Toccata in D Minor, Bach (Early-Advanced Piano Solo) Alfred's Adult Level 3
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- Опубліковано 26 жов 2016
- TEACHER DEMO
This dramatic song is on Page 128 of the Alfred's Adult All In One Course Level 3 and is the most difficult song in this series. It was composed by the very famous Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) originally for the pipe organ. This piano transcription does include all of the notes from the original, sometimes placing octaves into the left hand to include the organ pedal notes. There is also a second portion of this song the "Fugue" which is well worth looking up and listening to.
This is the most famous song in the organ repertoire and has been used in many movies including Walt Disney's Fantasia, 20,000 Leagues under the sea, The Great Race, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and The Phantom of the Opera. This song is often used by the villain in movies to show their expressive, dark side and is typically played on a pipe organ.
Because it was composed for the pipe organ which is a very resonant instrument especially in a cathedral, I do the damper pedal a bit differently than notated since I like to hear the sound reverberate through some of the rests. I've listened to many different recordings of this song over the years and the tempo, accelerandos, ritardandos, fermatas, etc. can be played many different ways. I suggest listening to other recordings and playing around with it and finding out how you prefer the tempo and fermatas to best express yourself through this music. --Norma
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PIANIST
Performed on a Bosendorfer 7'4" Concert Grand Piano (225SP) by Norma Meis
![Bach/Busoni - Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 [90k special]](/img/n.gif)
What do students continue onto after they have completed the Alfred's Adult All In One Course series? Would you mind telling me names of books/series you use once your students have finished this series? Also, thanks for the great videos!
Brandon, you are welcome for the videos! So glad that you found them worth your time. There are many different books and sheets that I use when a student is at the intermediate level depending on their tastes and preferences.
In the Classical category: Alfred's Masterwork Classics Levels 1 - 10, Essential Piano Repertoire edited by Keith Snell Levels 1 - 10, (In each of these series you could probably start at about level 4.)
In the Jazz category: Jazz, Rags & Blues by Martha Meier Books 1 - 5 (could start about book 2-3), Especially in Jazzy Style by Dennis Alexander Books 1 - 3 (could start in book 2).
Both Martha Meier and Dennis Alexander have nice series of more lyrical compositions that they call "In Romantic Style" or "Romantic Impressions" or "Especially in Romantic Style" with several books in each set. (could start in book 2)
In the pop/movie category: Alfred's Greatest Hits Level 3 (in their Adult series) offers some very good arrangements.
For Technique: Alfred's Technical Skills Levels 1 - 10 (could start about Level 4), "Burgmuller, Czerny & Hanon" edited by Ingrid Jacobson (start in book 1).
And that's a very brief offering of some of the books that I use with students. There is so much excellent music and resources available to us now, the options are endless, but that should give you a starting point for some to consider. Those books are available from Amazon.com and SheetMusicPlus.com and often will show preview pages. I do not have a sheet music store on my island so I have to rely on the internet for purchasing music. Also, I do digital downloads from MusicNotes.com and SheetMusicPlus.com when I'm looking for a specific song.
There are some videos on my You Tube Channel from "Masterwork Classics", "Essential Piano Repertoire", "Jazz, Rags, & Blues", and "Alfred's Greatest Hits" to give you an idea of some of those. They are easy to find through the "playlist" option.
Hope that helps as you continue your musical journey and please let me know if you find some great books or single sheets that you particularly enjoy.
Aloha from Hawaii,
Norma
@@92pianokeys40 Thank you so much for this detailed answer. I've been searching the internet for exactly this but it's been suprisingly hard to come by!
@@cherylrebecca7715 So glad that you found the idea list helpful! Please let me know what you find that you enjoy in the next stage of your musical journey. I'm sure that other piano students would find it of interest also. --Norma
@@92pianokeys40 I've been watching a lot of your videos since I'm working with alfred's series myself and I am amazed each time I go through the comments. You are so kind to give such helpful, thorough and precise answers. I just wanted to thank you, you must be a lovely person:)
@@gigi-1753 Thank you so much!! So very kind!! I just know how much I appreciate it when I post a question somewhere and get a response. I am truly grateful to others who give so generously of their time and share their knowledge, experience, and expertise. Always learning, Norma.
