As a general rule, we tend to learn entire pieces rather than just parts of them. However, I can think of three occasions where it might well be worth learning only a part rather than the entire thing.
Increasing Diversity in Practice
One idea that I’ve heard before but read most recently in Penelope Roskell’s book The Complete Pianist, is around Studies/Etudes. Basically, it could well be worth learning 1 page of 10 different Etudes rather 10 pages of a single one. This is because individual Etudes focus on specific elements. As a result, by working on several rather than one, we are exposing ourselves to a great range of technical challenges.
Basic Etudes
In fact, I’d probably go even further and say that often there’s probably little benefit going beyond 8 measure/bars. Often the remainder often introduces very little extra. This is almost always the case say with something like Czerny School of Velocity (Op. 299).
For a set of lessons on Czerny’s 8 Bar Exercises, check out the Practising the Piano Online Academy.
Concert Etudes
Even for something like the Chopin Etudes which of course are concert pieces in themselves, there is a lot to be said for learning only a part of them initially. If, for example, we can’t bring up to speed the first 8 measures of Op. 25 No. 2, then why put ourselves through the effort of learning the notes for the remainder. Far better to focus on learning just the first 8 measures of No. 2 initially to see how we get on. We would then free up some time to work on Op. 25 No. 1 at the same time!
When the entire piece is too difficult
There is lots of really beautiful music around that perhaps at the moment is well above our pay grade. However, nothing really stops us from abridging something and simply enjoying the parts that we are able to play.
Chopin Etude No. 3 in E
A good example would be Chopin’s Etude No. 3 in E Op. 10 (commonly known as Tristesse). I was spellbound by this the first time I heard it on the radio – played by Maurizio Pollini. I did try to learn it at the time (30+ years ago) but some parts were far too difficult for me. However, I did learn to play the opening 20 or so measures plus the ending (and then repeating that). It gives a gorgeous little self-contained piece which, OK is not as amazing as the entire thing, but is most certainly worth playing.
Chopin Ballade No. 4
Another example is the Ballade No. 4. I’m not sure I’ll ever be accomplished enough to give a convincing performance of that. However, the first 57 or so measures aren’t incredibly out of my reach. With a little imagination, it’s easy enough to abridge by using a little repeat and then incorporating a transposition of the introduction as a little coda. Again, nobody would pay good money to hear me play it, but for my own delight at home I’m not going to be shy!
Aside the pleasure side of things, working even on just parts of such pieces I’m convinced will develop our playing immeasurably!
Supplementary Material
One thing I discovered some time ago is that when we find something difficult to do in any particular piece, it generally pays dividends to practice that very same thing in a different piece.
So, say for example we’re struggling with the 3/2 polyrhythm in Debussy’s 1st Arabesque, we can look for other pieces that contain that same polyrhythm. However, rather than use the entire piece, we can just learn the portion around the polyrhythm so we’re solving the same problem in two different pieces.
I am a digital subscriber to Pianist Magazine. I use the Scores section for my sight reading. Whilst doing this, I started to created a list for myself of music that features specific technical challenges. In Issue 85, there is a piece by Granados called Cancion de Mayo which also features a 3/2 polyrhythm in the very same key! Thus, incorporating practising part of this piece alongside the Arabesque works out really well.
Learn the rest later!
Naturally, once we’ve learned just a part of something, nothing is to stop us from later learning the entire piece. I’m still working on the ‘difficult’ bits of Chopin’s Etude No. 3 in E to this day. Just the passage in double 6ths to get now!
For a set of lessons on Czerny’s 8 Measure Exercises, check out the Practising the Piano Online Academy. You can then apply all these same principles to any other Etude!
