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A NEW THEORY OF ADULT MUSIC LEARNING FOCUSING ON THE

PIANO

Toshio IRITANI

CHÔFU WOMEN’S COLLEGE

Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken

Japan 215-8542

1. Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to argue that there is a different method for adults’

learning music (especially for piano playing) which is a much faster and more

practical way for getting acquainted with piano playing. Formal piano education

normally starts with lessons for learning simple melodies. Then students gradually go

on to learning more complex melodies using such traditional textbooks as the

“Beyer” which is written for beginners.

This method of learning is not necessary for adults and this author would like to

propose a more economical, practical, and efficient method of learning music. This is

especially true with respect to piano playing.

The structure of music is very similar to the structure of sentences written in a

foreign language. Adults who have experienced learning foreign languages or are

acquainted with different languages can probably learn the scores written in musical

notation faster. Written and spoken languages consist of sounds, rules for word

combinations and word order (grammar), stops, phrases, articulation, paragraphs, and

chapters. In the same way music consists of musical sounds (8 octaves) that go up or

down in steps from lower to higher pitches and vice versa. Music combines and

transforms sounds in harmony, forming parts and phrases. In addition, in contrast

with young children, adults have wide experience and knowledge of a good number

of melodies. Adults have memorized these melodies and can even sing them as old

memories can reactivate the melodies in their brains. The problem is how to read the

notes composed by composers in order to transform these melodies into musical

notation by playing on the piano keyboard. Even when adults know the melodies

they still must know the basic rules of musical notation and how it is expressed and

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understood. This is the same as how children and mature adults consciously and

unconsciously know the rules of grammar and how sentences and phrases are

composed before they start to speak.

My own experience is based on starting to play the piano after passing the age of

sixty. I learned to play the piano for five years and still have a piano teacher. I have

now reached the stage of playing Beethoven’s Opus 57 (Appassionata) including the

first and the second movements. I have successfully played in recitals for small

groups after learning some easy classical music such as Mozart’s Andante Cantabile

(Opus 545), Schumann’s Träumelei, Chopin’s Nocturn Opus 9- No.2 Etudes Opus

25-18 (the Prelude of “Rain-drops”), and Grande Valse Brilliante Opus 18 with a

great applause. I would like to explain how I succeeded in playing the piano so

quickly.

2. The Basic Theory of Adult Music Learning: The Cognition and

Comprehension of the Compositional Structure of Music

In order to understand a composition and to play it on the piano, one must grasp

the basic principles of the tonal notations that are comparable to learning the

pronunciation and grammatical rules for foreign languages. These rules consist of at

least the following eight principles.

(1) The time values (i.e., the kind of notes, semi-breve, minim, crotchet, quaver,

etc.) and their durations.

(2) Bar lines, i.e., single or double bar lines that are comparable to phrases and

sentences with commas, colons, and semi-colons.

(3) Time signatures (i.e., 4/4, 2/4, 3/4, 12/8 which are written on the top of the

start of music; the number of the numerator on top signifies the counts of

each tones based on the bottom time values.)

(4) The understanding of octaves (ascending and descending the 8 steps of

pitches on the white keys of the piano and the 5 black keys within each

octave (which lower or heighten half or semi-tones usually called sharps and

flats.)

(5) Clefs: the treble (G) clef and the bass (F) clef. The former signifies the

upper parts of the notes written on the stave and this part is usually played

by the right hand. The latter signifies the lower parts of the notes written on

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the stave and this part is usually played by the left hand.

(6) Also to be understand are the equivalent time values, e.g., x 2 = ,

= 2 1/2, or 6 s, etc., and the corresponding signature for the rests,

, , , etc.

(7) (7) Other special notations such as the slur, , crescendo,

and decrescendo, turn, etc.

(8) Performance direction which is usually written at the start of classic music in

Italian such as allegro, adagio, andantino, and tempo. One must decide how to

follow the speed of play through this direction. (The above are based on E.

Taylor’s Music Theory in Practice, 1990, pp. 4-23.)

In addition, there are many more special signatures that are occasionally

encountered in many compositions such as the cancel, staccato, trill, and tremolo,

etc. Students should also be assisted in the fingering positions by a piano teacher.

The next step is how to transform the acquired musical notations into the

composed text written by the composer. This process occasionally helps to activate

the melody that was previously learned and experienced which is stored in the adult

memory.

3. Practice with Simple Melodies to Get Acquainted with the Above Notations

Here are two abbreviated musical melodies. The first was written by Beethoven

and is the last part of the Chorus in the 9th Symphony. The second was written by

Johannes Brahms and is the beginning of his Symphony No. 1. 1

Both melodies are heard quite often and everybody knows these melodies quite

well. If an adult tries to play these streams of notes while paying attention to their

basic time values, then the adult can play very easily and comfortably.

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< Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Chorus D-minor >

< Symphony No.1 - Theme >

Even with the above simple melodies, we learn that each stream of melody is

made up, together with the upper and lower tones, of a stream of harmony in

succession of single time values for which the composers organized the tonal

elements into a beautiful structure of phrases and articulations.