Well Norma, I finally got to this piece and I’m about halfway through it. That cross over part is hard, lol. Thanks for all the help with your videos over these past three years. They’ve been really really helpful to me.
Wow!! Congratulations!! Good for you persevering and getting to this piece! Celebrating your progress with you!!
I think that this is the most difficult piece in the Level 3 book, so yes, that cross over part is hard. I missed one of the repetitions of the A in the video. I only get it about 50% of the time and the rest of the video was good, so I chose not to stress over it. This was the last song that I recorded in the series since I actually had to practice it quite a bit. :)
As usual Norma delivers! I hurried here before starting this piece. You beautiful playing of these pieces is my reference standard for this book.
Thank you so much!! I appreciate your kind and thoughtful words! So glad that you've been finding the videos helpful in your journey through the book. --Norma
Love this song always makes me think of the movie, the great race with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Thanks for posting!!
Yes, I love that scene where Jack Lemmon is "playing" this song on the organ and then gets up and walks away to have his dinner while the organ continues playing. Very fun! NM
i love this music! and I love your rendition!!! thanks!!!
Thank you so much!!! --Norma
Beautiful, clear, very instructive performance! I play this piece almost every day and your performance has solved some technical issues and answered some important questions. Thank you!
Wonderful!! Thank you so much! --Norma
Very dramatic music by Master Bach. I read what you wrote about this piece being used for dark, scary stuff....FYI. The Oregon Symphony presented HAUNTCERT this past Friday, October 28, 2017 and the final piece was Toccata and Fugue in D minor, arr. Leopold Stokowski (1926). What was amazing with this performance was that at any given time every instrument in the symphony was playing. In the program, it stated that "some Bach scholars believe that this work was written as a "test piece" for a newly built organ (Bach made his early living as an organ-tester, an inspector of organs who would travel from church to church trying out new instruments) and suggest bach composed it between 1704 and 1708. An organist of unparalleled ability, Bach wrote organ music that is fantastically challenging to play; it often taxes the abilities of even the most capable musicians." Beautifully played...a tribute to your mastery of not only the piano but of our much loved Bach.
Thank you so much for sharing further historical information regarding this amazing piece of music. I love the "test piece" theory. That sounds very plausible with the diversity of this particular song. Very interesting! NM
wooooaaahhh. Im almost finished book 1 and am looking ahead.. this is amazing! Incredible technic! I hope to get to this one someday.
Thank you so much! Yes, this is one well worth working towards. Just keep plugging away, you'll get there. --Norma
❤love it, it sounds amazing.😊
Thank you
You are so very welcome!! So glad that you enjoyed it! --Norma
I’ve got 5 more pieces in book 2 until I’m ready to move on to book 3. I like to look ahead and see what I’ll be learning in the future. Very well played Norma, and thank you 🙏🏾
You're very welcome! Good job, you're almost to book 3, my favorite in the series! There are a lot of fun songs in there and you really get to reap the rewards of all of the effort that you've put into books 1 & 2. Keep it up! --Norma
Learning piano as an adult is such a humbling experience, but playing this I do feel pretty damn cool , even if when I first saw it I was sure my teacher/Alfred was trying to kill me. Lol. love getting to know Bach’s other darker side, especially after finishing Prelude in C Major, your videos have been incredibly informative and helpful as I learn these pieces, can’t thank you enough
You are so very welcome! So glad that you've found the videos helpful in your piano journey. And Congratulations for persevering to this piece in the Level 3 book!!! Yes! You are pretty damn cool!! Good job!! --Norma
Very beautiful. Thanks for playing. It is not scary. It is hauntingly sad. Especially the last part.
You're welcome! Thank you so much! --Norma
Very beatiful
Thank you so much! --Norma
I’m a grade 7 AMEB piano player and Tysm for this song ❤😊
Wow!! Awesome!! Good for you!! It takes a lot of practice to reach that level. --Norma
I really like your videos Norma, because most show the dynamics and notes as in the book. In toccata however in the intro some notes are played with fermata where it is not written. Listening to this and to notes played short as written taught me the importance of sticking to the written note lengths in this piece. Playing the notes short as written adds to the mysterious nature.
