JOHN THOMPSON'S EASIEST PIANO COURSE A Mt ddd th A The Willis Music Company Florence, Kentucky 41022-0548John Thompson's Easiest Piano Course PART FOUR © 1956 The Willis Music Co, International Music Publications Limited Southend Road, Woodford Green. Essex IG8 8HN, England Repedcing ec in say fot egal end fobidlen bythe ‘Copysght, Designs and Patents Ac 1985, THE WILLIS MUSIC CO. CINCINNATI, OHIOForeword The primary purpose of PART FOUR is fo allow the pupil opportunity to develop efficiency and fivency in the application of knowledge gained in the earlier books. For that reason, there are not many new demands made in a technical way. Several new Keys are introduced, namely, E Mojor, B Major, A Flat Major, D Flat Major and G Flat Major, The examples in the new Keys are purposely kept simple. Leger Lines between the staves are also presented with charts showing on easy way to recognize notes written on the added lines. The dotted crotchet is explained ‘and examples given in Three-Four and Four-Four. There are also examples in which © change of fingers is required when playing repeated notes. This, of course, results in an extension of hand position ond prepares the way for passing the Thumb under and the Hand over—a phase of technique takenupinPart Five. Simple, most elementary use of the Pedal is allowed in some of the later pieces and prepares the pupil for detailed study of the art of pedalling which is also taken up in Part Five. In general, PART FOUR, except for the points outlined above, is mostly « book of review work. It should afford the pupil a chance to enjoy the fruits of his labour to dote, and at the seme fime develop better picnism, musicianship and general musical understanding. When this book is finished, the student will be ready for another advance in technique and the following book will contain material with more extended passage playing, Meantime, every effort should be made to play the examples in this book with the best possible artistry. / W.M.Co. 738Contents FOREWORD . 3 WRIST STACCATO—"Dancing Roindrops” 5 MELODY IN THE LEFT HAND “At the Ball” 6 LEGER LINES ABOVE BASS STAFF 8 ETUDE ON LEGER LINES : . 9 DOTTED CROTCHETS in THREE-FOUR “Song of the Brook” 10 DOTTED CROTCHETS in FOUR-FOUR “Puck” . n LEGER LINES BELOW TREBLE STAFF . 12 ETUDE ON LEGER LINES 2 18 FINGER CHANGE ON THE SAME KEY “From @ Story Book” 14 Comin’ "Round the Mountain". 5... 15 WORK SHEET—New Key—E MAJOR. «16 FIVE-FINGER DRILL IN E MAJOR “Cotton-pickin’ Fingers" : 7 TWO AND THREE-NOTE SLURS “Barcorolle” from “The Tales of Hoff- mann" Offenbach 18 SHORT AND LONG SLURS “The Cuckoo Clock” oe 19 STACCATO THIRDS “The Overland Stage"... 20 WORK SHEET—-New Key—A FLAT MAJOR 21 BROKEN CHORD STUDY IN A FLATMAJOR "Giant Redwood Trees” . 22 WAC. 7339 STACCATO STUDY—from the Opera “William Tet” G. Rossini RECITAL PIECE—from “The Beautiful Sie Danube" Johann Strauss CROSS-HAND PIECE “Scampering Squirrels”. SYNCOPATION—"College Capers” WORK SHEET—-New Key—B MAJOR STUDY IN B MAJOR—"Bohemicn Dance” NOCTURNE—"'Song of Twilight” . STACCATO AND SOSTENUTO from “Hopak" Modest P, Movisorgsky WORK SHEET—New Key—D FLAT MAJOR ETUDE IN D FLAT MAJOR. RECITAL PIECE—"At the Skating Rink” . WORK SHEET—New Key—-G FLAT MAJOR STUDY IN G FLAT MAJOR “Koreon Serenade" NOVELTY—'"The Men on the Flying Trapeze” Anon, 1868 RECITAL PIECE Ethelbert Nevin GLOSSARY OF MUSICAL TERMS NEW SCALES AND CHORDS CERTIFICATE : os ree Re 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 38 39 40 Az 45 4 47w Wrist Staccato TEACHER'S NOTE: This number should be played | with a bouncing wrist staccato. For development of the various Touches, assign John Thompson's | HANON STUDIES, specially designed for use in | j this grad | Allegretto Dancing Raindrops . 