The Bell Carol

The Bell Carol Arranged by David Hicken Performance Notes I suggest that you begin this piece very slowly, and gradually increase the speed over time. Curve your right hand fingers as much as possible possible and play with the finger tips. Strive for as little movement of hand and fingers as possible, while at the same time allowing the hand to remain loose and flexible.

. d e t i b i h o r p s i n o i t u b i r t s i d r o n o i t c u d o r p e R . 3 2 6 7 3 8 6 2 9 7 1 0 # r e d r o , a i c r a G o r i a J o t d l o s e l i f s i h T

Speed: You don’t need to play it as fast as I do do in order order to have a successful performance of this piece. Play at your own speed, however however,, the timing is essential so you really should use a metronome. Time Signature: 12/8 is counted as 4 dotted quarter notes per measure, so be aware of where the beats fall, and in general, give a slight emphasis at the beginning of each of those beats. Consider this when using the metronome - begin with a dotted quarter note being around around 60 beats per minute. This means that you will play six sixteenth notes per click. If you find this difficult, set the metronome metronome at 180 beats per minute and play two notes per click. Your speed will actually be the same, but but the metronome simply clicks three times faster, faster, which will help you line up your notes more successfully. successfully. Fingering: Pay close attention to the left hand fingering that is written in measure 7. You You must alternate between the thumb and second finger. If you attempt to use only the thumb, you will fail miserably! miserably! Pay attention also, also, to measure measure 23 where where the left hand second finger crosses over the thumb. Pedal: Very light use of the damper pedal can help the piece in certain areas, but due to its fast harmonic rhythm, too much pedal can blur the notes and create a mess. Listen carefully! Scales: This piece is in E minor and A minor. minor. If you play these two scales in both harmonic and melodic forms, it will help tremendously when learning the piece. Dynamics: Pay attention to the written accents, as well as crescendos and sudden changes. It’s It’s easy to get caught up in the notes and miss these details which will make your performance much more interesting.

Articulation: Although it’s it’s difficult when played at full speed, if you can make some some of the right hand notes slightly detached, it will give the piece real “sparkle”. Other Melodies: At measure 39 the melody of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” is introduced. Make it bounce and observer the staccato markings. Bring out this melody clearly, and the same with the melody of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” at measure 41, although the melody now becomes very smooth. Finally: Have fun when learning this piece. It may seem a little overwhelming at first, but there is a lot of repetition, repetition, so the piece is not quite as long as it may seem. Work on two measure increments, and strive to really master those two measures before moving on to the next. It requires real real left hand stamina to get all the way through, but work at it daily and you’ll get there. Your left hand will perform better than it ever did before after learning this piece. . d e t i b i h o r p s i n o i t u b i r t s i d r o n o i t c u d o r p e R . 3 2 6 7 3 8 6 2 9 7 1 0 # r e d r o , a i c r a G o r i a J o t d l o s e l i f s i h T

You You may want to consider my other piece “Incantation” which features the same left hand pattern as this piece. I wish you the best of luck in your practicing, and I hope these performance notes help you. If you found these notes useful, download my eBook “Secrets To Better Piano Playing” for more tips and tricks on becomin g a better pianist. Availabl e at www.davidhicken.com

A lot of time and effort went into the creation of this piece of music, so if you would like to share it, please direct people to www.davidhicken.com where they can purchase their own copy. copy. Your support is much appreciated. © 2015 Enchanting Music

The Bell Carol David Hicken based on a traditional Ukranian carol

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The Bell Carol

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