John Thompson Modern Course Grade 1

Sophia · 2024-12-06T01:55:48+00:00

I took a little break from both Alfred and the blues course to play through my old John Thompson book. And suddenly I found I was recording the entire book 🙂...

candela

Animisha I'm wondering what the books he's referring to were like, if he thinks his is on the slower side?

In the end a lot also comes down to interpretation. While "at speed" is measurable, "cleanly and correctly" are matters of interpretation, and the expectations for a student in the first five years can not be the same as for someone more experienced.

Animisha

candela I'm wondering what the books he's referring to were like, if he thinks his is on the slower side?

Yes, who knows. He lived 1889-1963, so I guess those fast books are all gone and forgotten by now.

candela

Animisha Or were absolute beginners perhaps given one of those Albums for the Young on their first day at the keyboard?

Either way, as piano students of today, I think the important thing is for each of us to find a way that benefits our own situation and not get discouraged if we realize that we'd better take significantly more time than a year per book or whatever self-imposed assumed framework we could feel pressured to follow.

hebele

I went through "The Fairy Court" from JT1 today. At first I thought something was off with the articulations so I checked "LetsPlayPianoMethods" YT and what do I see? In the comments, @Sophia from last year is clarifying the articulations, specifically it might be a misprint in the old book 😀. Yet another reminder of my place in the beginner scale.

The piece itself was fun. I've ended up following the misprint because it looked like a good exercise to flip staccatos for LH.

Sophia

Oooh yes I remember! I too was puzzled because the sudden changes in the 3rd line didn't seem to fit the piece at all. And my book showed it as "normal". Then I compared with the free downloadable version and mine was entirely different. Kudos for trying to play it as written in the uncorrected version - that's actually a lot harder!

I just had a peek at book 2 which starts with an adorable yodeling exercise (no, not by voice, I. Do. Not. Sing. Be glad of that😂). I'm still wrapping up Alfred 3, and then I can get at it in full swing. Looking forward to it!

pseudonym58

I haven't read through all posts to this thread, but is this the same book that has the subtitle "Teaching little fingers to play"? Perhaps that's the preparatory volume to the one that is performed on the initial video.
I've had great success, as I've mentioned before, with Donald Waxman's "Piano pageants" series, which are written in a slightly more modern idiom. Waxman is an accomplished composer (I believe he's still alive at 100 or so!), and the difference shows. I think ultimately it's a bit more interesting for the children.

Sophia

pseudonym58 Perhaps that's the preparatory volume to the one that is performed on the initial video.

Yes, exactly, the Teaching Little Fingers is a primer, whereas the (not so) Modern Course is more of a next level book. Though I believe the Teaching Little Fingers is a book series as well, right? In that case, I wouldn't be surprised if they overlapped at some point. The Modern Course definitely assumes the student has some knowledge (and a teacher) and starts right away with hands together without so much as explaining the notes.

pseudonym58 Donald Waxman's "Piano pageants" series ... I think ultimately it's a bit more interesting for the children.

Thank you! I must look that up. One can never go through enough method/beginner books 😄

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