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 FOREWORD
book dealing with piano teaching methods
in which the author attempts to give a
comprehensive presentation of the main problems
of piano playing and teaching is rare nowadays.
This objective has certainly been met by E. M.
Timakin, a long time professor at the “Central School
of Music” in Moscow and the teacher of Mikhail
Pletnev and Ivo Pogoreli¢.
Following his broad teaching experience and in the
tradition of the Russian pianistic school (being a
student of K. N. Igumnov), Timakin has brought
together knowledge gained over a period of more
than 40 years of devoted work in teaching the piano
through a systematic approach. In a clear and practical
way, this system tackles every problem the teacher
might face while teaching.
Timakin is primarily interested in practical aspects
and provides helpful hints for a student or a young
teacher. This is why he illustrates all his theoretical
statements with useful exercises, bringing together in
this way theory and practice.
Timakin’s basic guide line was to find exercises that
produce concrete results. Therefore, these books do
not abound in quotations, but rather in exercises to
take the student from the very beginning to the highest
level of piano playing.
These Essential Piano Exercises are useful in
preparing the students in a practical and imaginative
manner for the most difficult pianistic tasks.
The exercises are divided into 3 books, including
exercises chosen from the following groups:
e Wide Movement
e Differentiating Melody from Accompaniment
e Sequences
e Finger Technique
¢ Quick Playing of Scales and Arpeggios
e Different Combinations of Arpeggios
e Leaps
¢ Independence of Various Textual Elements
e Playing Two Voices with One Hand
¢ Horizontal Polyrhythmics
e Four-hand Vertical Polyrhythmics
e False Polyrhythmics
e Vertical Polyrhythmics
Each chapter is followed by the author’s explanation
of the exercises and their objectives. Sometimes
Timakin encourages the teacher and the student to
think of similar exercises or to extend the existing ones
by transposition and rhythmical variants, showing that
the technique of piano playing is achieved not only by
mechanical practice but by creative work as well.
A methodical study of Timakin’s Essential Piano
Exercises will enable the student gradually to master
a whole series of piano skills such as finger technique,
the playing of scales and arpeggios, and playing two
voices with one hand.
By playing melodies with various patterns of
accompaniment and sequences in different patterns,
as well as by doing articulation exercises, the student
systematically builds from the very beginning not
only correct pianistic movements, but also develops
his/her hearing and musical thinking. A great number
of exercises deal with coordination, a skill to which
Timakin devotes special attention.
This system of exercises reveals Timakin as a great
teacher who has continuously sought ways of bringing
to life the elementary theory of piano playing in
relevant rational exercises, pursuing the problem from
the very beginning up to the highest level of piano
playing.
Another book to mention at this point is E. M.
Timakin’s Teaching Piano. This is an exceptional
book that enriches young pianists and teachers with
theoretical knowledge and provides them with very
useful exercises in developing their pianistic skills.
The results achieved in teaching have proven that
Timakin’s approach is highly successful.
JakSa Zlatar
Zagreb 2005
Spartan Press Music Publishers Limited
Strathmashie House, Laggan Bridge,
Scottish Highlands, PH20 1BU, UK
Tel: (01528) 544770
Fax: (01528) 544771
E-mail: mai! @Spart: nPress
I LOco :
Web-site: wi s$.cO.uk
 CONTENTS
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2. Differentiating Melody from Accompaniment

Moderato Nikolaev: no 28, Birds

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Moderato Nikolaev: no 28, Birds

Moderato Nikolaev: no 28, Birds

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While practising these exercises, the following approach is recommended:

1) Learning the accompaniment, not knowing what melody it will be played with;
2) Playing the song without music (by ear) — most often the song is already familiar, making it
easier to perform;
3) Combining both voices, playing the melody by heart and the accompaniment from the music.

