About the Study of the Means of Transcription of Works for Clavier by Beginning Pianists

Keywords: piano transcription, urtext, J.S. Bach, clavier, intonational etudes, role playing.

Abstract

The methodological elaborations
of the rubric of the journal “My first
transcriptions” will present examples from
assignments from the attempts of creative work
of beginning pianists with the musical text.
The offered assignments carry the aim
of teaching certain universal techniques
of artistic transformation of the composer’s
primary text. The first article devoted to this
subject matter examines the register allocation
and the doubling which were applied
in everyday music-making in the 16th and 17th
centuries during the varied re-exposition
of the clavier text into various ensembles.
The technique of their application is simple
and accessible to contemporary listeners
as well; it presumes the utilization of timbral
possibilities of the present-day piano
and keyboard synthesizer.
At the basis of the elaboration
of the assignments there are fragments
of J.S. Bach’s instructive compositions from
such compilations as “Kleinen Preludien
und Fugen,” “Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm
Friedemann Bach,” as well as the “French
Suites,” all of which assume a transformation
of the clavier text for performing it in various
variants and instrumental ensembles. These
are the introductory pieces to the cycles:
the preludes, fantasies or the pieces
in the dance genres.The lessons are organized in the piano classes
upon the conditions of “sight-reading” either in
a solo manner, or with participation of partners
in the form of intonational etudes. The analysis
of the semantic structures applies role playing
games in the subject matter of “I am playing
the organ,” “there is a rehearsal of a historical
orchestra going on,” “Trio for two flutes
and cello,” etc.

Published
2020-12-02
Section
Creative Pedagogical Workshop