5 Copyright, MCMIVT by The Willis Music International Copyright Secured WM.Co. 7238 pened ntetinse 143904)Melody in the Left Hand In this piece, the melody lies in the left hand, Try to play it with your best singing tone while the right hand supplies a light, staccato accompaniment of familiar chord patterns, leamed earlier in the Course. At the Ball Allegretto 3 | | | | 5 T WM.Co. 7330Leger Lines (Above the Bass Staff) Leger Lines elite ines added above or below he ttt upon which owt edie notes The Leger Lines above the Bass Staff are easy to read remembered that olf lines cbove Middle C re really Treble Lines, borrowed and brought down for use as Leger Lines. Exomple: Middie C pS Middie & — 1s1 line of the Treble brought 2nd line of the Treble brought down to become E inthe Bass. down to become G in the Bass. ec oD FO These notes in Treble Clef-——when transposed to Bass Clef— lock Jike this on the music. Writing Exercises ‘Write the letter-names under these notes, Transpose these notes to the Bass Clef, ‘then transpose them to Treble Cief: using Leger Lines. c oa Q W.M.Co. 2880Remember that all added tines above Middle C are borrowed from the Treble and brought down as Leger Lines. Etude on Leger Lines Moderato 2 esos ! ! ! ett WM.Co. 7500” Dotted Crotchets (In Three-Four) You have already piayed dotted minims and learned how the dot adds an exira half valve to eoch note so marked. A dotted crotchet will be equal to one full count plus one half if you imagine a Tie connecting the full count ta the next half count, Example: the next count, ill be easy to play. written Song of the Brook Andantino 3. Co, Taeu Dotted Crotchets {In Four-Four} Apply exira emphosis or stress 10 all notes marked with the accent sign, Played W.B.Co. 2330aw Leger Lines (Below the Treble Staff) The Leger Lines below the Treble Staff are easy to read if it is remembered that all lines below Middle C core really Bass Lines, borrowed and brought up for use as Leger Example: Wiaae Oe Wilde g > ge a 1st line of the Bass brought up 2nd line of the Boss brought up to become A in the Treble. to become F in the Treble. c B A G F These notes in Bass Clef when transposed to Treble Clef ——~ look like this on the musi Writing Exercises Write the letter-names over these notes, Transpose these notes to the Treble Clef, then transpose them to Bass Clef. using Leger Lines. WM.Co. 783913 f — Remember that cll added fines below Middle C are Bass Lines, borrowed and used as Leger Lines in the Treble. —— | Etude on Leger Lines Moderato Bae 4 4 ! : | ! WM.Co. 7339Finger Change on the Same Key A change of fingers when a key is repeated, results automatically in a new Hand Position, thus increas- ing the number of keys lying within reach of the fingers. Watch the fingering corefully in the following example. From a Story Book Moderato finger change a i 8 finger change 7 £ finger change 3 ae | | | | W.M.Co. 7838Comin’ "Round the Mountain + Southers Mountain Song 4 Lively Hi 24, 2 Sbell Be” |com- in’ round the {moun tain when she — comes; sess e—2— 2 a Saas She'll be fcom-in’ like the diek-ens with a noise to scare the ~ ~ ifs = =e s 3 re Ty a - oe pe e chickens, Sheil be Noor round the he | comes —+ =| i. ase tet Wetch carefully for the finger changes in the chove example. WM.Co. 7a5016 Work Sheet New Key — E Major E MAJOR has tour shorps — F# C# Gi Di Write the E Mojor Scale, using accidentals os necessary to preserve the scale pattern. Remember that semitones occur only between the 3rd and 4th and 7th and 8th degrees of the scale. Ail others are whole tones. 7 8 — semitone The E Major Signature looks like this. Copy it here. } Root Ist 2ad Position faversion Inversion Write the E Major Triad in this form: oi tat and | Inversion Inversion WM.Co.7187 ll in E Major Be» & fa. Ae Allegro ug 8 nf DS.al Fine 5 i Be mre emake 9 dtinion betwen he saved gourd lace ole in Wis le 1 nc 8018 Two and Three-note Slurs % 3.2 Barcarolle from “The Tales of Hoffmann’? BR 8 DO, at Fine19 Short and Long Slurs The Cuckoo Clock Allegretto wes Tick Tock Tick Tock 1 ag “t a Cuck -|o0! WM.Co.733020 Staccato Thirds | Sostemuto it @ musical term meaning "in a sustained | | manner.” A note or chord to be played thus is often | | indiccted by a litle line placed above or below it like this, @ or In the following piece, see how much contrast you can make between the chords marked staccato ond those having the sostenuto sign. | Allegretto The Overland Stage 5 4 tora1 Work Sheet New Key — Ab Major ‘A FLAT MAJOR has four flats — Bb E> Ab Db. Write the A fiat Major Scale using accidentals as necessary to preserve the scale pattern. Remember that semitones occur only between the 3rd and 4th and 7th and th degrees of the scale. All others are whole tones, 6 , 1 2 3. 