Lesson 14 of 21PianoIntermediate

What classical repertoire to play next?

Annabel talks about how the approach we've taken in this piece, of melodic contouring, is relevant to wider classical repertoire by Bach, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven
Part of the courseLearn Christmas Classics on Piano21 lessons (0h 41m)

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Annabel ThwaiteYour guruAnnabel Thwaite

What's in the course

21 lessons (0h 41m) · 2 free
    • 01. Performance

      0:47

    • 02. History & Context

      1:00

    • 03. Mood: tempo & dynamics

      2:18

    • 04. Articulation & Tone Production

      3:21

    • 05. Developing an interpretation: Playing like you'd sing

      2:58

    • 06. Practice tips

      3:29

    • 07. What classical repertoire to play next?

      You are here

      1:14

Lesson transcript

Understanding Lines and Phrases in Music

This idea of line and phrase is an approach we could use with any kind of piece that doesn't have words, such as Bach's inventions.

Breathing Through Music

  • The concept that you could almost make up words while you're breathing along.
  • You're showing us where the phrase comes to a stop, lifts, and allows you to breathe.

Expanding Beyond Bach

In fact, even if we go further than Bach, we could look at Mendelssohn ,
he wrote hundreds of pieces of songs without words. You could put some words to them.

Exploration of Beethoven

If you look even further, consider pieces like Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, particularly the very first movement.

  • This long, undulating line is almost like a sort of moving camera, a moving film.
  • The question is: Where's it going?

Musical Direction

When you're playing, you have musical direction. You're showing us this journey and bringing the audience with you right until that very last note.

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Meet your guru

Annabel Thwaite

Annabel Thwaite

Recognised as one of Britain's most versatile and charismatic pianists, Annabel Thwaite enjoys a diverse career as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, educator and examiner, and has won all the major accompanying prizes, including the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier, Gold Medal, and Richard Tauber Piano Prizes. She has collaborated with renowned artists such as Roberto Alagna, Bryn Terfel, David Kempster and "Only Men Aloud!"

Annabel has recorded for Universal records with the "Scottish Tenor", whose album was nominated for a Classical Brit Award and is regularly played on Classic FM. Twice the accompanist for the Festival of Welsh Male choirs, her performances at the Royal Albert Hall were recorded by Sain and have been aired on S4C. She is also a film session pianist, having recorded at Abbey Road the music for the film "Awake", the BBC Jane Austen series "Emma", "The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister" and, most recently, she has appeared on both Blue Peter and "The Rob Brydon Show".

"...no doubt helped by the obviously brilliant piano accompaniments from Annabel Thwaite...highly enjoyable."

In her MusicGurus courses - Learn Christmas Classics on Piano, Learn Classical Favourites on Piano, and Growing Chamber Groups and Small Ensembles - Annabel shares the musicianship behind that versatile career. You will learn how to bring well-loved Christmas and classical pieces to life at the piano, develop your touch and phrasing, and, drawing on her award-winning experience as an accompanist, discover how to listen, lead and play together when making music with other musicians in chamber groups and small ensembles.

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