Look Who it Was Random video

Slow Air - Ralph Vaughan Williams - ABRSM 2017/18 Grade 5 Piano B3 with TEACHING NOTES

1,882 views · Published 20 August 2016 · 2:51 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: MusicOnline UK · 2016 · Education

Watch on YouTube

Want a DISTINCTION in YOUR next ABRSM Exam? https://www.music-online.org.uk/2019/01/how-to-get-distinction-in-abrsm-exams.html Slow Air - Ralph Vaughan Williams - ABRSM 2017/18 Grade 5 Piano B3

TEACHING NOTES
Pedalling in this piece should not be overdone. There are so many details of articulation that could be lost by over-pedalling. In this video for example there is pedal on only 2 occasions; the 2nd beat of bar 5 (to help sustain the RH F right through to the next beat even though it needs to be lifted in order to repeat it (0:27) ) and again in bar 12 it is held until the beginning of the 3rd beat so that the chord can be hear as you progress up the arpeggio (0:59). 

The legato lines of this Slow Air should be achieved by good fingering, and often this piece, finger substitution is required. Practice this technique so that it can be done imperceptibly without bump (e.g. the second RH note of bar 7 - 0:38).

The hands are continually interchanging which part "takes the lead" and Vaughan Williams has indicated this with frequent "cantando" markings. However, you should use your ear to listen for more subtle nuances - look at bars 5 and 6 for example how the interest weaves from hand to hand (0:27).

In bar 9 notice the accents on the low A's. This creates a dischord with the bottom B flat and Vaughan Williams indicates that this should be brought out by a slight leaning on this note.  (0:47)

-~-~~-~~~-~~-~-
Please watch: "STOP PRESS - Sample Papers for the NEW style ABRSM Music Theory Papers AVAILABLE NOW!!" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZX0gKgma2M
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to MusicOnline UK on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/7Cbh8cZ9RHTwqdPlZxGHQc ~~~~~~~~~~~
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xqQPQuxdxPbwfa5GYm_rQ/join

More from this channel