INTRODUCING SONATINAS

MARVIN BLICKENSTAFF

TEACHING DEMONSTRATION

INTRODUCING SONATINAS

At MTNA Conferences, it’s sometimes hard to decide which session to attend, but not when Marvin Blickenstaff is speaking! His session today was a teaching demonstration on Introducing Sonatinas, and was well worth the time. I wished my fast fingers were a tiny bit faster, though, it was hard to keep up with typing all the great content he had on the screen!

Through sonatinas, students learn about:

•  Contrast  in themes and keys
• Melody/accompaniment style and balance
• Basic Harmonies  V7 – I      I 6/4 – V7 –  I

In sonatinas we’re forming the basis for appreciation of a wide variety of music.

Students Learn

• Binary Form
• Rounded Binary 
• Sonata-Allegro

Frances Clark said:            Successful teaching involves a chronology of

     Preparation

             Presentation

                       Reinforcement

PRINCIPLES IN TEACHING SONATINAS

1.  There is no substitute for having our students totally steeped in a steady beat.

• “beat your students” head-head; nose-nose; cheek-cheek; hair-hair, game in rhythm with                   call & response
• “rhythm first”
• numbers game – 1-1-1-1- then subdivide the beat (2) (3) Call out the number; Students fit                the number of beats evenly into each tap on the lap 

2.  Singing phrases – the last not of a phrase is the quietest

• shaped phrases
• last note quietest
• labeling forms in elem. Piece
• understanding rounded binary form

3.  Analyzing harmonies

• Harmonic tension/relaxation in the repertoire
• Playing cadence patterns with dynamic plan    I   IV   I6/4   V7    I
• Dynamic balance of melody accompaniment

4.  Training dynamic hand independence

•  Five finger pattern drills
• 2  x 1
• RH scale accompanied with Alberti pattern
• Comfortable light Alberti bass
• Rotations
• 5141312131415      1525354535251
• alberti patterns in dotted rhythms 

5.   Fluent scale playing

• Focus on hand shape and finger movement
• Variety of scale activities

o   Not all scales are C-C

o   Most scales in sonatinas are hs not ht

o   Variety of turn-arounds

o   On hand faster  (3 X 1)

o   Contrary motion

6.   Technical figures

• Step motion = fingers
• Zig zag motion = rotation
• Change of direction “out around” direction of wrist
• Double notes/chords = arm push

7.   Crisp staccato – starts on the key and pulls up

8.   Observe LH rests

One assignment you may not give = Go home and learn the notes.

• There is a dilemma about the first week of practice – what should we assign?
• Alternative plan    Focus on the contrast – He gave the example of the Kabalevsky Sonatina in C

We only have command over information that we can name and label. Teach them the meaning of each part of a sonatina

Believe in the rhythm of form. It is the performer’s responsibility to communicate form, so they have to know what it is.

Believe in the printed fingering. Those printed fingerings are helping you develop a “piano hand.”

Co-habiting friends     reading/fingering/naming

• Rhythm first
• Slow/accurate
• 3xp/r     3 times perfect in a row 

Introduction to sonatinas is done best by focusing on contrast.

Harry Wise, age 14, student of Elena Pashilene, performed Clementi Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3, III Allegro. Mr. Blickenstaff worked with the student to make the last note in the phrase the quietest, in shaping the sound, never playing consecutive notes the same volume, enhancing the legato sound, making instant improvements in the sound. “You have a good ear, and what I want to do is plug your ear into your fingers.”                     

Henry Webb, age 13, a student Christopher Goldston, performed Kuhlaus’ Sonatina, Op. 55 No 1, I Allegro. You know the notes, you’ve got the rhythm, now the next step. You’re not allowed to play repeated notes exactly the same way. Exaggerate the difference between the Left Hand and the Right Hand for the benefit of your sound.

I love the rich information you always take away from presentations by Marvin Blickenstaff, and today was no exception. If you weren’t here, you missed something very special.