4 8 6 8 WK semitone semitone The Ab Major Signature looks like this. Root ‘st ana é Position Inversion aversion Write the A> Major Triad in this form: = 3 i bye Root ast 2nd Position Inversion Inversion Jai WM.Co.739“Broken Chord Study in A Flat Major | TEACHER'S NOTE: While the ort of Pedailing has not yet been presented {i jin the Course) it seems advisable to allow its use in simple, elementary form in this piece os well as in some. ‘others which follow, especially as extended arpeggio passages are rather lifeless without it. suffice at this point to explain to the pupil that the damper (right) pedal is pressed down at the word, “Ped.” and is held until the stor (4%) appears, when it is immediately released. We Z 274 Giant Redwood Trees —+* * RE Andantino AH, i 3 WM.Co. 7359a7 WM.Cor338BB WM.Co, 789 Cross-Hand Piece 2 a29 Syncopation | to produce syncapoted effec be wre opply | | sory acento mre y College Capers — iN Allegro x moderato “SS MY is tf gf | | | | 7 7 7 5 8 i : W.M.Co. 243030 Work Sheet New Key — B Major B MAJOR has five sharps — Fe CH Gi Dit Ad. Write the B Mejor Scale, wing accidentals os necessary to preserve the scale pattern. Remember that semitones occur only between the 3rd ond 4th and 7th ond 8th degrees of the scale. All others ore whole tones. — 4 oO 1 2 5 6 78 semitone semitone The B Major Signature looks tke this, Copy it here. —J # 2aa inversion ast Inversion Write the 8 Mojor Triad in this form: — Root Position SE ie : 4 = W.M.Co.7a39 Ast 2nd Inversion InversionAllegro vivace 2 Bohemian Danceaz itis a form of composition often used and always consists of a lyric piece with @ mood suggesting the quiet of evening. NOCTURNE means Night Song. a = Song of Twilight Nocturne Andantino ! : | ! W.M.Co.7404Staccato and Sostenuto Play this dance with plenty of fire and ° dosh, Apply sharp staccatos, heavy accents cond watch for the occasional sostenuto marks, Hopak Modest P. Moussorgsky Allegro : re f “ WM.Cozta934 Work Sheet New Key—Db Major D FLAT MAJOR hos five flats — By E> Ay Dp Gh. Write the D flat Major Scale, using accidentals os necessary to preserve the scale pattern. Remember that semitones occur only between the 3rd ond 4th and 7th ond 8th degrees of the scale. All others are whole tones. vO 1 2 a 4 5 6 semitone semitone The Db Major Signature looks like this. Copy it here. 2nd Inversion Root Positon =H Write the Diy Major Triad in this form: Ea. = —I ba 7 oe Root Ist 2nd 4 Position Inversion Inversion W.M.Co74u035 Etude in D Flat Major Moderato 1 2 WM.Co. 734936 WM.Co. 213938 Work Sheet New Key-—Gb Major G FLAT MAJOR hos six flats — B> E> A> Db Gb Co. Write the G flat Majer Scale, using accidentals os necessary to preserve the scale pattern. Remember that semitones occur only between the 3rd and 4th and 7th and Sth degrees of the scale, All others are whole tones. p-O- | 1 2 5 6 7. 8 —— semitone The Gb Major Signature looks fike this. Copy it here. Position Inversion Write the G> Major Triad in this form: a aeet Root tst 537 oo Root Ist 2nd Position Tayersion Inversion Oe W.M.Ce. 2989Korean Serenade Moderato 1 34 8 4 D.C.al Pine * vee Watch for the new flat {Cy}. It occurs only once. Be sure to find itt WRCo, rae40 The Man on the Flying Trapeze Moderato Anon. 1868 28. WM.Co. 7888W.M.Co. 2380a2 from Narcissus Ethelbert Nevin Allegretto bs ‘ 2 ee a nf * BB. # Fa. * WM.CorasHW.M.Co.7980 a3WM.Co. 7889a GLOSSARY of Musical Terms and Expression Marks Used in this book. — Accent... Special emphasis on note or chord | ef” — Mezzo Forte ... Moderotely loud Allegretto . .. light and tively | "Wg? — Mezzo Piano ... Moderately soft Allegro... Fast | Moderato . . . Moderately fast a | Andante . . . Slow | Gi Pause... Hold the note or chord longer according to taste Andantino... Slow, but not as slow os Andante BP — Pianissimo .. . Very soft Animate... Animated P — Piano... Soft 4 tempo . .. Return to original speed Poco . . tittle =i Crescendo . . . Gradually louder ===] Repeat Sign === — Decrescende . .. Gradually softer Diminuendo . .. Softer by degrees [RUHL Right Hond SF —Forte... loud Rit... Ritard . . . Slower by degrees FF — Fortissimo ... Very loud ——~ — Shur. . . Connected taceato . . . Detached, short Legato . .. Smooth and connected LH... Left Hond Tempo . . . Rate of speed | Play one octave higher | Vivace ... Fast and vivacious W.M.Co, 734946 New Scales and Chords Ab Major RE, 12g Seay e See eres Gp Moior 22 CH Major WM.Co. 7359