Debussy revolutionised the landscape of piano composition, taking advantage of the capabilities of the instrument in new, creative ways. Although he didn’t like the impressionist label, he sought to capture moments, images and atmosphere in his music in a manner similar to that of the impressionist painters. Some of the most distinctive features of his compositional style are his use of harmony, pedal effects, dynamic contrasts and unconventional playing techniques to portray vivid imagery. Whole tone and other exotic scales, parallel chords and unresolved dissonances are frequently employed b ..read more

Keyboard harmony has its origins in the Baroque period in what was called a figured or thoroughbass. This was largely a form of accompaniment in which a keyboard player has a written baseline with figures that indicate what chords to play on top of the bass. Bach considered keyboard harmony the foundation of all music and it was considered an essential part of music education. This tradition continued into the 18th century with a practice called partimento, which originated in Naples, Italy. Partimento was developed to train orphan children in music with practical exercises at the keyboard for ..read more

The 28th of March is the 88th day of the year which mean’s …it’s Piano Day! We’re celebrating Piano Day 2024 with fantastic offers on some of our most popular digital resources, from discounts on online courses and video lessons to great savings on workshop bundles, eBooks and study editions. Sale Highlights Foundations in Piano Technique – Penelope Roskell’s online course teaches the foundations for an excellent piano technique in 25 step-by-step lessons. With high-quality videos and numerous musical examples and exercises, the course helps beginner and returning pianists overcome t ..read more

In this week’s blog post, Ken Johansen discusses the importance of learning a new piece musically from the outset rather than focusing purely on learning the notes. *** *** *** I often ask the students in my keyboard skills classes at the Peabody Conservatory what they are working on at the moment. They tell me a Bach Prelude and Fugue, or a Beethoven Sonata, or a Chopin Ballade, and then they frequently add, “but I’m just learning the notes right now,” the implication being that the expression will be added later, presumably by their piano teacher. This statement is so common, especially amon ..read more

This instalment in our Pieces to Play series features some of the most popular pieces from the classical piano repertoire, including Beethoven’s ubiquitous Für Elise (with a twist!), Debussy’s Clair de lune, the mesmerising Gymnopédie No. 1 by Eric Satie and Chopin’s melancholic Nocturne in C# Minor (Op. Posth.). Beethoven – Für Elise (Bagatelle No. 25 in A Minor, WoO 59) Für Elise is arguably one of the most popular classical piano pieces of all time. All pianists likely have either played it or want to play it at some point! Although the exact origins of the piece remain somewhat mysterious ..read more

In this second part of my blog series on playing music from the Classical Period on the piano, I go on to explore dynamics, pedalling, ornamentation and embellishment (please click here to view the first part which gives some general backround and covers the subject of articulation). Dynamics In the 18th century, mostly f and p were used, but lots of variety was possible within these limits, and crescendo-diminuendo was possible to bridge the gap. We see also fp, mfp, sfp, sf and fz. Beethoven’s markings were very precise, with a range from pp to ff. Schubert’s markings were less precise. With ..read more

The Classical Period, chiefly represented by the Viennese masters, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, refers to the music of the late 18th and early 19th centuries (approximately 1750 – 1820). During this period, the harpsichord gave way to the piano which evolved rapidly from its early beginnings. When we approach the performance of music from this period, there are certain stylistic traditions we need to be aware of to play confidently and convincingly. In this two-part blog series, I will explore some of the key features of Classical style, with a special focus on touch and articulation, dynamics ..read more

This instalment from our Pieces to Play series features a selection of modern pieces from one of Debussy’s impressionistic masterpieces through to a charming, jazzy tribute by Valerie Capers. Also included is Bartok’s ingenious Mikrokosmos for honing technique at all levels and a beautiful prelude by Rachmaninoff! Bartok – Mikrokosmos (Volumes 1 & 2) Bartok’s Mikrokosmos develops pianism at all levels – most especially when it comes to sharp thinking and physical enjoyment. In his new video series, William Westney illustrates in detail why these works have long bee ..read more

When we learn any new skill, whether it’s a sport or a craft or learning to drive, we start by learning good technical skills. In this way, we progress quickly and confidently in our chosen activity. However, piano playing can feel a bit overwhelming initially because of the many elements we have to consider – right hand and left hand coordination, reading rhythms and notes on the treble and bass clef, finding and playing those notes on the piano, fingering and so on.  Traditional approaches to learning Traditionally, most pianists have been encouraged to start by learning to read music w ..read more

Are you looking ideas and inspiration for new pieces to learn? Or are you a teacher searching for interesting repertoire for a student? Our Pieces to Play series showcases a selection of works with links to new or existing resources in our repertoire library to help you learn them! This instalment features works at a variety of levels, including some interesting alternatives if you’re looking for something different. Starting with the well known first piece from Robert Schumann’s beloved Album for the Young, we then look at a nostalgic favourite by MacDowell followed by an excellent introducti ..read more