Yes, I took a lot of liberties with this one. Because it was composed for the pipe organ which is a very resonant instrument especially in a cathedral, I do the damper pedal a bit differently than notated since I like to hear the sound reverberate through some of the rests. I've listened to many different recordings of this song over the years and the tempo, accelerandos, ritardandos, fermatas, etc. can be played many different ways. I like that you paid attention to the details and considered them and found your preference for performing this piece. --Norma
I’m playing this for a performance and this helped me a lot
So glad that you've found the video helpful in preparing for your performance. Let me know how it goes. --Norma
It was great because of you.
@@kaylorhuang510 So sweet!! Thank you so much!! So glad that it went well for you! --Norma
Good stuff! Can't wait to get to this piece on my course.
It's a challenging song but well worth the effort. It provides many opportunities for working on different technical skills and also an outlet for the frustrations of the day. :) NM
I'm on this piece now! Really tough with the change in tempo for the different sections, all the triplets etc :(. Thanks for the video!
You are welcome! Yes, this is a tough one. Hardest in the book in my opinion and should've been placed at the end of the book. Persevere, there are a lot of great technical skills to be gained in this one. Well worth the effort. --Norma
I was surprised that in the book there is nothing about the pedal between the rests , it does not sound great without maintaining the sound and fading it. I happy that I used the pedal anyway to get the sound that I like and then I saw your video and the description and saw that you did the same. As my piano teacher said : if it sounds good to you then that`s how you should play it :D
The piece is just amazing , Bach became my favourite composer after the Prelude in C major and this piece. There is something about his compositions that is so enjoyable to learn and play and also they sound amazing :D
I looked at this video from the first days I started learning to play piano ( last year February ) and I always thought that the piece is very hard to play but I was very surprised that in 3 days I managed to get to the 4th page being able to play it slowly. I guess all the Hannon exercices, scales and sight reading do really help a lot :)) But now I`m confused because I`m not sure if it`s the result of my work or the piece is very intuitive , probably a combination of both :)
For some reason I really hated Fur Elise and it`s the first piece I gave up to play anymore. I just hated the happy and fast part of it even if I did manage to play it in the end, the rest of it was ok but I guess there are pieces that you just don`t resonate with :)
Anyway, thanks for all the videos you made , they were a great guidance for me in the last year and I`m sure for many others !
Most students find this piece quite challenging to play so I think that all of your hard work (Hanon, scales, sight-reading, etc.) has paid off with how quickly you are learning this one. And yes, there are going to be pieces that you like and those that you don't like, but thankfully with an endless supply of music available, I'm sure that you will find many, many songs that you will enjoy. And of course, you can always compose some of your own songs that sound exactly the way you like. So glad that you have found the videos helpful in your musical journey this past year! All the very best to you as you continue your musical endeavors! --Norma
nice song good job
Thank you so much! --Norma
Super performance! l am learning how to play this piece by watching this video. I am on the third page now. Still slow sill a long way to go to catch up with your pace.
Thank you so much! So glad that you are finding the video helpful in your learning journey. And don't get discouraged by "still slow", slow steady practice is an important key to the learning process. Too many people try to play too fast too soon. I love the phrase, "Play fast, learn slow. Play slow, learn fast." And there is so much to be gained technically from this piece that it is well worth the time and effort regardless of the tempo.
Tip for you on the top half of the 4th page, be very careful with your fingering. It's worth the tedium. It will pay off. I first learned this piece many years ago as a teen and I was very sloppy with my fingering and never played that part well. As an adult, I finally took the time to work out the fingering, played it A LOT slowly and carefully and finally got it up to tempo.
So glad that you are learning this piece! Let me know how it goes. --Norma
@@92pianokeys40 haha, my teacher also told me to watch the fingerings at page 4's top section right away. so glad she did that before I picked up bad habits.
however, we both hate the chords at the second half. my small hand could not press the right keys without accidentally pressing the wrong keys in between.
@@lightspaladin231 Yes, sometimes it is necessary to drop or shift some notes to fit the size of our hands. That's okay. When I need to do that, I usually try several different options and see which one I think sounds closest to the original and maintains the integral melody and harmony. --Norma
amazing I'm learning this song, and it sounded really hard, but it really isn't! my favorite part is the second page staccato!
So glad that you are having fun with this song and not finding it too difficult! It has so many great elements for developing technical skill and is way more engaging than an exercise and allows many opportunities for interpretation and expression. --Norma
same i love the staccato part
wow
Thank You!
