Hi,
I've just received the comments sheet for a pupil who sailed through her grade two piano exam with style (with a little amazement on my part!) but whilst the comments are good, repetitve (predictably!) he did use the expression tonality, tonal quality, tonal range etc in places suggesting the need for more of this... my problem is that for some reason my brain's on shut down, (I've been unwell for a month or so) and can't figure out what the dickens he menas. This also means I won't be able to explain it to the pupil. All explanations to the very foggy headed female much appreciated!
Thanks
Kirsty
PS What would anyone suggest for pupils who have been learning for a couple of years, who I've just inherited who can read music relatively fluently but have a positive phobia of not having their thumbs on middle C or if they do move their hands then not playing hands together. What books? What forms of bribery?! The girls are 9 and 11 and doing my head in!!!!
Full Version: Tonal Quality
QUOTE(funkyfrog13 @ Mar 26 2008, 02:16 PM) 
What would anyone suggest for pupils who have been learning for a couple of years, who I've just inherited who can read music relatively fluently but have a positive phobia of not having their thumbs on middle C or if they do move their hands then not playing hands together. What books? What forms of bribery?! The girls are 9 and 11 and doing my head in!!!!
Do they understand how to read the shape of the music rather than having to think of note names all the time?
One way I've dealt with this is to write out a few simple melodies with different starting notes and even different clefs (including C clefs). Then I tell them the starting note and have them play by reading by interval/shape. It seems to help the idea to make sense more than asking them to do the same with notes they can actually name.
QUOTE(noodle @ Mar 26 2008, 02:31 PM)
What did he say about tonality? Can you give the context of tonality, tonal quality, tonal range in his comments. To me tonality is key - major/minor. Did she miss out any of the sharps/flats from the key signature? Was tonality mentioned in relation to sight reading? Tonal range implies lack of variety/colour in the music. Tonal quality - the way the notes are played - maybe she played too heavily in the exam on a strange piano?
Within the comments about the pieces "crisp in articulation but would benefit from some tonal range"
"Defined phrasing and incisive rhythms. Third line can have more tonal contrast"
Tonality was in relation to the sight reading - not my pupil's strongest point anyway, it says "an uncertain reading with tonality not defined." - I was impressed it said that!
QUOTE(funkyfrog13 @ Mar 26 2008, 03:12 PM)
Tonality was in relation to the sight reading - not my pupil's strongest point anyway, it says "an uncertain reading with tonality not defined." - I was impressed it said that!
That one's easy - he means she missed out some of the key signature, I would say. And probably the leading note, eg. the F sharps in G major, seeing as that is one important way to define the tonality.
The other comments, I would guess he means dynamics, but not being much of a pianist I could be wrong.
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