4. Learning More Complex Phrases and Articulations by Some Noted

Composers

I would like to demonstrate in the following how I learned a series of sonatas and

compositions in other styles written by some noted composers such as those of

Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin, the most well-known Western classical composers

today. I did this by discovering some common principles that are hidden in their

compositions.

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The basic principles that I found, while learning the works of those great

composers, consist of the following.

(1) Each of the above composers, as well as all others, have invented their own

characteristic tonal harmonies and they have used them for the variation and

transformation in phrasing and articulation.

(2) Each work, especially sonatas, has its own repetition. This means that learners

must first understand the major tonal characteristics, main theme, or motif of a

composition and the succession and repetition of tones or the variations which

usually link the major themes. Then the learner will be able to relatively easily

play the parts of the bar lines contained in a phrase and can then move on to the

second phrase.

(3) The next phrase may be quite a new form of a phrase accompanied by a

modulation, but the point to note is the position or the role that this phrase

plays in the entire structure of the composition.

Generally speaking, each composition consists of (i) introduction of the theme

(or motif), (ii) response to the theme (motif), (iii) transposition or modulation

of the tonal phrases and (iv) conclusion of all the developments (coda). In this

way a composition very much resembles the characteristics of one’s speech

processing or a style.

(4) Each composition usually consists of the repetition of a phrase. The learner

must understand how and in what manner such a part must be played in both

style and speed (crescendo and decrescendo; louder and softer) in unison with

the upper tones or separately. This depends entirely upon the correct and

precise reading of the notations written by the composer.

(5) Piano players must be conscious of the complete tonal movements, followed by

the performance direction. Sometimes this is distinctively in a staccato fashion

and at other times in a legato fashion. The learner must grasp the whole stream

of musical events, parts and wholes, continuation and grouping, similarity, and

transposition as an organized experience of music as a whole. (cf. Köhler,

Gestalt Psychology, Liverlight Paper-bound edition, 1970, p. 236.)

A. Mozart’s Sonata

The following points may stand out for understanding Mozart’s sonata.

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(1) The repetition of accompanying notes (usually played by the left hand). The

following example is from Andante Cantabile (Opus 545). The lower tones

(with the left hand) start with: sol-re, si-re, and then la-re and do-re (first bar

line, in Italian notation), etc. In other words, one tone is replaced by another

tone. The upper tone played by the right hand takes only one minim out of 4

groups of semiquavers or a pair of crotchets in accordance with the lower tones

played by the left hand.

(2) There is always repetition of the group of harmonic melodies which are played

with the right and left hands either simultaneously or alternatively.

(3) Many of Mozart’s sonatas accompany alternatively bright melodies (expressed

by sharp notes of do- fa-sol) and sad melodies (expressed by flat notes of la-mi-

sol-mi-re ).

Some of the easiest parts of Mozart’s music are reproduced here.2

< Eine kleine Nachtmusik >

B. Chopin’s Example

Some of Chopin’s earlier and simpler work can also be analyzed in the following

way. This does not always include Chopin’s difficult piano music in different genres

such as Mazurkas, Polonaises, Waltzes, Ballads, and Nocturnes which liberalized the

tonal structures, combined the elements of Polish dancing, used bright tones, and

expressed his delicate moods and sentiments in sublimated forms. The latter is

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especially expressed in his Nocturnes, Etudes, and Waltzes which use a number of

alternations of sharps and flats in staves.

(1) There is continuation of the same tones (cf. the beginnings and the middle of

the Etude “Raindrops”, and also at the start of the Grand Valse Brilliante,

Opus 18. See the beginning parts of both compositions.

(2) There is also repetition of a group of harmonic melodies.

(3) In these two compositions, there is no major modulation of the tonal

structures compared with his other difficult pieces. Inexperienced pianists

can follow the stream of melodies in such phrases after understanding the

structure of the above examples. Here are two relatively simple examples of

Chopin’s work that are mentioned above.

(cf. Chopin’s Etudes 28-15 (the Prelude of “Rain-drops”) in the opening

phrase and the middle parts (depicting the rainfall) and the opening

paragraph of the Grand Valse Brilliante Opus 18.)

< Grande Valse Brillante >

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C. Beethoven’s Sonata

While Beethoven composed 32 different sonatas in his life, the style and the

contents of his works are quite different from his earlier stage. The characteristic

tonal elements of his phrases (mostly melancholic and suddenly bursting out in

tones), however, can be traced in each of his compositions.

His most well-known sonatas were composed in the accomplished period when

Beethoven was in his late twenties and early thirties. These sonatas are his Opus No.

13 (Pathetic), Opus No. 27-2 (Moonlight), and Opus No. 57 (Appassionata).

In the latter two sonatas, some of the easy parts are found as follows. The

moonlight starts with the four groups of sol-do-mi in the first bar line of the treble-

clef and changes gradually like la-do-mi, la-do-mi, la-re-fa, and la-re-fa in the next

bar line in the performance direction of adagio sostenuto.

While the opening paragraph of the Opus 57 (Appassionata) is very fast (in

allegro assai), followed by slow and fast bursting phrases alternatively in 12/8 time

signature, the second part consists of harmonic melodies written in both treble clefs.