All I can say is, Holy Toledo! (well, I guess that kind of gives away my age, huh). I’ll be on this in a couple of weeks or so, then probably working on it forever.
Yes, this is one of those "forever" songs. I first played it on the organ about 40 years ago, and I still very much enjoy it...there is such a variety of technical skills and drama involved. It's a super fun challenge to play! --Norma
Vou ser assim em breve
Bom para você!! --Norma
I don't think it's a scary piece but dramatik and powerful
Yes, it is a dramatic powerful piece! Bach might be a bit surprised to see how it's been used in modern times often as a part of the villain's character in movies or as a Halloween theme song. --Norma
i think i have the same exact version of this song and i'm learning right now and i'm obsessed with it😂
This piano transcription does include all of the notes from the original, sometimes placing octaves into the left hand to include the organ pedal notes, so it is very close to Bach's original organ composition. So glad that you are enjoying it! It's a great piece! --Norma
imagine this song playing as a vampire comes out of its coffin
The pedal struggle is real
I'll definitely learn this someday
I hear you! This is a challenging piece. And eventually, using the pedal is like driving a car, it does become much more automatic, I only occasionally have to make a note to myself to hold it or pump it in certain spots. And the frequency needed does vary depending on the instrument and the acoustics of the room that you are in. So let your ear be your guide. --Norma
I started to learn to use the pedal a few months ago (only one of them, having just purchased a digital piano). Funnily enough when I started to learn with the pedal, the multi-tasking of two hands plus the pedal was confusing for me, and in concentrating on the pedal, I would stop playing one of the hands while pushing the pedal down! Now that I am use to the pedal it just comes naturally without thinking which is a relief. Love the piano, I regret losing interest as a teenager and am happy to be learning again as an adult.
Beautifully played! I'll need to be more careful now about walking into darkened rooms, or opening closet doors. ;-)
Thank you! Maybe it will just be a balloon bouquet hiding in the closet. :) NM
Hi - in that run that starts around 1:50, I'm having a really hard time getting the RH 4th finger to make that jump to the C#. Any advice you could give? I do have rather short fingers. I've been playing this song for about a year or more so I've got just about everything else going well (thanks to your video). But I feel like there's an actual physical impairment keeping me from getting it perfect. I'm wondering if that happens a lot to professionals as well.
That's a very awkward spot that I had to practice a lot as well. You could change the fingering on that measure and keep the thumb anchored on the F which would require more cross-overs but would eliminate the stretch between the 3rd-4th finger on the A to C#. You would end up with a 1 on F, 2 on A, and then 4 on C#, and 5 on D. So the thumb would play the F four times in that measure.
My hands are average to small, so sometimes I do have to alter some music because I simply can't reach all of the notes that the composer has written. If your hands are on the smaller side, just accept the fact that you might have to adjust things some times and that's okay. Composers such as Brahms, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff had very large hands and their compositions reflect that and create a challenge for those of us who simply can't physically reach all that they have written.
But, the good news is that even though your hands have probably stopped growing in size, you will continue to gain a bit more flexibility between the fingers as you continue playing the piano and be able to reach a bit more or at least be more comfortable doing so. When I was younger and my hand had stopped growing, I was maxed at an 8va, but now I can play a 9th on the edge of the white keys, which is helpful for Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata 1st movement, and other pieces. --Norma
@@92pianokeys40 Thank you!
In the future there will be no more wars, only...Rollerball!
perfect for Halloween
I thought it was appropriate for this weekend also. Although I don't think Bach could have imagined this song being used so frequently in movies to represent "the dark side". NM
92PianoKeys yes since he was Christian devote
Yes, he would write on his compositions "Soli Deo Gloria" which is Latin for "Glory to God alone" to show the purpose of his music was to praise God. NM
Do you stay consistent with the fingering used in the Alfred book? I am learning this one now and want to make sure I am using correct fingering. Thank you so much!
I do not always follow the fingering for the music in the Alfred books. Generally, yes, I tried to, but sometimes it didn't fit my hand well, or I made an "oops".
I always suggest to students to try the fingering that is on the page first, but if it doesn't fit the size of their hand or flexibility of their fingers, we will adjust it accordingly.
