By Dr. Nancy Allred
Featuring practice steps for Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, No. 2 – by Johannes Brahms
(2 against 3)
Last week a cute DSU student knocked on my studio door and asked for help with the cross rhythm section (mm. 49-56) of the Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, no. 2 by Johannes Brahms. I was in the middle of an online lesson, so I couldn’t help her right then, but later, I found her in a practice room and gave her a few tips. I promised her that I would email her some practice sheets, which I did, and also encouraged her to watch my YouTube videos on cross rhythms.
Each “2 against 3” passage has its own challenges, which is why I love to create practice sheets for each passage. These practice sheets help students get deep inside the rhythm of the passage, and feel the inner pulse of the cross rhythm.
We all love to use the rhythm words when teaching cross rhythms, and often that is my gateway into teaching a student to “feel” the “2 against 3.” Rhythm words are wonderful because they help us hear the rhythm. Yet, at the same time, the rhythm words don’t necessarily work for every student, which can be a huge challenge for the teacher.
The steps outlined below, give more detail into how the rhythm of “2 against 3” fits together as applied to this beautiful Brahms Intermezzo. I love to start with the listening step, because if a student has already mastered “2 against 3” in an earlier piece, then that may be the only step they need to practice.
Even so, often, I will take a student through all of the following steps because they will begin to feel the rhythm with more depth, and then be on their way with greater rhythmic sensitivity as they perform cross rhythms.
Here are some practice steps, as applied to the Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, No. 2 by Brahms:
1. Listening tips
- Practice hands alone (HA) over and over.
o Be sure to follow good fingering.
o Play beautiful legato.
- Do a lot of listening.
- Practice hands together (HT) over and over, and make it fit.
o Keep the triplets even.
o Keep the duplets even.
- Use a lot of repetition.
2. Mathematical/theoretical
- 2 against 3 (2X3=6)
3. Rhythm (counting)
- Count 1-2-3-4-5-6
- Count 1 - 2& - 3
4. Rhythm (together – left - right – left)
- 2 against 3
5. Rhythm words
- Strawberry time
- Not difficult
- WHO parked the car
6. Cross Rhythms Prep Exercise
- 2 against 3
7. Cross Rhythms Steps for Intermezzo by Brahms
See separate file.
For examples of the above, please download files below:
PDF Files:
Cross Rhythms 2 ag 3 sheet
Prep Exercise 2 ag 3 - Brahms
Prep Exercise - steps - Brahms
Steps 2 ag 3 - Brahms
Cross Rhythms 2 ag 3 sheet
Prep Exercise 2 ag 3 - Brahms
Prep Exercise - steps - Brahms
Steps 2 ag 3 - Brahms
Files can also be found under the FILES tab above!
YouTube Channel: Piano Q&A
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