Mood: tempo & dynamics
Lesson time: (2min 18sec)
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Learn Christmas Classics on Piano
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Lesson transcript:
Tempo and Feel
Let's look at the tempo. It says crotchet equals 95, so that's fairly fast.
I wouldn't say it's allegretto or allegro (lively). I would describe it as:
- A sort of walking pace
- A jolly walking pace
Remember, it's a happy piece.
Time Signature
It's in F major, but it's in 4/4, which means that we want:
It's not just 1, 2, 3, 4. It's not like a march.
- Beat one is probably slightly more stressed than the others.
- Beat four leads into beat one.
Direction of Line
This is what we want to avoid: a disjointed approach. Rather, we want to have a direction of line.
If we were singing it, we'd be saying:
"O little town of Bethlehem,"
with a line and a phrase.
For example, I did a kind of complete sentence:
"O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie."
We kind of use our breath and go the whole way through.
Dynamics
Let's look at a few dynamics.
- There's nothing written here, so it's up to you to create a bit of splash of pink or red or blue here and there.
- You'll create your own dynamics.
I personally would begin around mf, and as you phrase off, you'll have a decrescendo.
In the words:
"Yet in thy dark streets,"
you might want to be a little bit warmer because the dark streets are shining, and then maybe a diminuendo.
Looking at bar eight, we kind of swelled out to "the dark streets shining," and then we sort of diminuendoed.
About the instructor
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. read more