Especially with the classics, I may have many editions of the same song in my house that have varying fingering according to the editors. So with some things there may be 2 or 3 different "good" ways to play something.
There are some fingerings that I'm super picky about with my students, but they have to do with patterns that will be showing up repeatedly in the piano literature and I want to prepare them for that or sometimes only a very specific fingering will accommodate the fast tempo that is required.
Hope that helps, Kim. Have fun with this great piece of music from Master Bach! --Norma
@@92pianokeys40 thank you! Do you provide lessons for songs ?
@@angledog00 Your welcome! Thank you for asking, but my schedule is fully booked with in-person lessons, so I haven't invested the time to make further offerings in the online arena. --Norma
Love this! It reminds me of a combination of: Halloween, vampires, and The Exorcist movie, which amuses me as there are some really beautiful moments in this piece. I mentioned in a comment on your Moonlight Sonata 1st Movement video that I am up to the third page of that one. I also know how to play Gymnopedie No. 1 and Fur Elise, so was wondering in your opinion how much harder do you think this piece is than Fur Elise and MS 1st Movement? While spooky, Toccata in D Minor is really grand and this is appealing to me as well. Love your channel!
Thank you so much!! Personally, I think this is the most difficult song in the book and would have placed it at the very end. I find the 4th page the most challenging because of the fingering. It doesn't look so hard when I watch the video, but I had to practice it ALOT! I procrastinated recording this song for our channel, not because I don't love it, but because it is a challenge and I knew it would take quite a number of takes for me to get a recording that I could live with. It's hard to be perfect for 4 pages on this song. But all that said, Go for it!! It is well worth the effort and you will learn a tremendous amount and grow in your technical skills. There is such diversity in this piece. And it is very satisfying to play. Enjoy the process! --Norma
Thank you for your reply, Norma! I'm not learning from a book at all, I've just been printing sheet music from musicnotes. I'm surprised at how much I remember from when I was 12 year old, especially as that was 20 years ago. I took a short paper at university on 'Introductory Theory and Musicianship' over Summer to pick up where I left off when I was younger. What are your thoughts on playing classical music to children? I am studying to be an early childhood teacher and thought it would be nice to bring this instrument into teaching :)
I think I might purchase this book and try and improve my theory.
Absolutely, "playing classical music to children" is great for them mentally and emotionally. There have been many studies done on that specific subject and the results are readily available if you just do a google search on the internet. --Norma
You make it look so easy! :o I am learning it right now and it is really challenging! Am only 10 sooo tee hee 😉😜
Good for you learning this song at age 10!! Yes it is a challenging one but well worth the effort. Have fun and enjoy the song! --Norma
Oh same 😊
What grade u think someone would be capable of when they have completed all three levels as well as complimenting it with scale books? Thx
If you categorize music into levels 1 - 10, with 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult, then by the end of the Alfred's Adult Level 3 book you would be at a solid Intermediate level of about 5-6 approximately. I'm not sure how that would relate to a grade system, but if it ran from 1 - 8, I would think it would place you at about grade 4. You could look up Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata 1st movement or Fur Elise and see which grade they place that in if you are in a country that uses a grade system and that would give you a more accurate idea of placement. If you research it further, please let me know what you discover. Thanks, Norma
92PianoKeys In Grades I heard that moonlight sonata movement 1 is classified as grade around 5 and für Elise is grade 4.
Thank you! That's good for me to know too. Norma
1:53 D minor major 7 notes
Hi Norma, what instructional book would you recommend after we're done with Alfred book 3? Just curious. Thank you!
I wish Alfred's did a Level 4 in their Adult series, but thankfully, there are other graded series which will offer some order to the many musical options available.
There are many different books and sheets that I use when a student is at the intermediate level depending on their tastes and preferences. Here are a few ideas for you:
In the Classical category: Alfred's Masterwork Classics Levels 1 - 10, Essential Piano Repertoire edited by Keith Snell Levels 1 - 10, (In each of these series you could probably start at about level 4.)
In the Jazz category: Jazz, Rags & Blues by Martha Mier Books 1 - 5 (could start about book 2-3), Especially in Jazzy Style by Dennis Alexander Books 1 - 3 (could start in book 2).
