Taught by renowned instructor
Barbara Nissman
In this lesson, American pianist Barbara Nissman guides you through Bartók's Allegro Barbaro, one of his most popular and influential work for piano.<br><br>Nissman, who literally wrote the book on playing Bartók's piano music, reveals the historical context in which the work was first conceived and interpreted (or, misinterpreted). Bartók's own recording is a great reference point for anyone approaching this work for the first time.<br><br>Diving into the opening material, Nissman shows you the importance of keeping a consistent pulse, and using accents to help punctuate the ostinato rhythm and capture the relentless, driving character of the music. The piece is filled with "vamp" material, and Nissman shows how not to lose track of how many repetitions you've played.<br><br>In the many rapid octave passages, make sure you stay loose and experiment with throwing the hand. It is also important to use gravtity to your advantage, and allow the hand to fall freely.<br><br>While the piece is almost always moving forward, there is a structurally significant improvisatory section with a flexible tempo. Nissman shows how to feel this elusive passage, and how to reveal the many layers of the texture as the music returns to tempo.
Allegro Barbaro
In this lesson, American pianist Barbara Nissman guides you through Bartók's Allegro Barbaro, one of his most popular and influential work for piano.
Nissman, who literally wrote the book on playing Bartók's piano music, reveals the historical context in which the work was first conceived and interpreted (or, misinterpreted). Bartók's own recording is a great reference point for anyone approaching this work for the first time.
Diving into the opening material, Nissman shows you the importance of keeping a consistent pulse, and using accents to help punctuate the ostinato rhythm and capture the relentless, driving character of the music. The piece is filled with "vamp" material, and Nissman shows how not to lose track of how many repetitions you've played.
In the many rapid octave passages, make sure you stay loose and experiment with throwing the hand. It is also important to use gravtity to your advantage, and allow the hand to fall freely.
While the piece is almost always moving forward, there is a structurally significant improvisatory section with a flexible tempo. Nissman shows how to feel this elusive passage, and how to reveal the many layers of the texture as the music returns to tempo.
Click below to access hundreds of exclusive piano courses, available only on tonebase.
Unlock Course →Hailed as “one of the last pianists in the grand Romantic tradition of Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Rubinstein,” Barbara Nissman continues the grand bravura tradition of romantic pianism.
read full bio →Explore 1,000+ in-depth lessons taught by GRAMMY winners, Juilliard professors, and world-renowned performers, covering everything from timeless repertoire to advanced technique and artistry.
