Ornamental Passages in Chopin's Piano Music

By Dr. Nancy Allred

Featuring practice tips for:

Waltz in C-sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2 (m. 84)

Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72, No. 1 (mm. 34, 35, 37)

Ornamental passages in Chopin’s piano music add a beautiful element that is probably unmatched in the piano repertoire. These passages display Chopin’s love of singing, and bring a serene vocal quality to his hauntingly beautiful compositions.

Teaching Cross Rhythms - part 6

By Dr. Nancy Allred

Featuring practice steps for the Serenade (Ständchen) by Franz Schubert

(3 against 2)

This segment of teaching cross rhythms will focus on the beautiful Serenade (Ständchen) by Franz Schubert. It is a lovely example of 3 against 2, with triplets in the RH and duplet 8ths in the LH.  The Serenade (Ständchen) D 889, was originally composed as a lied (art song) for solo voice and piano. It was composed in July 1826 in the village of Währing. There are many arrangements or transcriptions of Schubert's Serenade. This version is a simple piano solo, which combines the piano accompaniment of the lied with the vocal part.