Burgmuller

Burgmüller - Berceuse (No. 7 from 18 Characteristic Studies, Op. 109)

Burgmüller’s educational piano music is still among the very best. This exquisite little Berceuse requires considerable control of tone, texture and pedalling to bring out its beauties. Resources & links Click here to purchase sheet music form the Trinity College online store (external link). Click here to view open domain editions for these works (external link, see page 12). Click here to view the index for our Guide to the Trinity College Piano Syllabus. ... Read >>

Burgmüller - 3. La Pastorale (Pastoral) in G major (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

Feel two beats in a bar (‘1-and-a 2-and-a’). For the dolce cantabile singing line play beautifully legato, keeping the fingers close to the keys and the wrist flexible. Sing the melody line out loud to find the phrasing; in keeping with the descriptive title we might even imagine a shepherd playing a flute. Aim for a tonal balance of mp in the RH and pp in the LH accompaniment. The LH stays very close to the keys in the repeated chords to avoid any clatter. No pedal is necessary, but if you want a warmer sound you could... Read >>

Burgmüller - 11. La Bergeronnette (The Wagtail) in C Major (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

La Bergeronnette (The Wagtail) depicts a genus of bird that constantly moves its tail; Burgmüller captures this flickering, fluttering movement by the prevailing rhythmic figure we hear right at the start – two semiquavers and a quaver under a slur. It is important that the first note of the slurred group is lightly stressed, and the last note released without an accent. Make sure to retain this strong-weak emphasis even in the crescendos (from bar 19, and from bar 26), where each three-note group is stronger than the previous one. The leggiero marking invites us to use a light touch... Read >>

Burgmüller - Velocity, Op. 109 No. 10

ABRSM Grade 6 – A6

Velocity is the tenth piece in a collection of small character studies by Friedrich Burgmüller (1806-1874). In the tradition of the very best studies, each piece presents a technical problem to be overcome and practised, while at the same time having a distinct musical appeal that raises it to the status of art. In Velocity, the main challenge is control of right hand semiquavers at high speed as the patterns move across the keyboard, even crossing over the accompanimental left hand’s repeated chords in two places. The player can develop the necessary leggiero touch by practising the semiquavers at first... Read >>

Burgmüller - 5. Innocence in F Major (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

The tempo is moderate (crotchet = c.100) and the mood graceful. The short RH slurs imply a very slight stress on the first note of each group. A very delicate touch is called for here, the finger tips active and the wrist flexible. This supplementary exercise helps develop the touch. This tapping exercise is useful to secure the hand positions for the progression of chords. Keep fingers close to the keys, and make sure the wrist stays free at all times. Play the expressive sighs in the RH using a... Read >>

Burgmüller - Burgmüller - Innocence (No. 5 from 25 études faciles et progressives, Op.100) (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

ABRSM Grade 3 – A2

A study in delicacy of touch and articulation, tonal balance between the hands and scale patterns in the upper register, Innocence gives plenty of scope for understanding harmony and developing musical as well as technical skills. Please sign-in to view the full video if you are already an Online Academy subscriber or click here to find out more about the Online Academy. Resources & links Piano Exam Pieces 2021 & 2021, Grade 3 is available from the ABRSM online shop here. Click... Read >>

Burgmüller - 13. Consolation in C Major (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

The thirteenth étude, Consolation (Comfort), returns to the familiar key of C major. Marked dolce lusingando (sweetly and caressingly), it calls for careful control of tone as we balance melody and accompaniment not only between the two hands, but also within each hand. There are many beautiful, expressive moments in this etude that we need to enjoy and savour as we play them. The harmonic progression in bars 5 and 6 that enhances chord ii in what would otherwise be a standard sequence of chords is one example, the modulation to E minor (bars 14-15) another. The semibreves in the... Read >>

Burgmüller - 1. La Candeur (Openness) in C major (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

Cultivate a singing style in the RH (legato cantabile), shaping the line expressively with nuances. The short phrase marks (slurs) do not necessarily imply a lifting of the hand at the ends but show how the notes are to be grouped (in the manner of string bowing). Interpret these with a slight emphasis on the first note of each group and a subtle diminuendo towards the end of the group. A chord legato wherever possible in the LH progression ensures the smoothest connections and the best control of sound: Crescendo means soft! Start... Read >>

Burgmüller - 9. La Chasse (Hunting Song) in C Major (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

The previous two studies were about delicacy and control of sound in the softer dynamic levels; La chasse has all the energy and colour of a hunt, with a dynamic range from pp to f. The form is rondo (A-B-A-C-A), with an introduction and a coda. We clearly hear the hunting horns and the galloping of horses’ hooves, and we feel the excitement of the occasion. Do we also detect a certain compassion for the poor fox in the troubled B section (dominant minor, poco agitato) and the expressive C section in the relative minor, marked dolente (sadly)? The staccato... Read >>