In this Piano Day edition of the practice clinic, Graham Fitch answers questions from pianists on pedalling, voicing, technique and repertoire choices. Topics include balancing melody and accompaniment in Mendelssohn, pedalling in Scarlatti, fingering for legato in Ravel and preparing a concerto under time pressure.
Practice clinic questions
Mendelssohn – Song Without Words in E Major, Op. 19 No. 1 – How can I achieve a clear balance between melody and accompaniment so that the right hand projects above the left without everything sounding uniformly loud or soft?
Right hand tension and alignment – When descending below the midline, I experience tension and awkwardness in the right hand, possibly related to ulnar deviation and a past injury. How can I adjust my movement and body alignment to reduce tension and improve ease?
Mendelssohn – Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings – How should I approach learning and preparing a large-scale work within a limited timeframe (around 60 days), and how can I structure my practice effectively under pressure?
Scarlatti – Sonatas in B minor, K. 27 & K. 87 – I’m really struggling to come to terms with my instincts to use the pedal in Scarlatti’s music when I know the harpsichord did not have a sustaining pedal. How can I justify using pedal in Scarlatti on the modern piano, and what approaches can I take when others insist it should be played without?
Ravel – Sonatine (final movement) – What fingering strategies can help maintain a legato line in fast passages (from bar 43 onwards) without breaking the musical flow?
Graham also answered additional questions from the live audience on further aspects of pedalling, practice tools for voicing and repertoire selection.
Join us!
Our next Practice Clinic will take place on Thursday 28th May @ 18:30 (BST / GMT +1). As well as the usual range of questions pertaining to practising and related topics, this clinic will also feature questions on deep learning and memorisation techniques from participants in Graham’s upcoming short course.
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