24 Préludes (Books I & II)

Debussy’s 24 Prélude are often cited as the apotheosis of impressionism, as the composer experimented with compositional and pianistic elements to portray a wide array of landscapes, atmospheres, historical references, and ancient themes in miniature form. Debussy placed titles at the conclusion of each Prélude rather than at the beginning, almost as though descriptive words came as an afterthought to musical sound and imagery. In this collection of video lessons, Fred Karpoff delves into the poetic and technical content of these remarkable works, showing you to play them with confidence and ease!

Contents

Author

Fred Karpoff

Winner of the Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award presented by MTNA, Fred Karpoff has performed as soloist and collaborative pianist on four continents and presents workshops throughout the world. After recovering from a career-threatening injury, his life’s work is realised through guiding teachers and pianists toward more efficient, healthful and expressive playing as the Artistic Producer of Entrada Piano. Fred has served as Professor of Piano at Syracuse University and Visiting Professor at the Eastman School of Music. He holds the DMA from the Peabody Conservatory and is an international Steinway Artist.

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Graham Fitch Repertoire

Elgar - Andantino (First movement from Sonatina)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/118-elgar-andantino-first-movement-from-sonatina?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 4</a></h3>

Here we find the first movement of a two-movement sonatina that Elgar wrote for his niece. It is song-like and gently expressive, calling for sensitivity in shaping phrases and timing larger melodic intervals. The Andantino demands careful listening in the balancing of the hands, the accompanying left hand, while quieter,... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Nocturne in E-flat

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/43-nocturne-in-e-flat?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">Op. 9, no. 2</a></h3>

Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat Op. 9 No. 2, has long been a favourite of both pianists and audiences with it's richly-ornamented melody, supported by exquisite harmonies in the left hand. This From the Ground Up walk-through provides a detailed guide to learning this piece efficiently and with understanding and... Read >>


Ken Johansen Repertoire

Allegretto (from The London Sketchbook, K. 15hh)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/58-allegretto-from-the-london-sketchbook-k-15hh?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 4</a></h3>

Mozart was 8 years old on a trip to London when he wrote this charming little Allegretto in F major in minuet-style, with a trio section in the minor. The video demonstrates how to use quarantine practice for difficult spots, and how to apply bar-by-bar chaining for secure learning. Various... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Sonata No. 17 in D Minor ('Tempest')

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/205-sonata-no-17-in-d-minor-tempest?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">(Op. 31 No. 2) </a></h3>

Concert pianist and piano professor Julian Jacobson gives a guided tour of Beethoven's Tempest Sonata, Op. 31 No. 2. In this detailed lecture performance, Julian gives insights on style and interpretation with further tips and suggestions for fingering and tackling some of the technical technical challenges!... Read >>


Julian Jacobson Repertoire

Für Elise

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/140-fr-elise?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">(Bagatelle No. 25 in A Minor)</a></h3>

This evergreen miniature of Beethoven scarcely needs any introduction at all, since Für Elise is known to the world at large. What beginning piano student does not itch to play it, pestering their teacher long before they are ready? This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Bruch - Moderato from Sechs Klavierstücke (Op. 12, No. 4)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/114-bruch-moderato-from-sechs-klavierstcke-op-12-no-4?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 6 – B1</a></h3>

Max Bruch’s delightful Moderato from Sechs Klavierstücke (Op. 12, No. 4 ) is set for ABRSM Grade 6, list B. In this video I demonstrate in detail the techniques of quick cover, springboarding and selective landing to assist you in mastering the LH jumps so that you can focus on... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Waltz in A minor

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/106-waltz-in-a-minor?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 4</a></h3>

Grieg’s Waltz in A minor is full of character and contrasts, and not without its challenges - especially concerning how to use the pedal. In this video I show how to organise the pedalling in order to make some of the joins possible without covering over Grieg’s slurs and staccato... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Allegro (from Fantasia no. 1 in D major)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/108-allegro-from-fantasia-no-1-in-d-major?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 6</a></h3>

Georg Philipp Telemann's Fantasia in D major, on Trinity’s Grade 6 alternative syllabus, is a worthy piece and a lot of fun to play. This video shows some of the principles involved in making decisions regarding dynamics, articulation, touch and expression and looks at several options for interpretation based on... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Ecossaise in E-Flat (No. 4 from Six Ecossaises, WoO 83)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/157-ecossaise-in-e-flat-no-4-from-six-ecossaises-woo-83?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 3 – A1</a></h3>

A lively dance in 2/4 time, an ecossaise is actually the French word for “Scottish”! Flexibility in the right hand is necessary to avoid tension, and flexibility in the pulse (while not indicated in the score) is essential to bring grace and elegance at the start, and then some forward... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Beethoven on Board

Presented by pianist and captain of The Piano Boat, this series features detailed walk-throughs for Beethoven's piano sonatas, exploring background, style, interpretation, technical challenges and practice methods ultimately for each work.... Read >>


