During the pandemic I have been posting piano arrangements of beautiful melodies to soothe and uplift. Last month, subscriber Keith requested Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, and I have been hard at work turning this gorgeous orchestral piece into a piano solo! It is three pages long, but I hope you agree that it is worth your time and effort to learn.
In the video below you will notice that on p. 1 measure 2, I cut off the sixth and twelfth triplet bass chords (EG) almost as if they were staccato. I did this to demonstrate that the treble 16th notes in measure 2 are played in between the bass notes. When this figure repeats on page 3 measure 1, I played it the way it should sound, with the bass notes sustaining.
I did not add pedal marks to the sheet music for ease of reading, but I used the damper pedal throughout, refreshing the pedal on beats 1 and 3 of each measure. But you might want to wait to add the damper pedal until you are more comfortable with the notes.
If you are not yet familiar with triplets, the simple explanation is that triplets divide each beat into three. So this piece feels as if there were twelve beats per measure even though it is in 4/4 time. I discuss triplets in Upper Hands Piano BOOK 4, but if you don’t have my books, watching the video will help you place your rhythm:
How are you doing? Between the pandemic, the fires and hurricanes, dirty politics and sad passings, I think that many of us feel at our wit’s end. I have been trying to mitigate these disasters by playing and arranging beautiful music, along with expressing gratitude for the beauty of nature, my good health, and the love of friends and family. Sometimes we can’t help but fall into despair, but when I can get myself to the bench, playing helps calm and focus me, and it makes me feel that I am moving forward in my studies and skills.
What are you doing to keep yourself positive? I have been writing two new book series that I am so excited about. Firstly, I have been adapting the Upper Hands Piano Books for younger adults! The new series is called Piano Powered: An Innovative New Piano Method To Power The Brain and Feed The Soul, and BOOKS 1 and 2 will be available on Amazon in a few days! I try not to do too much “selling” on this blog, but if you don’t mind, I will post about the new series when it becomes available. Many have asked me to adapt the brain training aspects of the Upper Hands Piano series for younger adults, so I have done that. I have been testing it on adults and teens in the past year, and my students have been progressing quickly and easily using these new books. They are very similar to the Upper Hands Piano series.
I have also been working on a new songbook series – collections of songs and pieces to play for their various therapeutic benefits. I can’t say more than that, but I’ll keep you posted about those volumes as well.
For now, I wish you better days ahead, and I hope you enjoy the cooler days of Autumn in your part of the world. Be well and play on. With love and music, Gaili
Gaili Schoen, Author
Upper Hands Piano: A Method for Adults 50+ to Spark the Mind, Heart and Soul, Songs of the Seasons, Piano Powered, and more!
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