By Romualdo López Ballesteros - Museo del Prado, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148364197
Romance in G Op. 52 no. 4 Hummel Grade 4 ABRSM 2023 – 2024
This piece has been in the ABRSM piano syllabus once before, this being in 2003 – 2004. Hummel was born in Slovakia in 1778 and died in Germany in 1837. Hummel was taught by Mozart for two years and later his father took him on a European tour. One of the stops was in London where he received tuition from Clementi. He was in contact with Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert and he influenced a later generation of composers including Mendelssohn, Schumann and Chopin.
Character/story of the piece – this piece has a simple song-like character which is cheerful and uncomplicated. Perhaps the player could imagine a group of friends setting out on a long walk. In the first section the friends are all gathering together followed by some indecision as to where to go in the second section. In the final section the friends are off on their walk having decided on the destination. It would be wise for the player to create some words that fit the melodic line of the music.
The following is from the ABRSM piano notes for 2003 – 2004 – ‘this is a naïve, entrancing piece – essentially a cheerful song full of sunshine and carefree days. Don’t be deceived by its apparent innocence, however. It requires great subtlety of balance and control, as any unevenness or unwanted accents will quickly spoil the simplicity and unsettle the listener’.
Form – as already mentioned, there are three sections in this piece. The first section ends at bar 8. At this point the music is in D major having modulated from G major. The second section commences in D major, and the music moves through various keys before ending on the dominant of D minor at bar 20. The third section commences in G major, and this is the key that it remains in this section. In the second section the keys used are – D minor, BB major, EB major, G minor and D minor. These constant key changes provide a degree of uncertainty and restlessness to the music. There is a coda commencing at bar 28.
Main part of the music – this should occur in bar 26 as indicated by the forzando indication. Nevertheless, the player must ensure that even though the dynamic level is forte at this point, the playing of the forzando is persuasive rather than percussive. Considering that the style of this piece appears to be more Classical rather than Romantic the dynamics employed when playing this piece must be appropriate for the style and period.
Phrasing – in the first section there are two phrases containing four bars each, and these two phrases complement each other creating a ‘question and answer’ effect. There are three phrases in the middle section which are of varying lengths. The first phrase is four bars long; however, the second phrase is shortened to just over three bars long. By shortening this phrase, a degree of urgency occurs in the music. And the final phrase is this section is nearly five bars long.
Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns – in the Grade 4 ABRSM examination book for 2003 – 2004 the suggested tempo indication is crotchet = c.72 which is an appropriate speed for the piece. If played at a slower tempo the music will sound laboured and lacking in vitality. Some players may find difficulty with some of the rhythmic patterns considering the numerous ornaments in this piece and the use of the double dotted crotchet/semiquaver pattern. Firstly, regarding the ornaments, the use of time names will be particularly beneficial when they are being learnt. Once they are well learnt, the ornament should be incorporated into the melodic line. And, once the ornaments are secure in the melodic line the hands should be played together, firstly at a slow speed before gradually being sped up. The ABRSM notes for 2003 – 2004 and the footnotes of this year’s exam book state – ‘the R.H. dotted rhythms are usually assimilated to the L.H. triplets’. And, ‘conventionally, the R.H. semiquavers following dotted notes are played together with the L.H. triplets. If they are played as written, they will sound snatched and incongruous’.
By AlbertHerring - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28679989
Touch/articulation – the footnotes to the ABRSM Grade 4 examination book state that ‘the phrasing, dynamics and expression marks have been supplemented by the editor’. In another ABRSM copy the marks that have been inserted by the editor are apparent because they are bracketed. Clearly this piece must be played with R.H. cantabile touch accompanied be a L.H. that is, as the ABRSM notes says ‘should be delicate and unobtrusive, keeping the fingers close to the key surface will help this, with perhaps just a little more weight towards the outside of the hands. A bit more tone can be afforded to the bottom notes, as they need to last a little longer and are further away in register from the tune’. There are slurs covering the notes within each bar which was common for the era. These slur marks should be ignored and the notes within a phrase should be played legato. Hummel has used a few rests in the melodic line. The player should notice how the application of the delicate staccato notes lightens the music in the final bars. A delicate lift in the R.H in bars, for example, 6 and 14 after the tied note will be effective.
Balance between the hands – obviously the balance is to the R.H. although the L.H. is an integral part of the music. As suggested, the first L.H. note should be played with a degree of resonance, and this will change according to the context. The lower the L.H. is played, the more resonance the first notes should receive.
Dynamics - as suggested before, considering that this piece is more Classical in style than Romantic. Any changes in the dynamics need to be carefully graded and the level of the dynamics used in a particular phrase must be though of in context with the dynamics of the piece overall. The loudest note of a phrase does not necessarily need to be the highest note. By playing the loudest notes nearer the end of a phrase, will result in the phrase sounding more dramatic in comparison with a phrase where the loudest part is in the middle or nearer to the start. Tone-matching is a necessary skill when playing this music and this is especially true for those notes which are played after a tied note, a longer note or a rest.
Ornaments – there is a danger that the ornaments may not be dynamically integrated into the melodic line. The player must be able to play with considerable attention to tone-matching. If an ornament is played with too much weight and/or dynamics the melodic line will be affected. The player must consciously think of reducing the weight at the point of playing any of the ornaments. All ornaments must have a sense of purpose; the player should consider why an ornament has been written in the music and this should influence how the ornament is played. The ornaments in this music have an expressive quality.
Rubato – small touches of rubato can be used when playing this piece however any rubato applied must not sound predictable or result in the rhythmic patterns being distorted. The fermata in bar 20 will allow some of the sound to die away before commencing the playing of the notes leading into the final section.
Pedal – the player will need to employ a range of pedalling skills so that the melodic line is not blurred. Any rests in the melodic line must be clearly heard by the listener.
Considerations when playing this piece –
· The forzando should be considered as being persuasive rather than percussive.
· The ABRSM piano notes for 2003 – 2004 state that ‘the melody must be given breadth, pliancy and plenty of dynamic shape’.
· It is a useful piece for discussing modulation.
· There are some sudden changes of register in the L.H. which will require considerable practise.
· The player will need to have a reasonably large hand considering the stretches that are involved at times.
· Why didn’t Hummel write this music in compound time? Perhaps it was the convention of the time.
· There is an interesting use of two-note slurs in bar 32.
· The L.H. patterns contain, on occasion, a feeling of unpredictability.
· Notice how Hummel has moved to a lower register at the end of the piece.
· The second section has a slightly unsettled quality with its constant key changes.