A student of mine, one who has been playing for about 3 years has "mastered the fugal form". He is 17 now His repertoire is 1. The full WTC Fugues 2. The Hammerklavier Fugue 3. The fugue from op.110 of beethoven 4. Fugues of Mendelsohn 6. 59 other fugues. He has 123 Fugues in his Repertoire and just 1 year ago he was struggling with the Anna Magdalena Notebook with a learning rate of a piece every 6 months. What in the world is this?

-- Patrick "Mister Rogers" Julian (Noname_Poster@duloafranc.com), July 13, 2003

Answers

"Mister Rogers"

What in the world is this? The first word that comes to mind is MIRACLE! Really, it's quite astounding. The real answers are perhaps motivation, and brain development. The student had to be motivated, first of all. Next, fugues require more than a one-track brain. Each hand is working separately, and this truly does require a different type of brain function. Is he mixed- handed? By this I mean does he perform some activities with left hand and some with the right? Often large motor skills will be with one hand, and small motor skills with the opposite.

Fugues also play into a more abstract form than melodic pieces. This seems to have some correlation with the mathmatical ability of the musician.

I would love to hear some other theories on this subject!

-- Ruth Farkas (satb88@sbcglobal.net), July 14, 2003.

Oh crap, I just found out that he has been playing for THIRTEEN years, and he was struggling with the AMN because of the fact that he didn't want to practice it. It is still a big achievement, I would hope to learn even 20 fugues in my life. My repertoire is so stocked with Beetoven Sonatas, Mozart Concertos, Chopin Etudes, Brahms Cappricios and Intermezzos, Debussy and Rach Preludes, Rach Concertos, for the sole purpose of giving Recitals. I have given at least 3500 recitals in my 20 year career. I currently have 43 students. I have 10 students more prodigous than him relatively, and loosely. WHAT IN THE WORLD CAN I DO WITH THESE STUDENTS!!! They will eventually expend my teaching, in about 10 years at least. 2 of them are his age, 5 started at ages 4, 5, or 6. 5 started at ages 7,8,9,10,12. One of the two plays 6 Mozart Concertos, 14!!! Chopin Etudes, 10 Bach Fugues and Preludes, 4 Mozart Sonatas, 6 Beethoven Sonatas ( Hammerklavier!!!, Op. 110, 111, Waldstein, Appasionata, Op 10. No. 3.), 6 Rach Preludes, 5 Debussy Preludes, Prokofiev Concerto No. 3!!, Chopin Concertos 1,2!!!, Balkeriev Islamey!!!!!!!!!!!, and Ravel Gaspard De la nuit!!!!!! The other of the two has a much more varied repertoire. 10 Bach Fugues and Preludes, Which I always assign to my students, 2 Mozart Concertos, 3 Mozart Sonatas, Liszt La Campanella, Liszt Mazzepa Etude, 2 Beethoven Concertos, including the emperor concerto, 2 Beethoven Sonatas, the Waldstein, and Op. 111, which I always assign to students auditioning for Juliard, Schubert's Last Sonata, all Ravel Gaspard De la Nuit. Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies, 2,4,5,6, and 19. 4 Chopin Etudes, 3 Chopin Preludes, 11 Bach 2pt Inventions, 12 Bach 3pt Inventions, Prokovief Concerto No. 2,3!!!!!. Rach Sonata No.1 <-------Which I struggled to learn when I was 23. Rach Concertos No. 2,3. <--------Which to this day I haven't learned. My oldest pupil is 34, 3 years older than me.

-- Patrick "Mister Rogers" Julian (Noname_Poster@aol.com), July 19, 2003.

My goodness! You're 31 years of age and have been teaching for 20 years? It sounds almost too good to be...

-- Marie (mej678@aol.com), July 21, 2003.