Domenico Scarlatti

Its great for students to know the "famous" facts about Scarlatti.

Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)

• Composer Domenico Scarlatti was born in Italy in 1685, the same year as J.S. Bach and George F. Handel.

• Scarlatti composed more than 500 keyboard sonatas!

• Scarlatti wrote many of his sonatas for his harpsichord students. Today his sonatas are often performed on the piano.

• A story is told about Scarlatti’s cat stepping on several harpsichord keys, one by one. When Scarlatti heard his cat play these notes, he wrote “The Cat’s Fugue,” a piece for harpsichord in G minor.

To learn more, visit Alberti Publishing.

Illustration by Heidi Cabrera

Chopin composed almost exclusively for the piano. Check out these fun facts.


Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

• Composer Frederic Chopin wrote mainly for the piano. He is known as the “Poet of the Piano.”

• Chopin was also a well-respected piano teacher. He taught many princesses, duchesses, and other nobles who wanted to study with him in Paris.

• Legend has it, that once when Chopin was watching his dog chase his tail, Chopin’s girlfriend told him, “If I had your talent, I would compose a pianoforte piece about this dog.” Chopin sat down at the piano and composed the “Minute Waltz,” one of the great waltzes for piano.

To learn more, visit Alberti Publishing.

Illustration by Heidi Cabrera.

Piano Pedals

You would be surprised to learn how little most piano students really know about their instrument. Here are some good ways to explain the pedals.


• The right piano pedal is called the “sustaining pedal” or “damper pedal.” It allows sound to continue after the keys are released.

• The left pedal is called the “soft pedal” or “una corda pedal.” It makes the piano sound softer and more muted.

• The middle pedal is called the “sostenuto pedal” and sustains only those sounds that are first produced when the pedal is depressed.

• Before foot pedals were invented, players had to use their knee to move a lever!

To learn more, visit Alberti Publishing.
Illustration by Heidi Cabrera.

The Greeks

Kids can learn about the EARLY beginnings of music at this Greek Site. Recommended reading, fun facts, etc.

Piano Recital

So much of modern piano culture has a rich past to it. Share some of that history and see your students adopt a new outlook on simple things like recitals.


• Franz Liszt invented the first “solo piano recital.” Before Liszt, solo performers played only in programs that included other players. He and pianist Clara Schumann were among the first solo pianists to play complete programs by memory—which is now the standard.

• Pianist Jan Dussek was the first to perform with the piano turned sideways to the audience. This allowed the audience to see him better. Franz Liszt did the same and played with the piano lid open so that the sound would fill the entire room.

• Today, pianists bow after they perform to thank the audience. After bowing, the performer walks off the stage. If the audience continues to clap after a bow or two, many pianists perform an “encore,” an additional piece not included in the original program.

To learn more, visit Alberti Publishing.

Illustration by Heidi Cabrera.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Even though young students might not play Bach until later in their development, you can whet their appetite and create interest by highlighting the more interesting parts of his life.

• Composer Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Germany in 1685.

• Bach had 20 children!

• Bach, a great organist, once walked 200 miles just to hear the famous organist Dieterich Buxtehude perform.

• Bach was forbidden as a child to touch sheet music for fear he would get it dirty. He used to sneak out in the middle of the night to get into the music cabinet. He copied every note by hand, which took him six months!

To learn more, visit Alberti Publishing.


Illustration by Heidi Cabrera

Beethoven

Beethoven is perhaps the best-known of the classical masters. His famously eccentric personality is always intriguing to kids. Consider teaching the following points:

• Composer Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in Germany, but he lived for many years in Austria.

• Beethoven gradually lost his hearing and eventually became deaf. That didn’t stop him, however, from composing some of his most impressive works—including his Ninth Symphony. This piece, which contains “The Ode to Joy,” is one of the most popular pieces in music history.

• Beethoven sometimes dipped his head in cold water to clear his mind before composing!

• Much of Beethoven’s work was written during the Classical Period. He also composed music in the style of the next musical era—the Romantic Period.

To learn more, visit Alberti Publishing.

Illustration by Heidi Cabrera

Time Periods

Kids Can Learn the Periods of Music

Learning the major periods of music gives students a solid framework to start with. As they learn more music facts, they place them into this framework and begin building a tight platform of music history.

Want to learn more? Visit Alberti Publishing.

Harpsichord

Most kids say, "harpsi-WHAT?" Alberti Publishing explains harpsichords this way:

• A “harpsichord” looks like a small piano. The first harpsichord was created more than 600 years ago.

• The black and white keys on a harpsichord are often the opposite from the modern piano.

• Pianos use a hammer to strike the strings but a harpsichord uses a plectrum to pluck the strings. When you play a harpsichord, it doesn’t matter how hard you press the key, the sound is not louder or softer—it’s always the same!


Want to see more? visit Alberti Publishing.

Illustration by Heidi Cabrera

No Experience Necessary

Who Can Teach Music History?
Strange as it may seem, music history is not just for high-brow academics who ride segways.
Music history is for everyone. If you are a piano teacher, you know more about music than your student does, so share what you know.

The MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) has about 17,000 piano teacher members. Of those, fewer than 40% have a Bachelor's degree in piano. Though a degree translates into more education, teaching piano is clearly not restricted to musicians with the fancy initials after their name. And likewise, teaching music history is available to all as well.

How Do I Learn Music History?
The following are excellent resources for starters:

• The Great Pianists by Harold C Shonberg
• The Lives of the Great Composers by Harold C Shonberg
• Bach, Beethoven, and the Boys by David W. Barber
• Great Contemporary Pianists Speak for Themselves by Elyse Mach
• The Life and Death of Classical Music by Norman Lebrecht

The more you read, the more you will share with your students, so get started now!