Banges Herzgelein, too hard for grade 1? Options

[Madge Woollard]

I think this piece is too hard for G1, I have a pupil struggling with it at the moment. In 4 weeks she still can't play the right hand alone, it jumps around too much and there's no patterns. She's not the world's greatest student, she rarely practises, can hardly read music and is (I think) mildly dyslexic. But she can just about play Cuckoo Clock and the Mozart allegro so I was hoping to enter her for the exam next term. She doesn't like the other pieces in the B group. So how could i approach teaching this piece so she "gets it?"

[sneekymum]

I wonder if playing the leaf hand as a solid chords would help - and then breaking them up later on?

[Suepea]

I think you need to teach this piece hands together from the start, even if you do it very slowly, counting 1 and 2 and 3 and all the time - it makes more musical sense as as the pattern goes from hand to hand and you can place the first beat in the bar more easily. Play it to her yourself at each lesson so that she gets the feel of it.

Personally I feel that The Industrious Student is hard for grade 1 - the sudden switch to Alberti bass in an awkward pattern is difficult to bring off well.

[Lone Ranger]

If all else fails and given that she is neither particularly talented and certainly not a worker, it might be wise to see if there's anything offered in the alternative pieces she might tackle. You probably know this already, but just in case, there are alternative listings in the examination book (for ABRSM) below the lists of scales, arpeggios etc. Try those - it will mean buying at least one more book.

LR

[Muddy Paws]

I agree Banges Herzelein is quite hard for the average grade 1 person. Possibly better suited to an adult?

Study in C by Loeschhorn is quite pretty and much more "under the fingers".

[HelenVJ]

I find the present Grade 1 selection particularly dismal and unrewarding - and we have to put up with this for 2 years (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) There's little or nothing on this syllabus that I would think worth teaching to a Grade 1 student.

The TG syllabus is far more user friendly, though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) - as well as JC and JCF Bach, Mozart and Bartok, we have a Moody Boogie, a Flat foot March, a piece called The Mad Professor, and a Pam Wedgwood piece. Some music young pianists might actually want to play (and teachers and parents listen to), in other words.

Well done TG.. and a few resounding boos to AB from me.

[jod]

I have one student aged 8 who I withdrew this session who will be taking her Grade 1 in the summer. She likes her pieces and we have managed to find pieces that suit her style of playing. She is good at bringing out counterpoint. When sheis good enough she will be a natural for the Bach 2 part inventions. She also is excellent at learning leaping bass parts and coping with syncopation - thats thanks to the Pam Wedgewood books which she has used between her prep test and preparing for her Grade 1.

Another one of my pupils is finding the AB selection relly very challenging. Her scales are good but she is having real difficulty learning the pieces. I was given a complimentary copy of the TG Grade 1 piano book, and I've passed it to her to see if she can find some pieces that suit her better. I'm quite prepared to swap boards with her if it helps her achieve her goal.

This year's AB Grade 1 syllabus contains some nice enough pieces for adults, but a lot of them are suited to larger hands so are not really that child friendly. I bet the modal average age to take Grade 1 is about 10 or 11, and children that age do not possess huge hands. I do hope when AB bring out the next book, that they take on board the constructive criticism that has been provided about the faults with this book. Otherwise I think they are likely to loose business to TG.

[Mrs KW]

I find the present Grade 1 selection particularly dismal and unrewarding - and we have to put up with this for 2 years (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) There's little or nothing on this syllabus that I would think worth teaching to a Grade 1 student.

Hi there

I have to say that I agree the choice is pretty restricted in Grade 1 in the turquoise book. I find many of the pieces quite melancholy, and in order to play them musically requires greater skill than most of my grade 1 candidates can muster.

But every cloud has a silver lining, and some of the alternative pieces are nice. For example, List C No. 4 Alan Bullard's Flying above the clouds is delightful - a graceful dreamy piece that sits nicely under the hand.

At the piano seminar that I attended last year, Anthony Williams made it clear that the choice of what went in the book was often more to do with copyright and cost issues rather than preferences on the part of the board. He recommended we look at:
List A no.5 Krieger
List B nos. 4 Blatny and 6 Loeschorn
List C nos 4 Bullard and 5 Milne

I'll have to save up a bit to buy the books needed, but since the turquoise list is so dire I think it'll be worth it in the end (if only for my sanity!!)

Cheers,

Karen (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Hils]

I find the present Grade 1 selection particularly dismal and unrewarding - and we have to put up with this for 2 years (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) There's little or nothing on this syllabus that I would think worth teaching to a Grade 1 student.

The TG syllabus is far more user friendly, though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) - as well as JC and JCF Bach, Mozart and Bartok, we have a Moody Boogie, a Flat foot March, a piece called The Mad Professor, and a Pam Wedgwood piece. Some music young pianists might actually want to play (and teachers and parents listen to), in other words.

Just to stir... I am of the opposite opinion. I have quite a young grade one-er this time and she has tackled both Banges and the Sarabanda with real subtlety. Because they both sound truly dreadful with an overly percussive or mechanical touch they have taught her to play sensitively and with good tone. I don't see how she or anyone else would ever have got this from the TG list pieces.

By the way this is not a veiled brag for my teaching - it is all down to her own talent and self criticism and practice! What I am saying is choosing an exam piece doesn't have to be seen as 'buying a ticket' for a pass - you won't get to discover anything, if you choose the sort of thing you always play and play it in the way you always play. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

(I feel better now, thanks)

[Alison]

It seems to me that the Andante is clearly the easiest option in the Turquoise book B list. I have taught it to my 12-year-old who started off hating it, but now he can play it he loves it. I think the metronome marking is way too fast, though - I don't walk that fast! We made up a story to go with the piece, about the sun rising over the hills beyond the lake, and (unusually for him) he plays it very sensitively!

[sbpiano]

I agree that Banges Herzelein is not an easy option for Grade 1 - in fact it was set for Grade 2 by the AB in 1994 !

[sarah-flute]

I agree that Banges Herzelein is not an easy option for Grade 1 - in fact it was set for Grade 2 by the AB in 1994 !

Maybe they read too many "are the AB dumbing down" posts........

[Morgan's Munchkin]

I agree that the Andante is possibly the easiest piece on the list. I'm playing that and it's quite a nice little piece (certainly a nice break from the higher grade flute music that all seems to be about speed!!),

[chocolatedog]

One of my pupils has just chosen Banges Herzelein over the Study - but then he's a very able pupil so I think he'll be fine with it.......I wouldn't necessarily steer any of my other pupils in its direction though......

[Steve M]

Anyway, how do you pronounce "Robert Fuchs" without giggles all round? I never actually say "Fanny Waterman" in full either. Surprised she hasn't changed it. Good job we have nothing to play by Samuel Scheidt!