I just wanted to share.

In my lesson teacher and I played through some of the duets from Wohlfahrt Easiest Elementary Method Op 38. They're simple pieces for beginners, but quite tuneful. As we went through them he got me to pick out details, such as the key (no signatures given in the pupil parts), so that then it was easy to think of sections as (say) A minor scales, rather than disconnected notes. We also looked at the harmony in the teacher's part and what that was adding to the feel of the piece, and so on. It was surprising how much analysis could be done in such short and simple looking pieces.

Anyway, we got to number 22 and then we really went for it - pulling together all those analyses. I had to decide what I wanted to say with the music, in light of how the harmony was contributing to the overall sound; how I was going to vary the repeated phrases; and then I had to project that "to the back of the hall, not just the front row."

By the end of the lesson I felt like a REAL musician, playing, REAL music as part of an ensemble. I've often struggled to get the feeling I want into music because the pieces are at the edge of my learning/experience. Going back to these more simple tunes gave me the mental space to really push for the performance I/my teacher was after.

It was really great, because I'm often upset that I can't say what I want to with the music, or I don't bother to try because "it's only an exercise" or "it's only a simple practice piece." The lesson showed me, not only is it possible to really make something magical (well it was for me) out of something simple, but that I have it within me to do that (admittedly with teacher on harmony). Hopefully that's something I can carry forward.

Sorry for the long post, but I just found it so uplifting and so useful to go back to these early tunes, I thought others might find a similar exercise helpful.

Yay well done Badstrad Glad you had a great lesson. You are most definitely a real musician, don't doubt that!

Awwwe! Shucks. Thanks Hubicka.

Sounds absolutely fab, Badstrad! Now you know you have it in you.....

Thanks, Sunshine. It felt really nice to not be posting "Woe, woe, I can't play, blah, blah, blah," though I was a bit worried I'd seem to be bragging a bit.

I'm under no illusion that next week is going to be hard work as I try to recreate the magic and may or may not succeed, but I found the experience so useful, that I thought it was worth sharing.

yes, thats brilliant. And, it makes such a change to hear from some one about the good work that can be done with a "simple" bit of music. I think people should not underestimate the easier stuff. It does not have to be all about the really difficult stuff like Paganini!

I think it is always helpful to look at exercises as if they are pieces of music as well.

That's partly why I posted. I sometimes feel like a numpty learner when everyone else seems to be playing such advanced stuff and figured I can't be the only one who feels a bit overwhelmed by being the novice and feeling like there is nothing inspiring to play, moan, moan, blah, blah. . . I just wanted to say that doesn't have to be the case - there's magic to be made in the simplest tunes.

PS - to all you advanced players - don't stop telling us about what you're working on. It is fascinating, and useful to hear about what you're doing, Yes I feel envious at times, and that there's nothing interesting to play as a beginner, and I feel overwhelmed that I'll never get "there", but those feelings are there only because I'm in that frame of mind at that moment in time. Of course there are lovely things to play at any level, and I do love hearing what the other players (novice and experienced) have to say, because so often there's a nugget of help in them.

Hope that made sense.