Both Martha Mier and Dennis Alexander have nice series of more lyrical compositions that they call "In Romantic Style" or "Romantic Impressions" or "Especially in Romantic Style" with several books in each set. (could start in book 2)
In the Pop/Movie/Broadway category: Alfred's Greatest Hits Level 3 (in their Adult series) offers some very good arrangements.
In the Sacred category: Alfred's Sacred Performer series, many great books to choose from, look for those that have the Intermediate label.
For Technique: Alfred's Technical Skills Levels 1 - 10 (could start about Level 4), "Burgmuller, Czerny & Hanon" edited by Ingrid Jacobson (start in book 1).
And that's a very brief offering of some of the books that I use with students.
There is so much excellent music and resources available to us now, the options are endless, but that should give you a starting point for some to consider. Those books are available from Amazon.com and SheetMusicPlus.com and often will show preview pages. I do not have a sheet music store on my island so I have to rely on the internet for purchasing music. Also, I do digital downloads from MusicNotes.com and SheetMusicPlus.com when I'm looking for a specific song.
There are some videos on my You Tube Channel from "Masterwork Classics", "Essential Piano Repertoire", "Jazz, Rags, & Blues", and "Alfred's Greatest Hits" to give you an idea of some of those. They are easy to find through the "playlist" option. You could also browse through my "Intermediate" and "Late-Intermediate" playlists for ideas as well.
Hope that helps as you continue your musical journey and please let me know if you find some great books or single sheets that you particularly enjoy. --Norma
@@92pianokeys40 Thank you. I recently purchased the Alfred's Masterwork level 4. It's a good book, but there aren't any theoretical ideas or tips in it.
@@atomicpiano One possibility that you might enjoy is the "Beautiful Etudes" series by Victoria McArthur (Books 1-4). She provides a page with each composition with a short bio on the composer, technical suggestions, a transposition exercise, etc.
Or you might like the "Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory" course. Here's the link for it on Amazon:
smile.amazon.com/Alfreds-Essentials-Music-Theory-Self-Study/dp/0739036351/ref=sr_1_2?crid=4N27OUDB9RKT&dchild=1&keywords=alfred%27s+essentials+of+music+theory+complete&qid=1601793691&sprefix=alfred%27s+ess%2Caps%2C282&sr=8-2
@@92pianokeys40 thank you!!
@@atomicpiano You're very welcome!
Which is more difficult, this or Mozart's Rondo alla Turca from Sonata in A Major, K. 331?
I think the Rondo alla Turca is more challenging. --Norma
I really like the small adaptation you made around 1:20-1:30 where you accented an A that was meant to be regular staccatto. I was trying to figure out why mine was sounding differently and saw you did that. I like the idea but am wondering how you thought to do that instead of playing it out normal?
Actually, that was an unintentional error, and displeased me when I made the recording, but since there were so many other elements that I was satisfied with, I decided to let it go. It's hard to be note perfect for 4 pages in a tricky song in one take. The spot where you are hearing an "accent" should actually be an additional A. I simply didn't release the key quickly enough with the one hand when the other stepped in. Excellent attention to detail on your part, that you noticed it and took the time to comment. I'm glad that you asked. Norma
That's so funny, I preferred it over the original and learned how to play it your way!
Well....I'm glad you liked my "mistake". Maybe we should rename it "creative interpretation". :)
Norma
I'm now on this one. >:)
Yay! Good for you! This one is super fun! --Norma
This reminds me of the Haunted Mansion at Knoebels Grove in Elysburg Pennsylvania .. The “Groom” who is a skeleton and sits at the organ playing this as you go through.. it’s a great ride.. I enjoy this ride every time I visit Knoebels Grove…. It’s truly scary.!
Wow! That's so fun! I haven't been to the Haunted Mansion in Pennsylvania, but it reminds me of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland in California. It's such an iconic piece, perfect for Haunted Mansions ambiance. Instantly creates that dramatic scary atmosphere. --Norma
This my goal piece! I started lessons a month ago and I'm about halfway through Alfred's Adult level 2. Will it be very long before I can be good enough to start learning this piece? ._.
