The fingerings for the piano album Gradual by Eurico Thomaz de Lima (1908–1989) as evidence of a consolidated technical thinking

A criação de peças e exercícios para jovens pianistas tem sido, ao longo da história, uma preocupação de alguns dos mais importantes autores. As obras intituladas Álbum para a Juventude de R. Schumann e P. Tchaikovsky são um perfeito exemplo da criação de peças acessíveis para alunos principiantes e mais avançados. O compositor, pianista, e pedagogo português Eurico Thomaz de Lima (1908–1989) criou Gradual. 28 Peças para a mocidade, um álbum organizado sequencialmente por critérios de dificuldade progressiva. Herdeiro de uma escola pianística de grande robustez, personalizada por A. Rey Colaço e J. Vianna da Motta, seus mestres no Conservatório de Lisboa, Thomaz de Lima incluiu em Gradual indicações exaustivas de dedilhação. Estas destinar-se-iam a guiar os jovens, proporcionando-lhes princípios sólidos desde uma fase precoce da sua aprendizagem. Neste artigo procura-se enfatizar a influência que figuras como A. Gilis, J. Barrozo Netto e J. Vianna da Motta exerceram nos métodos utilizados na conceção e organização de Gradual. Examina-se, paralelamente, dedilhações de Thomaz de Lima nas suas próprias composições e em obras que apresentava em concerto. Através de uma análise pormenorizada das minuciosas dedilhações para as vinte e oito peças do Gradual, verifica-se que estas revelam uma elevada consistência de princípios técnicos, lançando as bases para um crescimento harmonioso e sólido do jovem pianista.The composition of pieces and exercises for the young has been a preoccupation for a number of leading figures throughout musical history. Schumann's and Tchaikovsky's Albums for the Young are a perfect example of this in composing accessible pieces for beginners and more advanced students. The Portuguese composer, pianist and pedagogue Eurico Thomaz de Lima (1908–1989) did not shy away from this challenge in creating Gradual, an album of pieces “for the young” organised sequentially taking progressive difficulty as a criterion. Heir to a school of piano playing of great solidity, in the person of Rey Colaço and, above all, of Vianna da Motta, his teachers at the Lisbon Conservatoire, Thomaz de Lima left exhaustive fingering indications, in order to provide young people with a solid basis from an early stage of their learning. This article seeks to draw attention to the influence that figures such as Antoine Gilis, Barrozo Netto and Vianna da Motta exerted in this area, by examining, in parallel, Thomaz de Lima's fingerings in his own compositions and in works that he practised for concert performance. A detailed analysis of the meticulous fingerings for the twenty-eight pieces of the Gradual reveals a high consistency of technical principles, laying the foundations for harmonious and solid growth among young pianists.(undefined

Bach, or Busoni? How insightful fingering options may enlighten the original spirit of the Chaconne in D minor

The Chaconne, the last movement of the partita in D minor for violin solo by Johann Sebastian Bach, has been, to this day, a reference work for violinists; however, over the years, it has also been a subject of interest by numerous leading personalities within the musical sphere, who made several versions for their own instruments. Among the many transcriptions those made for piano stand out, in particular that of Ferruccio Busoni, probably the most universally disseminated. However, this version is often criticized, among other reasons, for allegedly disrespecting the Bachian musical spirit. This article intends to analyze some technical and interpretative solutions (notably through the use of insightful fingering options) that, respecting the magnitude of Busoni 's text, can duly emphasize the original spirit of Bach' s work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Inspiring new beauties in Mozart's piano sonatas

The eighteen sonatas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are among the best-loved cycles within the piano repertoire of all times. As this compositional form deals with musical material that is constantly recapitulated and developed in different keys, this presentation will analyse how Mozart was forced to introduce changes to the text where notes to analogous passages were missing due to compass restrictions of the instrument. Through the demonstration of several examples, this presentation, in the form of a Lecture/Recital, will reveal how Mozart often made use of his inspiration to overcome those restrictions, and how the solutions he found may present an additional challenge to the interpreter, when playing on a modern piano.info:eu-repo/semantics/draf

Iberian flavours emerging from Domenico Scarlatti’s and Carlos Seixas’ harpsichord sonatas

The keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti have been for long among the favorite of repertoire choices of harpsichordists and pianists: his music is not only appreciated in view of the virtuosic challenges placed upon the interpreter, but also due to the many expressive pages of the slower works, particularly stimulating to exploitation within the immense potential features of the modern piano. Among the characteristics repeatedly associated with Scarlatti’s musical language, there is a recurrent mention to the Spanish influence, especially due to the frequent use of Phrygian elements. The lesser known Portuguese composer Carlos Seixas also uses these Phrygian elements in his numerous harpsichord sonatas. This article intends demonstrate that the Phrygian elements are common to both composers and that the traditionally designated ‘Spanish’ influence on Scarlatti’s music, could be better designated as ‘Iberian’, since Scarlatti lived in Portugal for a period of seven years and was under the influence of Portuguese music and in close contact with Carlos Seixas, prior to moving to Spain.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mozart e 'la confidence': a história por detrás das variações mais célebres de todos os tempos

Durante a sua infância e juventude, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart fez diversas viagens, das quais viria a colher inspiração para as suas inúmeras composições. A sua última grande viagem, que ocorreu entre 1777 e 1779, culminaria com uma estada de seis meses em Paris, cidade em que viria a compor 1778 as suas mais célebres variações para piano: as Doze Variações em dó maior sobre o tema Ah, vous dirai-je maman, K. 265. As origens do tema remontam a uma melodia com o título “La Confidence” num segundo volume de uma Recueil de Romances que Mozart terá encontrado na capital francesa, e cuja melodia se universalizou a partir dessas variações. Conhecida em português como a canção infantil Três Galinhas a Cantar; em inglês como Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ou canção do alfabeto (ABCDEFG…) a melodia possui equivalentes em todo o mundo, tendo também merecido o interesse de compositores como Liszt ou Donanhy, entre muitos outros. Este capítulo procura esclarecer as origens do tema que deu origem às variações, fazendo uma análise ao seu conteúdo, também à luz da interpretação do autor, registada em CD para a editora Tradisom

Avoiding 'Fugue State' when playing Bach's fugues

Musical memorisation is an important part of a pianist's daily life. Since the romantic period, a tradition of playing piano repertoire from memory has spread and become a skill regularly required in piano performances, assessments and competitions. in recent decades, research has given new insights into how pianists memorise. However, few studies are dedicated to the role of the piano teacher during this process and to the development of pedagogical tools to enhance this skill within the classroom setting. This paper is based on a case study carried out at a music conservatoire with secondary school students, having as main purpose the development and pedagogical implementation of strategies for the memorisation of a fugue from J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. The results were encouraging, in view of the great effectiveness and speed of learning, together with a significant improvement in other performing skills.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

EPTA Portugal: growing pains and progress

This article starts by giving a historical overview of the importance of the piano in Portuguese culture and musical scene. It then describes the creation of EPTA Portugal in 1998 and its activities throughout the years under the presidency of Nancy Lee Harper until 2013, and the new cicle from 2013 to the present, under the presidency of Luís Pipa.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio