By jagdi - https://pixabay.com/photos/dragonfly-azure-bridesmaid-insect-540839/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91839953
In the ABRSM Teaching notes for this piece there is a paragraph concerning some fingering suggestions for substitution in bars 6 and 23 which is advice worth considering.
Character/story of the piece - clearly the title of the piece provides the inspiration for the interpretation for the piece. Many players may not have had exposure to a dragonfly darting and flying about and this should be discussed before the player commences learning the piece. The player needs to have an image in their minds of a dragonfly darting about in search of food. The direction of the melodic fragments determine what the dragonfly is doing at any given time. At the beginning the dragonfly is swooping down and the back up again. From bar 9 these movements are reversed with the dragonfly flying upwards first before swooping down at the end of the phrase. In bar 16, the dragonfly stops flying for a moment and rests on a tree or rock. At the end of the piece the player could imagine the dragonfly flying away out of sight.
Form - this piece is in ternary form, with the first and third sections repeated exactly. The middle sections contrasts with the outer sections as the phrases have more of an overall ascending movement. Each section contains two phrases of four bars each.
Main part of the music - this should occur in bar 16 where the player could imagine that the dragonfly has momentarily having a rest. Even though the composer has marked forte, the notes in this bar must not be played with harshness at all. Also, the player needs to being out the top note of the RH chord as the melody moves to this note.
Phrasing - there are six phrases in total, with two phrases in each section and each phrases consists of four bars. Each two phrases in each section should be considered as a pair, as if the second phrase is an answer to the first phrase. The player needs to think very carefully how the first phrase of each set connects to the second phrase. The first and third sections end in F major however the second section finishes in C major.
Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns - Marjorie Helyer has been quite specific about the tempo by stating allegretto grazioso at the beginning of the piece. A speed of 126 crotchet beats per minute is advisable because this will mean that the music has an opportunity to ‘breathe’, feel unhurried and be graceful in character. As is always the case, playing this piece faster than this will result in some of the details being lost such as the lifts and the rests. However, if played too slowly, the image of the dragonfly darting bout will not be conveyed. Although the piece is written in triple time, there are instances where the music feels as if there are fewer bar lines present, so a strict three-in-a-bar is not always necessary. There are no particularly complex rhythms present in this piece for a Grade One player however many may find that their playing of the quaver patterns is uneven. This can be overcome by ensuring that the fingers are equally curved and the thumb is not played too flat, by saying the time names whilst playing these patterns and ensuring that all fingers and thumb lift off the keys with equal precision. There is a danger that the player may not hold onto the dotted minims for long enough such as in bar 1.
By jagdi - https://pixabay.com/photos/dragonfly-azure-bridesmaid-insect-540839/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91839953
Touch and articulation - clearly Marjorie Helyer is requiring that this piece is played with a legato touch for most of the time. A small amount of weight will need to be used from the shoulders however an overall cantabile touch is not appropriate for the character of the piece. In the second section the player could at times use a slightly brighter and intense touch to highlight the changes in melodic material as well as the climax of the piece. The LH has two roles to play, firstly as part of the melody as in bar 1 and a resonant role when playing the dotted minims. Marjorie Helyer has been specific with her articulation marks and these must be observed. In my opinion lifting both hands gently at the end of the bars such as 2, 3 and 4 helps to lighten the music. And, playing the RH staccato in bar 12 adds an additional dimension to the phrase.
Balance between the hands - obviously this is not a conventional RH balance type of piece, as in some bars, the LH should be the louder one such as bars 2, 3 and 4. The player must be listening very keenly to how the hands join dynamically from one to the other as the music should sound as if one hand is playing. In this piece the LH mostly generates the music. At the ends of the first and third sections the hands should blend together as one.
Dynamics - Marjorie Helyer has entered some dynamic markings however it would be prudent to employ a wider range of dynamics. In the second section Marjorie Helyer uses crescendo and diminuendo markings with one place just before the climax to forte. It would be advisable to commence the second section at pianissimo so that a wide range of dynamics can be used in this section. Nevertheless, the overall dynamic played in this piece should be piano or mezzo-piano as this will portray the lightness and delicacy required.
Agogic effects - small touches of rubato in this piece will add to the character of the music. Any use of rubato could be referred to how the dragonfly hovers or changes direction. It would be wise to maintain the tempo of the first section without any variances. In the second section, a couple of accelerations prior to a small slowing down leading to the climax, would be appropriate. In bar 16 the player should pause a little to let some of the sound die away. The rit must be observed in the final three bars of the piece.
Considerations when playing this piece -
· A very light delicate touch is necessary.
· Arm gestures should be used to indicate the way the dragonfly flies. Apparently a dragonfly can fly backwards.
· There should be no accent on the first notes of the phrases, the music should sound as if it is joining in with other music that is being played.
· The player should imagine that the dragonfly is flying around them as they stay in the same place.
· The player could imagine that in bar 16 the dragonfly has landed on a tree and at the end, the dragonfly has flown away.
· In bars 9 - 16 the dragonfly could be flying further away before coming back to where the person is standing.
· Some players may find playing the chords in bars 8 and 24 quietly enough and in synchronisation with each other. This is an area where controlled weight into the keys is important.
· At the end, the player needs to lift both hands in unison with the fingers touching the keys.
· In bar 16 the player should highlight the C in the RH chords as this is where the melody moves to.
Here is a link to a RNZ page that describes dragonflies in detail.