Rondo Alla Turca Piano Notes

[Ariano Waiker]

Itis the last movement of the Sonata in A major, K.331, and can be

found in albums of his sonatas, "favorite Mozart" anthologies, and in

Suzuki Piano Volum 6. With quick 16th notes, staccato octaves, and

broken octaves, it is a challenge to play it light and fast enough. My

students play a lot of Clementi and Bach before tackling it, to develop

quick and accurate fingers.

BTW, there is a strange but interesting performance of this on an

English CD called "Keyboard Collection" on SAYDISC Records. The piano

used for this piece has extra levers and pedals that activate drums and

cymbals, and the pianist adds them to the recurring rondo theme.Nancy

I'm nuts. I was playing piano only two weeks when I picked up the A Major

piano sonata at my local music store and started trying to learn the rondo.

It's been two months and I'm slowly but surely making my way through it. I can't decide if it's smart or idiotic. Obviously I don't yet have the

fingers to do this piece any justice, but it's always been a piece I've

enjoyed and I'm enjoying learning it. In June, my piano school is having a recital and I'm debating whether or not

to actually play this rondo in front of friends and family and strangers and

the seven-year-old girls in my daughter's piano class. It won't be the greatest musical experience these people will ever have -- or

if it is, I feel very sorry for them. But maybe it will get some other people

of my baby boom generation to make some time for making music. Or, maybe I'll make a tremendous ass of myself.Casey Keller

I heard a recording the other day by (I think) a Brazilian pianist. It

was played SOOOO slowly it was almost frustrating - like waiting for

the other shoe to drop! The technique was fabulous though... every pause was absolutely

delicious. I prefer it played faster. One teacher who heard me play it

suggested I cut down on my coffee intake. B-})

>BTW, there is a strange but interesting performance of this on an

>English CD called "Keyboard Collection" on SAYDISC Records. The piano

>used for this piece has extra levers and pedals that activate drums and

>cymbals, and the pianist adds them to the recurring rondo theme.

The notes in my copy (from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools

of Music) indicate that it was written for such an effect:

"Some early fortepianos had a percussion stop to add realism to the

drum-and-cymbals tuttis of the finale." The notes for the third

movement indicate that the "cymbal clashes" will come thick and fast.

I'd love to hear it played that way and in the original temperament.I learned it as a test piece for after I've finished tuning a piano

because it's familiar and a good party piece. Although I don't play it

all that well (but I play it with marvelous feeling!) I have the

opportunity to play it on a lot of different pianos. It's an

interesting "gauge" by which I can measure a particular piano's

capabilities since it's one of only a few pieces I can play from

memory.The difference between playing it on an "average" piano and a really

fine piano is astounding. On some "instruments" I don't even bother

trying it and stick with Fur Elise. If I can't make *that* sound good

then the piano isn't much of a piano anymore.

John Musselwhite Calgary, Alberta

mus...@cadvision.com Canada

: How does th e UK grading system work?. What pieces for the different

: grades? Grades 1-8, Advanced Certificate, Diploma with Grade 1 being the easiest

and becoming progressively more difficult.Pieces change each year, but Grade 8 usually has some sort of Prelude and

Fugue (Bach, Mendelssohn, Handel) and a whole Sonata (Beethoven, Haydn,

Mozart). Hope this gives you some idea of difficulty. Most kids that are

keen on music get to grade 8 by the time they're about 16.JoPS. If you're interested I've got the syllabus for all the Associated

Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exams.

I was wondering (and hoping) that various works of the Masters have been

assigned grade levels. In the US there is the John Thompson series, that

has the book in grades 1 through 3 that I am sure of, and perhaps 6, but

haven't seen 4-6 recently if ever.

Has any one or organization proposed a grading system for any of the Bach

one and two part inventions, fugues, well tempered clavier, Mozart sonatas,

Beethoven sonatas, Chopan etc etc. ?

It would be impossible to assign a grade to an entire work such as the

Greig Concerto, or Rachmanoff C# Prelude. But perhaps sections could be

assigned grades.

Why assign grade levels?? Some people like to "measure" their progress.

Some people like to rate themselves as on resumes. "My keyboard

profishency is at grade 8. (even though my spelling prof. is grade 6)

Meaning that there exists a "standard" grade 8 music book, ( so one

claiming proficiency at that level can play a work from that book from

memory. )

Teacher could advertize their instruction levels. Music camps could do

also. Of course at some level, sight reading ability could be rated. A

call to the Union for musicians would indicate the grade level sought. A

BA in Music would indicate an ability of a certain "grade" or "level" Just

some thoughts on a grading system for piano players.

The current Piano Syllabus as well as syllabi for other instruments and

voice may be ordered from any music store handling Frederic Harris Music

Company publications. The Celebration Series published by FH contains

pieces at each level that are found on the examination list. I suggest you

order a Syllabus for complete information on all aspects of the

examinations. You may contact me for further information about how to

apply for future examination sessions (JaneA...@aol.com).

Grade 6? I would personally say that the third movement went well beyond

grade 8, simply in terms of technical difficulties. The first movement,

though not technically demanding, is hard to interpret (and certainly

beyond grade 3; possibly grade 7/8). The second movement might be about

grade 5/6 standard.In 1996, Beethoven's Sonata in G (op.14 no.2) was classed as grade 8,

and the 1st movt of his Sonata in G minor (op.49 no.1) was classed

as grade 5.It's worth bearing in mind that the Associated Board would be unlikely

to set any movement of the Moonlight Sonata in a grade exam, since it's

so well-known.--

Simon Nickerson

si...@sigma.demon.co.uk

"The English people may not understand music, but they

absolutely love the noise it makes" -- Thomas Beecham

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