Masayuki Tayama Repertoire

Jacques Ibert - Little White Donkey

Le petit âne blanc (The Little White Donkey) is the second piece from Jacquest Ibert’s set of ten pieces entitled Histoires and requires plenty of imagination to play it with the necessary colour and vibrancy. This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and other practice tools to... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Prelude in C minor (BWV 999)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/158-prelude-in-c-minor-bwv-999?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 4 – A1</a></h3>

Built from a harmonic progression and originally written for lute we can recreate some of the resonance of that instrument either by short touches of pedal, or by overholding some notes of the broken chords.... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Sonatina in G

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/23-sonatina-in-g?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 3 – A1</a></h3>

Handel's Sonatina in G is part of a new series on the ABRSM syllabus designed for youngsters, or elementary players. This series of articles provides a step-by-step (or phrase-by-phrase) approach to learning the piece thoroughly and securely, building a solid foundation for performance in an exam, or if you are... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

From the Ground Up

From the Ground Up is a series devoted to learning individual pieces using outlines and reduced scores that help you to practise more effectively, memorize more consciously, and interpret music more creatively.... Read >>


Ken Johansen Repertoire

The Merry Farmer

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/24-the-merry-farmer?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 4 – B2</a></h3>

Schumann’s piano music is a joy to play – it is full of inspiration, fantastic contrasts in mood and character as well as beautiful melodies and breathtakingly beautiful harmonies. This series of articles provides notes outlining how to approach learning The Merry Farmer, Returning from Work from the Album for... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Minuet in D major, K. 355

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/109-minuet-in-d-major-k-355?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 7</a></h3>

Mozart’s Minuet in D, K. 355 features chromaticism that is surprising even to our ears (imagine what it must have sounded like to the listener of the day!). The piece is conceived as an ensemble piece for string trio, and we need to have this sound in our ear as... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Diabelli - Moderato Cantabile (from Sonatina in F major, Op. 168 No. 1)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/98-diabelli-moderato-cantabile-from-sonatina-in-f-major-op-168-no-1?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 5 (Alternative)</a></h3>

The first movement (Moderato) of Diabelli’s appealing Sonatina in F is a model of sonata form in miniature, an ideal way to teach form and structure to the intermediate pianist. In this video I demonstrate the art of finger pedalling in the left hand alberti patterns and show how to... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Invention in D Minor No. 4 (BWV 775)

Bach's Inventions (in two parts) and the Sinfonias (in three parts) were written for the Bach’s eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann and are played throughout the world by intermediate players and concert artists alike. This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and other practice tools to approach two... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Intermezzo in B minor (Op. 119 No. 1)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/101-intermezzo-in-b-minor-op-119-no-1?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 8</a></h3>

In 1893, Brahms wrote his last work for the piano, a set of four piano pieces, op. 119. The Intermezzo in B minor is the first piece of the set. As a composition it is full of riches, arousing keen interest in composers and scholars (including Arnold Schoenberg) as they... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Intermezzo in E-Flat (Op. 117 No. 1)

This set of pieces was described by Brahms as “lullaby to my sorrows” and the first of the set of three certainly conveys a sense of a rocking motion. In this video, Graham Fitch demonstrates how to bring out the melody in the inner (middle) voices of this piece.... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Two Short Pieces

This series features two popular short pieces by William Alwyn, The Sun is Setting and The Sea is Angry which are both ideal for the intermediate level.... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Fantasy in D Minor K397

This video provides a section by section waltkthrough of Mozart's Fantasy in D Minor K397 (sometimes referred to as Fantasia).... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Lyric Pieces

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/2-lyric-pieces?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">(Op. 54)</a></h3>

Grieg wrote his famous Nocturne (Night Piece) in the summer of 1891 during his annual country retreat to the Norwegian mountains and fjords. Along with five other pieces, he included the Nocturne in Book V of his Lyric Pieces, Op. 54.... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Prelude in B Minor (Op. 28 No. 6)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/113-prelude-in-b-minor-op-28-no-6?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 6 - B2</a></h3>

Chopin’s dark, somber Prélude in B minor is much more difficult to play than it looks. This video demonstrates how to approach this piece technically and musically with particular attention to the pedalling which requires a lot of thought... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire

Tarantella (No. 4 from Musiques d’enfants, Op. 65)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/159-tarantella-no-4-from-musiques-denfants-op-65-?bundle_url=online-academy&amp;last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 5 – C3</a></h3>

Prokoviev’s Music for Children was composed in 1935 and contains 12 pieces with descriptive titles. The Tarantella is one of the best examples of this type of dance piece, featuring spinning patterns in both hands and plenty of quirky harmonic and rhythmic features that make Prokoviev’s style so engaging.... Read >>


Graham Fitch Repertoire