Well that's astounding that you are already halfway through Alfred's Adult Level 2! Good for you! At that rate, it won't take you too long to get here. Let me know when you do. --Norma
Damn it took me 2 years to finish adult 2 sheeshhh good job
@@Rxeira 2 years to finish adult 2 is fast! Super well done! I have yet to finish book 2. But not everybody's "starting point" is exactly the same. I was introduced to music theory at a pretty young age and could read notes before I could read actual letters xD Please don't compare progresses of random people like me, you're doing so great! I wish you the very best on your piano journey :)
@@bodaciouscansThank u!!! Aaa ur so sweet that made my day 🥹!! Good luck to u too!!
From bar 44-59 is rly hard 😅
Norma. On page 130 1st measure. I am reading the bass clef on top and the treble clef on the bottom staff. Is that correct?
Never mind. I see it. Thank you.
I'm learning this piece but I'm confused about something. In page 130, last staff , first measure, how does it count as 4/4 tempo. I see the first two notes make 2, and the next four eighths would make the other 2, but what about that sixteenth note?
There is an accurate 4 counts in that measure. The dotted 1/4 notes get 1 1/2 counts, then four 8th notes get 2 counts, and the two 16th notes get a 1/2 count. So all together that makes 4 counts, but it's a bit difficult to see since the 16th notes are in the midst of the 8th notes. Hope that makes sense. --Norma
@@92pianokeys40 I see now. Thanks for explaining. I missed that sixteenth note.
Hey I just started Alfred 2 days ago. Been loving it! Currently on pg 36. Im actually wondering how long do you think it will take to go from around pg 36 in book 1 to this song in book 3?
That varies tremendously on the individual, how much they practice, do they play any other instruments, finger strength and dexterity, etc. etc. This is the most difficult piece in the Alfred's Adult Level 3 book and I would've placed it at the end of the book. It usually takes students progressively longer to complete each level in the series since the difficulty level increases. But that being said, I've seen it take anywhere from about 1 1/2 to 5 years to complete the series. That might be encouraging or discouraging to you?? I think that you can probably get an idea of how long it will take by tracking your time through the Level 1 book and then increase that amount of time a bit for Level 2, and then a bit more for Level 3. You are your best guide for calculating that for yourself. Learning to play the piano is such an individual journey and we each come to the instrument with our unique set of abilities and challenges. So glad that you are enjoying the Alfred Level 1 book, keep me posted and let me know how it goes. --Norma
Also, there is a bit of discussion on the "how long" topic in the comments on my "Moonlight Sonata" video that you might find interesting: ua-cam.com/video/L6r5BhVvL5M/v-deo.html
Where can i get fugue sheet music?
SheetMusicPlus.com probably has it available, or try MusicNotes.com. --Norma
Where did you get the piano with 92 keys?
It was made in Austria, but I bought it from a piano store in California and now it has traveled to Hawaii. Quite a long trip for a piano. :)
is this peace in Alfred's level 3 book?
Yes, it is in the Alfred's Adult level 3 book not the children's series. I have a link to the book in the description above. Norma
+92PianoKeys
thanks
You are welcome! Norma
taken 2003
Honestly, I still don't understand why this piece is in this book. I'm done with the 3 books, but there was not a single piece in all 3 of the books that was a bigger challenge than this one. I know it's in the "ambiguous section" and is meant to be a challenge, but isn't this a bit too high for people at that level?
I agree with you that this song is a very challenging one to include in this collection. It is the most difficult piece in the book. Moonlight Sonata is generally considered "Intermediate" and this Bach Toccata is "Late-Intermediate" or "Early-Advanced". But students can learn quite a number of different techniques by working on this piece even if they aren't yet able to play it up to tempo. It is one that can be worked on now, then set aside, and polished at a later time. Some songs aren't a "one and done". This is a piece that can be enjoyed for many years. So don't be discouraged. Do what you can with it at this point in time, and then come back to it again in 6 months or a year and I'm sure you'll find it easier and be able to see the progress that you have made as your skills improve with other songs. --Norma
Is there a mistake in the book on the first page where you play the D octave with the left hand and right plays a C# with the 2nd finger. The Alfred book has an A#. Is that what you see?
The right hand is in the bass clef in measure four so that first note is a C# not an A#. Easy to miss when they are making clef changes, but you can see the little bass clef symbol at the end of the previous measure. You may want to circle or highlight the clef changes in this song since there are so many of them, or simply write in the letter name next to the note to create quick clarity. --Norma
@@92pianokeys40 Thank you Norma. I did see that little bass clef after I sent you the the message. You are a great help to all and your piano playing is impeccable. Thanks again!
