  Better to play a little louder and make all the notes sound.

Hallelujah! - Martha Meir

Tips:

1/  Don't play too fast.  Crotchet = 108/112 is a good tempo.

2/  Play all quavers as straight quavers, not swing jazz style.

3/  Make sure that the syncopated rhythm (which is a feature) is absolutely exact and all quavers tautly in time.

4/  Bring out the LH (bars 9 - 12) but otherwise don't play too loudly (bars 13 - 16).  It's the RH which needs to sing out the most.

5/  After the rit (bar 23) and pause in bar 24 pick up a tempo to the end.