Group 4
Welcome to the NEW TWO WEEK INTENSIVE on tonebase!
"Phrasing like a Singer" at the Piano with Leann Osterkamp.
Much of classical piano music evolved historically from vocal music. Voice, naturally being the most primal/organic instrument of all, is the source from which pianists draw our understanding of dynamic contour, pacing, and phrasing. By understanding how one might coach a vocalist, one can create an organic musicality and polished phrasing on the piano. Join Dr. Leann Osterkamp He as she demonstrates how her experience coaching professional singers in both opera and lied transformed her understanding of phrasing on the piano. She will break down the basics of vocal coaching into pragmatic learning steps and fun techniques for you to use in your own learning!
Post your progress with videos and written commentary on how things are going for you!
- Course Period: October 28th - November 9th
- Class Size: ALL are welcome!
- Optional check-In via Zoom: TBD
Assignment #1
https://youtu.be/GvYcVNFby4A?si=Svu_TDAPzv98ZOl_
1. Pick 8-12 bars of a solo piano piece of your choice that has a clear melody.
2. Put in your own lyrics in your most comfortable language! No need for fine poetry, just aim for something that you think fits the character of the piece/moment. Be careful when thinking over whether every note needs its own word or if you might like to draw out a word over multiple notes (by extending a vowel). The goal is to make it sound like natural speech.
3. Now go in and mark breath marks, making choices based off of organic pause in the language, punctuation of word, physical necessity, etc.
4. Now that you have intentional breathing, identify the dynamic contour of each smaller unit between each breath, thinking of the natural inflection of speech, the range of the pitches, word punctuation, etc.
5. Share a screenshot of your score, a recording of you playing your final result, or a video of you discussing interesting elements you discovered in your work.
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Whoopwhoop, group 4 again.. I think.. the link lead me here, the mail says group 3
Hello everyone, I am very excited to watch your videos and struggle myself :D
A funny sidenote: I had a Brahms waltz I didn't find any access to (didn't develpo any feeling for the pulse/waltz, anything, I felt so lost!), until I wrote lyrics for it.
So I know that lyrics can be an amazing tool and am really looking forward to working with lyrics again :D
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I received an email for group 3 but when I open the link it's bring me in the group 4. Lol!
I actully study the amazing Mendelssohn Song without words Op19 No 4, I am in love with that piece.
For the challenge I choose the 12 bars Mesure 9 to mesure 21
I will try to express what this music make me feel inside. The feelings I have when I play this piece of music are really strong. It's a mix of nostalgia from my childwood, and the intensity to be alive in the present moment and having the chance to play piano, if I can say that.
I love this challenge! Thank you again to give us this opportunity to put words on the music we try to play, it's bring us in a space that I like, music, poetry, words....and love of music and life.
Here is a link for someone who want's to hear this piece of piano : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDG-PHgQWPQ&list=PLXouAvl5UicjMw7qKUNANSwdiFs5rlnf6&index=8
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Humm... I have lyrics now for the beginner Chopin waltz in A minor.
But questions... (see video)
My lyrics:
In stiller Nacht am Waldesrand
halt ich ehrerbietig deine Hand.
Sp眉re sacht im Mondenschein
deine Liebe pur und rein
Ein K盲uzchenruf schallt durch die Nacht,
Weil es 眉ber unsre Herzen wacht.
Ach, mein Herz, ich liebe Dich!
Du bist das Gl眉ck f眉r mich!
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Hi everyone! What a fun exercise this is! I've been working with "Berceuse" by Georges Delbruck. It has a very clear melody. I chose the first 12 measures. It's funny, I started working on this before watching the video, and chose a "fall" theme for my lyrics. For breaths, the first one I would like is after around, as that is one phrase. However, if needed a breath could also be taken after wind in the first line. The second breath is after red, to give enough breath for the high notes, and all the words that follow through bro---wn. For the second line, The first breath will come after "here", as it will then change to predicting winter. The second breath comes after behind. The next breath after warm, as that note is high, and the music lends itself to holding it just slightly, then the final breath on that line after chocolate. For the third line the first breath is after many, the second after come down, then a breath after each down, down, and the final breath after falling down.
For dynamics, the are little crescendos ad decrescendos in the first couple of lines. The third line is marked "poco piu animato". If is also mf, no longer p. This reminds me of the agitation among leaves when the winds blow them off the trees, and blow them around. The chromatic progressions add to this tension. The last couple of measures are these cool intervals of 4ths. The fourths themselves are going up, but the progression from fourth to fourth is down.
A recording will come soon! Thanks for this fun exercise.