@@57rrg You are so very welcome! And thank you so much for your kind words! --Norma
My book has a C# there
This song is pretty hard. Don't kid urself. 😳
Yes, I think it is the most difficult piece in the Alfred's Adult Level 3 book. They should have placed it at the very end of the book. --Norma
1:49
The end part 💀
0:34 for me
This is how it would sound on my vintage synthesizer. ua-cam.com/video/xAAE7rq0zTs/v-deo.html
Love the reverb on that!! So much more authentic! I first learned this piece about 40 years ago when I was taking organ lessons on a 4 manual pipe organ. It was so much fun!!! Thank you for bringing back those memories for me. --Norma
@@92pianokeys40 I bet it's more fun playing on the organ - no crossing of hands with the 4 manuals, and the foot pedal helps with the bass. You did a great job with the piano though!
@@lindangsy Thank you so much Linda! --Norma
Dudr
This is not early advanced I have students who play this on there mid intermediate level
Yes, I first learned this piece on the organ when I was quite young and was at an Intermediate level, but I do think there are aspects of this song that can be quite challenging and I think it is the most difficult piece in the Alfred's Adult Level 3 book, therefore I chose to place it in the "early-advanced" category. I feel that placing music in categories is a bit subjective and I certainly have disagreed with the placement of songs in various method books, etc. And have found in one series they will put a song in level 3 and another series puts the same song in level 5. So there is definitely room for varying opinions regarding level of difficulty. And the fact that you would place this song in the mid-intermediate level will be very encouraging to those who are afraid that it might be too difficult for them. Thank you for sharing your input. --Norma
92PianoKeys I see your point as a music teacher I agree with you on that music is put into categories. And yes there are aspects to this song that are early advanced techniques. Thank you for you input!! And your kind response!
@@92pianokeys40 I skipped most of the songs in book three after coming back from a two year "break" and this song is going pretty well and it's has good finger exercises. Thanks!
@@davidkumar9216 Yes, this song has some great sections for working on technique. --Norma
Norma! I did it, sort of. I played this piece at a recital. A lot of mess ups, but I was nervous. Thank you for all your help.
ua-cam.com/video/Yx3Ev3_YxHY/v-deo.htmlsi=Iv-braQTZcmqxsiq
Yay!!! Soooo good!!! You should have seen me applauding at my computer!! You have been seriously practicing and working hard to get here! Good job!! And don't fret about some missed notes here and there, you kept going and didn't let it rattle you. Excellent performance!
I was impressed that you had the entire piece memorized! That's an intricate lengthy one. And you kept your shoulders relaxed, had a nice curved hand shape, and bottom of page 2, with the right hand cross-over and left hand repeated note, great tempo! Well done!! You should be very proud of your accomplishment and performing in public as an adult takes courage!
Celebrating with you! --Norma
Thank you much! I can’t tell you how much this channel has helped me. Honestly, it’s been such a huge method of support. My next goal to tackle is the one your son plays on your channel - “Go the Distance,” from Hercules. I’m about halfway through it but man, it is really hard. So kudos to his playing because he makes it look easy.
Again, thank you so much.
@@joshs6536 So grateful that I could be of help on your piano journey! I LOVE the "Go the Distance" song from Hercules! I'm going to make a point of playing it today. It feels so inspirational and encouraging and I like the range of the piano that it encompasses. Good for you making the effort with that one, it's well worth it! --Norma
It doesnt look hard
If this song is easy for you, then you are definitely ready for more advanced piano repertoire. You are doing well! Norma
92PianoKeys
lol thanks xD
But I’m a really bad beginner haha
Great videos though, they help a lot
Glad you are finding the videos helpful! And even if you think you are a "really bad beginner", give yourself credit for just doing it!! There are so many benefits to playing the piano even if we don't do it as well as we'd like. It's worth the effort for all of the gains. Norma
I really liked 1:20-1:30 part
Thank you. I have such a critical ear to my own playing and tend to notice every flaw and everything that can be improved upon and sometimes forget to focus on all that went well. Thank you for the encouragement. I noticed you commented on one of Josh Wright's videos. I've watched a lot of his. His playing is incredible!!! Amazing technical skill and very expressive. Beautiful and lots of great advice! Norma