Review (PDF) Sergei Rachmaninoff School Of Musicianship And Technique: A Guide For Keyboard Performers
Based on an article written in 1923 by legendary Russian pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), this volume presents the series of chords, arpeggios, and scales that Rachmaninoff himself studied as a young man. The Preface contains a short history explaining Rachmaninoff’s use of this exercise and demonstrates that similar studies were included in some of the earliest keyboard methods dating to the eighteenth century. More than finger exercises, these patterns encourage harmonic thinking and reflect the modern approach to piano technique with its emphasis on engaged practice. Having its roots in the earliest history of keyboard pedagogy, and practiced and promoted by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Josef Lhèvinne, Franz Liszt, and other legendary pianists, the exercises in this volume are a true link to the Golden Age of piano performance. Without question, diligent study will greatly improve every dedicated student’s musicianship and technique.
Paperback: 132 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (October 15, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1480112186
ISBN-13: 978-1480112186
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.3 x 11 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #181,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #4 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Rachmaninoff #52 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Instrumentation > Keyboard #706 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Songbooks > Piano
I was scared of the title at first. Ordered it to see what it was all about though and quickly worked it into my exercises routine. Love the non-crowed format of book and the exercises are short which is great for younger students or when first learning. (Of course, anyone can run them 4 octaves easily) The common tone approach is fantastic and really helps in understanding harmony and building chords. I have given a copy to two of my teenage students and they are truly liking the exercises. It' amazing. I only wish the book was spiral-bound!Not only are these exercises wonderful for learning all chords and arpeggios, they even make understanding modes easier. I will be using this book for myself and for my students from now on.
This book presents a very interesting approach to organizing scale and arpeggio practice. Rather than systematically working through major and minor scales in all keys via cycle-of-fifths patterns, Dr. Adams expands a simple chord exercise by Rachmaninoff into a formula that covers a lot more harmonic territory in the same amount of time. This exercise engages one's ears and fingers in new ways, incorporating a sort of modal/harmonic approach to scale practice. Once you've memorized the basic harmonic pattern, it becomes easy to translate into other types of technical exercises that pianists practice: scales in thirds and sixths, varied scale sequences and broken chord shapes.Unfortunately, Adams does not exhaust these possibilities in the text, nor does he provide other examples of harmonic formulae that could provide additional variety to the technical routine. The essential premise of the book is detailed in only a few pages, leaving the remainder of the text to simply print transpositions of the basic chord, scale and arpeggio patterns in every key. A deeper investigation into the "common-tone" technique of chord progression/modulation, and the systems of harmonic formulae developed by Villoing and Safonoff, would have provided a much more complete insight into the training and education of Rachmaninoff as a pianist and composer.As it stands, this little volume is an excellent reference for developing musicians. It provides a very musical way to practice the essential types of triads and seventh chords, while connecting the harmonic idea with scale and arpeggio practice. It's unfortunate that some of its more unique ideas weren't developed further. Understand that it's a technical exercise book, and take its presumptuous title with a big spoonful of salt
This publication is a requirement for any serious piano student or pedagogue. The preface is rooted in a historical study of Rachmaninoff's own technical studies gleaned from a concise 1923 article in Etude Magazine penned by the Russian composer/pianist. Adams examines the numerous significant teachers associated with the development of the Russian Piano School through the mid-19th century and the transfer of these methods through the mid-late 20th century, particularly through the Lhevinnes. The exercises included utilize the 12 chord series described by Rachmaninoff but allows for variety in fingerings to suit the individual pianist and thus is extremely flexible and useful. Sergei Rachmaninoff School of Musicianship and Technique is an excellent resource for applied piano instructors at any level and musicologists interested in the history and development of piano pedagogy.
This is absolutely the best book, I have ever read. I have been struggling with my keyboard for years, but this masterpiece was the glue that I have been searching for that pieced together all of the problems I have been facing.
This is a good study for keyboardists starting out that need to learn chords, scales and arpeggios in a way that relates them all together. With a bit of thought and knowledge the material could be extended to include modes and other chords that relate to each other in similar ways.
This book does indeed represent the exercises that Rachmaninoff himself studied and is well worth using with students. The one-star review is misleading and unfortunate.
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