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 6. Different Combinations of Arpeggios
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 13

Exercises for the independence of various textural elements can be given to students at different
levels of tuition. The degree of the complexity of an exercise should match the student’s level. These
exercises are very helpful in developing free and independent movements. The alternation of group-
ings (bowings) should not disturb the natural and fluent manner of playing.
For instance, in exercise Ne 23, the melody in the right hand should be played legato with a deep
and singing tone, with the student smoothly transferring the arm weight from one finger to the other.
At the same time, the left hand should play with the fingertips rebounding from the keys in a light and
gracious manner, taking hold of each particular quaver with a wide movement of the hand. During the
rest, the left hand “takes a breath” while moving in an arch, and smoothly descends onto the next key at
the moment it should be played.
In exercise Ne 24, the problems are the same, except that the hands exchange their roles.

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“ 9. Horizontal Polyrhythmics
Moderato 5 3 4 3

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2 3 3

Moderato 3 3

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Moderato 3 3

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Exercises in horizontal polyrhythmics require maintaining a uniform pulsation of crotchets

while obtaining a correct arrangement of a different number of notes in each particular rhythmic group
of each beat. The uniformity of the pulse will be helped by the movement of the hands, drawing each
rhythmical figure while supporting the first note in the group.
Similar exercises could be practised in different keys and tempi. They could also vary in rhythm
and texture. Exercises with simpler rhythmic combinations prove helpful even at initial levels of tui-
tion.
To be of help to the student, the teacher can beat the time of the crotchets or play them as a sim-
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 11. False Polyrhythmics

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Exercises in false polyrhythmics should be practised with a light accent on the 1* note in each
particular group, thus conveying the impression of polyrhythmic pulsation.

12. Vertical Polyrhythmics

Vivo

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In Exercises in vertical polyrhythmics, it is necessary first of all to play each rhythmical group
in one “breath”, the hands rotating and making a light accent on the beat where it usually coincides
with the left hand. This will help the student develop independent hand movement while playing a dif-
ferent number of notes between the accented points, following at the same time the correct pulsation of
the crochets.
In the cases where hand coordination presents difficulties, an easier version can be played ini-
tially, following which more difficult elements could be introduced. For instance, it is useful to play
exercise Ne 41 first as follows:
Preparatory study to exercise No. 41
3, —--..
TO a EG SS
 E. M. Timakin

ted these wonderful excercises into

well as making them available in other

/.\alar graduated from Zagreb University with an MA in

no (Music Academy under professor Ladislav Saban), as well as
bi ychology and sociology (Faculty of Arts and Letters). Professor
-Ziatar also received further training at the S. Cecilia Conservatory
in Rome. He is currently a professor of piano and piano teaching
methods at music academies in Zagreb and Ljubljana. Apart from
being a performing artist, Mr. Zlatar has held seminars on piano
teaching and has been a member of juries at international piano
competitions. He has also written two textbooks on piano teaching
methods, and numerous essays on the history of piano playing. He
is Artistic director of the Croatian Youth Music Scene and the vice-
president of the European Piano Teachers’ Association (Croatia). He
ve
has won several awards including the coveted “‘Svetislav Stancié”.

The Essential Piano Series from Spartan Press includes albums of graded piano repertoire edited
by Mark Goddard, graded warm-up excercises by Philip Cunningham, an Italian Musical Terms quick reference
book and more...

Essential Italian Essential Piano Repertoire Essential Piano Warm Ups More Essential Piano
Musical Terms Repertoire
.__] $P678 ential Pano) GWades 1-8 Euemtial Piano) BOOks | = 3 Paes Grades | -8
srerors) (SP551-SP558) Warvers! (§P727-SP729) | | (SP751-SP758)
>= |

See www. SpartanPress. co.uk for details

or ask for a full, free colour catalogue from
your local music shop or the publishers:
ISMN-57999-764-1
Spartan Press Music Publishers Limited
Strathmashie House, Laggan Bridge,
Scottish Highlands, PH20 1BU, UK
Tel: (01528) 544770 Fax: (01528) 544771
E-mail: mail@SpartanPress.co.uk
Web-site: www.SpartanPress.co.uk 9°790579°997641