The melodies are la-do la-do-fa sol-si-mi, 3 sol-sis, la-do sol-si (upper tones) sol-si

(middle), and sol-si (lower tones) and the second tones written in the treble-clef

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consist of the repetition of mi (upper tones).

The second part starts with a bass clef la-do - mi - la , la-do - mi - la , la-do - mi - la , and

la-do - mi - la and goes up to a series written in treble clef. This series is do-mi la - la

(combination of upper and a lower tones), do - do , la - la , so l- so l , si-si, so l- so l , la - la , mi,

fa - re , do-mi, do-si, and mi-re-do-mi, etc., which constitute a song of praise for a

lover who may have been one of Beethoven’s sweethearts.

(cf. The beginning of Beethoven’s Moon Light and Opus 57 (Appassionata).

< Moon Light Sonata (Sonata quasi Fantasia) >

< Beethoven’s Opus 57, First Movement >

(second paragraph and the following)

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The first part of his Opus 57 consists of a long phrasing with a theme (motif)

followed by the second and the third part with different tonal styles which use

transpositions. The fourth part consists of a large variation of up and down

movements ending with a small adagio. The coda of the fifth part starts with piu

allegro and ends with rather a calm phrasing.

In this way, most of the Beethoven’s sonatas consist of a long series of phrases

divided by first, second, and third movements. The first and the third movements are

very quick and involve bursting tones, while the middle, or second movement,

usually is constituted of a rather calm, comfortable phrasing. It is rather difficult in

this context to play all the parts smoothly as indicated by his performance direction.

One can still find the simple and very characteristic tones of Beethoven even in these

difficult phrases such as fa-la-do-fa, mi-do-mi-so-do or the same repetition of tones

like mi, la-do, and do-mi-la as is exemplified in the parts of Opus 57 above.

5. Conclusion

I can make the following conclusions about the present stage that I have reached

after five years of learning as a late beginner.

(1) An increase in the skills of reading and understanding musical notes and

scores, as well as an increase in the skills of finger movements.

The latter skills can further be improved through practice with the assistance

of a piano teacher, and listening to CDs and the performances of good

pianists.

(2) Piano playing is analogous to the mechanical learning of other skills such as

using computer key boards, word processors, E-mail, and the Internet which

are all recently developed technological innovations. The only difference

between music and these other techniques exists in the skill of hearing

musical sounds and of memorizing them distinctively. The mimicry of motor

movements after piano teachers seems to be very important with regard to

the finger movements.

(3) The problem of the speed as written at the head of each composition

(performance direction, such as allegro, presto, largo, etc.) and the problem

of coordination of the left and right hands still exists. This will be improved

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by further practice and by listening to many performances of experienced

pianists.

(4) (4) Looking back I can see that it was rather slow when I first learned the

understanding of the music fundamentals. I had skill from the beginning,

however, concerning expressing the melodies that I have heard since my

childhood. I also had strong motivation to become a good piano player and

musician. I have not forgotten to practice and what seemed to be difficult at

the beginning some time ago could be overcome by rest and practice. In this

context, I think what Professor Bartlett called “effort after meaning” was

activated in my mind concerning the memorization of melodies. That is to

say that a schemata of tonal elements was enlivened unconsciously in my

brain (Bartlett, 1932, 1995).

Now I have had good experience in the deep feeling and delicate emotions of

composers as to how they expressed themselves in their compositions.

I can now identify with them in the expression of melodies, harmonies, and

rhythms with certain forms of musical notation, phrasing and articulation,

modulation, ornamentation, and pauses.

Notes

1. 1)Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 adapted from Tomoe Kitamura (1994). Piano

Lessons for Adult Beginners , Ongaku-no-tomosha, p. 19.

2)Brahms Symphony No. 1 from James Bastien (1981), Favorite Classic

Melodies , Kjes, West, San Diego, California, p. 9.

2. 1)Mozart, KV. 545 Zen-on Piano Library (1956), Mozart Sonaten 2.

P. 236.

2)Mozart, KV. 525 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Zen-on Piano Library (1988) p. 4.

3. 1)Chopin, Opus 28-15, Zen-on Piano Library (1955) pp. 29-30.

2)Chopin, Grand Valse Brilliante Opus 18, Zen-on Music for Piano, No. 128, p.

1.

4. 1)Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata, Zen-on Music, Music for Piano, No. 1. P. 1.

Beethoven, Opus 57 (Appassionata) G. Henle Verlag, p.4.

References

1. Taylor, E. (1990). Music Theory in Practice, London, The Associated Board of

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the Royal School of Music.

2. Baxter, H. and M. (1993). The Right Way to Read Music, U.K. Right Way.

3. Keller, H. (1955). Phrasierung und Artikulation. Translated by Uemura, K. and

Fukuda, T. (1969), Tokyo, Ongaku-no-tomo-sha.

4. Köhler, W. (1947). Gestalt Psychology: An Introduction to New Concepts in

Modern Psychology , New York, Liverlight, reprinted in 1970.

5. 5. Bartlett, F.C. (1932). Remembering: An Experimental and Social Study.

Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, reprinted in 1995.