Kabalevsky, Dmitri, 30.12.1904 - 18.2.1987, Russian musician, 1966, from Alamy.com
This piece is always a winner; I have never found anyone who does not enjoy and respond to this mercurial and spontaneous piece. Here is an opportunity for the player to learn in a fun and rewarding setting such aspects as independence of hands, the use of a wide range of articulation and dynamic effects, varying touches and balance between the hands. It was part of the ABRSM Grade 3 syllabus in 1978 and again in 2017 - 2018.
It has been part of the ABRSM piano syllabus and recently it was in the Grade 3 2017-2018 one. In the ABRSM notes it states it is “immediately attractive with contradictions of tonality setting the scene of the circus-type tune. Rapid running notes, a spiky accompaniment and witty nudges abound; it is easy to picture clowns with bicycles and buckets of water creating mayhem”. And the Music Teacher magazine notes that the piece “reflects the clown’s perpetually oscillating happy or sad demeanour”.
There are a few pieces that could be learnt prior to studying this piece. They are the Beethoven Eccossaise in G major WoO 23, two of Linda Niamath’s compositions Playful Puppy and Penguins as well as two pieces from the Faber series 3B, Humouresque and I’ve Got Rhythm.
According to the ArchivMusic website “the music of Russian composer and teacher Dimitri Kabalevsky was hailed by Communist authorities as the finest incarnation of their artistic vision”. He was born in St Petersberg on the 30th December 1904 and he and his family moved to Moscow in 1918 where he began studying at the Scriabin Music School. His father was a mathematician and encouraged him to study mathematics however Kabalevsky showed an interest in music from a young age. He began composing at the age of 18. His early pieces were those for children, and he continued composing for children throughout his life. Kabalevsky entered the Moscow Conservatory in 1925 and he worked in the composition faculty from 1932 for the rest of his life. He was a contributor to pedagogical magazines. in 1940 he joined the Communist Party and in 1941 he received the Medal of Honour from the Soviet government for his musical prowess. He was one of a very few composers in 1948 who escaped the condemnation by the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Some of the scapegoats included Shostakovitch, Prokofiev, Khachaturian and Miaskovsky. Kabalevsky wrote in a wide range of musical genres such as symphonic works, choral works, ballets, operas, songs, music for the theatre and music for the Communist Party. He died in Moscow on the 14th February 1987.
Dmitri Kabalevsky playing fragments from his opera ' The Taras Family ' at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Dancheko Musical Theatre, surrounded by (l-r): producer L. Baratov, conductor S. Samosud, librettist S. Tsenin. Kabalevsky, Russian composer, 1904-1987. From Alamy.com
According to wikiwand “in general, Kabalevsky was not as adventurous as his contemporaries in terms of harmony, preferring a more conventional diatonicism, interlaced with chromaticism and major-minor interplay”. The major-minor interplay is present, of course in The Clowns.
Clowns, Kabalevsky
Character/story of the piece – considering the title of the piece the player has an excellent starting point when considering story of the piece. The constant changes between the major and minor mode suggest the happy and sad faces of a clown. Perhaps a second clown comes on at the end of bar 8. From the end of 12, both clowns could be involved in some kind of routine. At the end, the two clowns perform solo items at the end of bar 21 until the final three chords, where they both walk off the arena.
Form – possibly this piece could be referred to as ternary considering that part of the A section is repeated to a certain extent at the end. Basically it is a character in piece in the Romantic genre.
Main part of the music – this occurs in bars 16 to the beginning of bar 18. The ending is significant too, however this can be brought to the listener’s attention by the use of slightly quieter dynamics in comparison with the main part. The ending will be memorable because of the chords being played in both hands and the rests in the final bar. A slight slowing before the start of bar 17 will add a flourish to the music.
Phrasing - the phrasing is clear-cut in this piece. There are three phrases at the beginning of the piece that contain four bars each. The fourth phrase is extended, thus containing five bars and the final two phrases are each four bars long. The player should consider how the extension of the fourth phrase contributes to the character of the music.
Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns – there can be variances in the speed suggested for this piece, an ABRSM copy I have suggests q = 132, however some players may find this a little fast. A speed of q = 120 is appropriate and achievable for many players. The time signature of duple time provides the piece with a march-like quality and this is reinforced by many of the melodic patterns. To a certain extent, it feels as if the time signature becomes quadruple in effect during bars 13 – 17 with the change in the melodic and rhythmic material.
Touch/Articulation – here the player is required to use a variety of touches and Kabalevsky has provided the markings to help the player. On the whole, the LH plays with a staccato touch, however there are portato and accented chords in bars 13 – 17 and very staccato chords in both hands at the end. When the RH lifts off at the end of the short slurs, the fingers should stay in contact with the keys. The player should use very ‘precise’ fingers with well-curved fingers and at times the fingers need to be lifted reasonably high off the keys. When playing the accented notes, the player should use a small degree of shoulder weight applied with a flexible wrist and fluid elbow. In bars 16 and 17, the RH should play these notes semi-staccato so there is a contrast with the sharper staccato notes of the rest of the piece.
Balance between the hands - as one would expect, the balance is primarily to the RH however the LH should be played with a degree of resonance so that the music has depth and definition. In bars 13 – 17, the balance could be reduced as the LH chords play a significant role in this section. And, at the end of the piece the final three chords should be equally balanced between the hands bringing out the upper and lower notes.
Dynamics – the player has the opportunity in this piece to use colourful and dramatic dynamics. Again, Kabalevsky has marked in a number of dynamics in the piece. In addition to what Kabalevsky has marked in, the player could add a few more. For instance, at the beginning of the fourth phrase, the player could start at an mp level. It would be advisable for the player to not be too loud at the beginning of bar 18, so again perhaps commence this phrase at an mf level, thus leaving room for the increase in dynamics towards the end. There are two occasions where the player could use an echo where the material is repeated, as in bars 13 and 14 and 22 and 23.
Rubato – this is not a piece where rubato is a factor however a slight easing of the tempo at the end of bar 17 adds a charming touch to the music.
Considerations when learning this piece
· The playing of the LH patterns and maintaining the same degree of staccato on every note. The player should maintain a slightly stretched shape in their LH employing a small amount of rotation so that the thumb and little finger can reach the notes with ease. The player must be able to play this LH pattern without looking at the keys.
· The player needs to ensure that the rhythmic patterns are even. Here the player should make sure that their fingers are equally curved and their thumb is not dropping. And, using time names when playing the rhythmic patterns will be helpful too in maintaining evenness in the rhythm.
· The independence of the hands in relation to the articulation is another aspect the needs to be considered. One suggestion is to practice the articulation patterns on a flat surface away from the piano so that the player instinctively understands the gestures involved.
· The transition between the second and third phrases.
· The change of the RH melodic pattern in bar 15. Here the player could say the finger numbers of the RH in their head as they play.
· The constant changes in the articulation are another aspect for consideration.
· Holding onto some of the longer RH notes for their correct value and also acknowledging all of the rests correctly needs to be considered.
· The player needs to Hold their hands above the keys at the end of the piece to indicate that there are rests to complete the music.
· The player needs to consider how the anacrusis beginning of many of the phrases contributes to the character of the music.
· In some instances the thumb notes should not be played too loudly.
· Considering that some of the phrases contain similar melodic material there needs to be a feeling of momentum towards and away from the main part of each phrase so that there is shape and purpose.
· The player should look for places where they can relax, as it is a piece where tension could accumulate if the player is not being aware of how their wrists and forearms are performing when playing the piece.
· It will be advantageous for the player to have the RH placed well forward on the keys so that it is easier to play the black notes with the thumb.