My Student Wants Fast Intermediate Pieces

by Andrea
(Saco, Maine)

Hello, Does anyone have suggestions for fast pieces for a student? I would say she's an advanced beginner. She can play a more difficult version of Fur Elise then what you have here. I tried her on a few piano books (the latest was the Alfred Basic Piano book 2) but I think they are too easy. She wants to play the classics! She showed me a video of someone playing Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 14 in C# minor- 3rd movement - and said she wanted to learn that - yikes!!!!! Any suggestions on some fast sounding classics (even easier versions) that she might like? I don't mind arranging stuff myself...I'm just trying to think of some pieces.....thanks!!

Dana:
Hi, Andrea, it sounds like she is ready for the Sonatina book I give all my "entering-classical-piano-territory" students. I love it because it has music by Clementi, Kuhlau, Mozart, Bach, and even Beethoven, which is approachable by determined late beginners because of the massive use of scale patterns & chords in these pieces. Mozart's lovely, fun, FAST Sonata in C, called "The Easy Sonata" by some, is here, as well as Bach's beautiful Prelude in C. There will be challenges here for her! Also, she might be much taken by the Bach Dm Toccata, which is so dramatic, with fast passages. Much of it can be taught by rote if her reading ability is catching up to it... but what a great opportunity to work on notereading!

A couple of pieces that come to mind immediately that I know you can find FREE without waiting for a book to arrive are The Spinning Song by Ellmenreich & Arabesque by Burgmuller. I don't have them on my website, but you can easily find free editions by doing a web search.

Good luck with your ambitious student!

Click here to post comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Story or Question about Music Teaching?.

Sign up for "Take Note!" to see what's new every month.