Articulation and D-flat vs C-sharp enharmonic modulation
Lesson time: (3min 21sec)
Here, Dejan provides some insight into challenges of articulation in this Second Movement, specifically the legato vs staccato and “sf” vs “fp” markings.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Master Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven: Movements I, II, and III
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Music Lesson: Articulation in Piano
Hi everyone. Welcome back!
Introduction to Articulation
Today, we are going to talk about articulation. It is very important because, as clear as the word might sound, it doesn't always come out of pianists' or musicians' hands. Very often, there are different additions to different phrases.
Importance of Urtext
Always keep in mind that urtext, especially with Viennese classics like Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, is of utmost importance.
Step One: Get a URtext Edition
- Please get a URtext edition.
- There, you will only see markings made by the composer himself.
Articulation in the Second Movement
Analyzing the Slurs
Now, let's look into the articulation of the second movement.
- Bars One and Two: These are slurred.
- Two Bars After That: Also slurred.
- In-Between: No slurs whatsoever, but very pointy dots.
This means it is really in German, "AB Gazette." So the idea is to bounce off.
Creating Contrast
This creates a beautiful contrast between:
- Legato: Slurred legato
- Short and Pointy: Very short, pointy legato
In this case, your left hand should be legato and shorter, while your right hand has the following pattern:
- Two Notes Slurred
- Two Notes Detached
- Alternatively: Four together or none
Achieving Clarity
This is really difficult to achieve. If you just play somewhere in the middle, it might sound unclear.
Practicing Techniques
Recommended Practice Methods
- Practice not only the right hand and left hand separately but also the voices. Remember, this piece is in four voices.
- Consider practicing hands together as well.
You essentially have two brains in this sense. You should sound like a string quartet or a group of four musicians.
Important Tips
- Go bar by bar and really explore what Beethoven had in mind.
Conclusion
Enjoy!
About the instructor
Dejan Lazić's fresh interpretations of the repertoire have established him as one of the most unique and unusual soloists of his generation. He regularly performs with the world's leading orchestras, including the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, as well as the Australian, Basel, and Netherlands Chamber Orchestras, and has built close collaborations with conductors including Giovanni Antonini, Iván Fischer, Michael Francis, Andris Nelsons, Ivan Repušić, Thomas Søndergård, Robert Spano, John Storgårds, Krzysztof Urbański, and Jan Willem de Vriend. Dejan Lazić has released many CDs with Channel Classics and Onyx Classics, and a recording of Beethoven's Triple Concerto for Sony Classical. His live recording of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Kirill Petrenko received the German "Echo Klassik" Award. He also has a strong following in the Far East and is active as a recitalist and chamber musician, appearing regularly at major international festivals. Dejan Lazić's compositions receive increasing recognition, and he was signed as a composer by the Sikorski Music Publishing Group in 2015. His arrangement of Brahms' Violin Concerto as a Piano Concerto "No. 3" was premiered and recorded with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Robert Spano in 2009 and has enjoyed much ongoing success, at the BBC Proms, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Hamburg Easter Festival, and Chopin Festival Warsaw, in both Americas and in Japan. His Piano Concerto in Istrian Style (Op. 18) was premiered at the Aspen Music Festival in 2014 and has since been performed throughout Europe and in the USA. Other works include various orchestral, chamber, and piano music, cadenzas, as well as several arrangements of works by Mozart, Schubert, R. Strauss, Wagner, and Debussy. Dejan Lazić was born in Zagreb, Croatia, into a family of musicians. He grew up in Salzburg, Austria, where he studied at the Mozarteum (piano, clarinet and composition). His early encounters with Zoltán Kocsis and Imre Rohmann at the Bartók Festival in Hungary were decisive for his artistic career, as was the significant influence of Peter Eötvös. Dejan Lazić lives in Amsterdam. In Master Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven, Dejan shares the insight behind those acclaimed interpretations, guiding you through all three movements of one of the best-loved works in the piano repertoire so you can shape it with genuine understanding rather than imitation. www.dejanlazic.com read more