Ludwig Milde’s Three
Easy Pieces. Terry B. Ewell
provides practice and performance suggestions for this collection of
compositions for the young bassoonist. Performances by Terry B. Ewell,
bassoon
and Elaine Ross, piano. BDP # 312, www.2reed.net.
Hello, I am Terry Ewell. Welcome to
this video on three
delightful little compositions for the young bassoonist by Ludwig
Milde. Now, Milde
is most famous for his Concert Studies, opus 26, which are really for
quite
advanced players. These studies, however, compositions are for the
young
bassoonist quite demanding and explore some wonderful lyrical aspects
of the
instrument.
The different rhythmic subdivisions
in the first piece can
be a bit difficult. Students should begin by practicing the different
subdivisions with a metronome. Here is a useful exercise practicing
divisions
of two and three.
[music video example tempo 60]
Once the slower speeds have been
mastered, faster speeds
need to be done.
[music video examples 80, 100, 116]
Then work for half note groupings
with groups of four and
six, as needed for the composition.
[music video, example, half note=58]
The end result should be fluid and
very romantic in expression.
[music: 1st
Piece, beginning]
Most musical gestures in the Three
Easy Pieces should
express the four-measure phrasing. Each phrase features a crescendo and
diminuendo. The placement of the climax, however, will depend upon the
music. I
like to move the first phrase to the appoggiatura in measure four. The
second
phrase follows the contour of the higher and lower notes.
[music: 2nd Piece, beginning]
The range of the three compositions
extend to F#4 and G4.
If you need to consult a fingering
chart for these notes,
please see my publication on 2reed.net.
Here is a performance of the ending
of the last piece, which
features these higher notes.
[music: 3rd Piece, ending]