By Alvesgaspar - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3112480
Mozzie Elissa Milne Grade 2 ABRSM 2023 – 2024
Character/story of the piece – clearly the title is the starting point for this music. The player could imagine a story about ‘The Moment in the Life of a Mosquito and Myself’. This mosquito is annoying and persistent, a word that Elissa Milne uses at the beginning of the piece. In bars 1 – 4, the person is just becoming aware that there is a mosquito in their vicinity. In the following four bars the mosquito is coming closer and a little annoying. Bars 4 and 8 represent the mosquito momentarily flying away. By bar 9 the mosquito is becoming persistent and from there a battle ensues between the person and mosquito before they find a truce in the penultimate bar. Quiet returns with the final low note. It would be advisable if the player has a good understanding of how a mosquito flies and pauses as the mercurial and changeable nature of their flight is depicted vividly in this piece.
The ABRSM Teaching Notes for 2005 – 2006 state ‘the co-ordination between the hands in bars 5 – 7 will catch many out, and the final two bars are easy to misjudge’.
Main part of the piece – the composer has provided many details for the interpretation of this piece. The main part of the piece is placed in the penultimate bar at a fortissimo level which is entirely appropriate for this piece. Considering that the dynamics are at a fortissimo level the player should ensure that the dynamics are not too loud and harsh. A crescendo to the final chord of the set will help to guard against that occurring.
Form – as this piece is a character piece it would be appropriate to assume that it does not necessarily have a standard form. However, there are two sections, one from bars 1 – 8 where the same melodic material has been used in the two phrases. The second section, commencing at bar 9, contains a new melodic fragment with the lower part in bar 10 using a modified pattern of the opening material. This pattern becomes the dominant one until the penultimate bar.
Phrasing – there are four phrases in this piece, each four bars long with the final phrase extended by one bar as this last note is held over into the last bar. This piece seems to be in D minor although the B flat is not used. There are numerous chromatic notes which add colour and interest to the piece.
Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns – clearly a suitable tempo is paramount regarding the interpretation for this piece. Too fast a tempo will result in many of the details not being realized and of course, too a slow a tempo will not portray the mercurial and changeable nature of the flight patterns. There are a few rhythmic patterns that could cause concern for players, for example the pattern in bar 4 and the way the patterns, at times, provide no respite between them. Constant use of the metronome is important so that the piece remains taut and rhythmic in style. The rests in this piece must be considered part of the melodic patterns, ‘play’ the rests so that they are an integral part of the music.
Touch/Articulation – there are numerous ways that the player can portray the character of the piece and the articulation and touch required when playing this piece, are no exceptions. Here the player should commence using a slightly intense touch which should increase in intensity in the second phrase. From bar 10 a more legato/cantabile touch should be used, with the L.H. gradually returning to an intense touch throughout bars 13 – 16. There are no second guesses require concerning the articulation, the composer has provided many instructions regarding this. Considering the staccato dots at the ends of the melodic patterns, here the player should detach these notes but not excessively so. These notes must contrast with those staccato notes that stand on their own, however these, apart from the chords in the penultimate bar are crotchet notes, so should not be too shortened. The lifts required, for example in bars 1, 11 and 12, are vitally important to play.
Balance between the hands – overall, this is not as aspect that requires much consideration. Nevertheless, the player must be constantly aware of how the hands are responding to each other.
By gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K. - P1110094, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49991215
Dynamics – obviously this is another aspect that will contribute considerably to the character of the piece. A wide range of dynamics must be employed and sudden changes in the dynamics are appropriate too. The player must know where the loudest and quietest parts of the music are so that the dynamics are effective. The quietest parts are in bar 9 and the final note, these being noted by the composer. As discussed before, the player must ensure that any significantly loud notes or chords are not harsh or overly strident in tone. Using weight from the shoulder with a pliant wrist will remove this possibility. The application of the dynamics in this piece requires a certain degree of aplomb and confidence.
Agogic effects – this aspect does not apply when playing this piece; to a certain extent these effects have been written in such as in bars 4, 8 and 16.
Considerations when playing this piece –
· This is a difficult piece to commence, the player must ensure that the first note is sounded with definition and precision. The L.H. no. 5 finger must ‘feel’ as if it is ready to play.
· For most of the time there is only one hand playing at any given time however where the hands play together, such as in bars 4, 8 and 16, the player must consider how loud the overall sound should be. For example, in bar 4 the dynamics should not be significantly louder than the dynamics of the previous bar. This will result in a dynamic level that sounds as if only one hand is playing.
· The accented notes must be obvious to the listener; the player should feel as if they are ‘leaning’ into these notes using weight from the shoulder.
· In bar 4 the dynamics should decrease, resulting in a ‘float off’ sound however, as a contrast the dynamics in bars 8 and 12 should increase in dynamics resulting in an increase in the tension of the music.
· In bars 5 – 8, the R.H. is not a passive partner, the R.H. should help to contribute to the overall dynamics without overpowering the L.H.
· There are a few instances where the top note of a chord needs to be highlighted such as the one in the last R.H. chord in bar 12.
· The player must always be thinking of what is coming next, because changes are required on a constant basis throughout this piece.