Classical piano course for beginners

How to play piano : Doll’s Complaints, César Franck

*This course is available only in French

 

We have selected this piece for the beginner’s series (lessons 69 to 73) because it has certain particularities sufficiently rare in relatively simple pieces. It permits insisting on independence of the pianist’s hands: notably all the first part is played louder in the right hand, then in lines 2 and 3 in the second page the left hand becomes stronger and dominates in the piece. Franck’s “doll” is equally interesting for its work on accidentals (sharp, flat, natural).

Doll’s Complaints, César Franck by Frederic Bernachon :

The score of César Franck’s Doll’s Complaints  FWV 20 (1965), melody for piano in G major is a perfect example of a work written for piano, which, however, has the strange intonations of music written for the organ. In effect, Franck started his musical career as a virtuoso pianist and composer and it wasn’t until later, around the 1860’s, that he started to seriously study the organ, gradually becoming a professional organist. One will really hear echo of complaints and grievances in this piece, and this particular resonance will not please all classical piano fans.  However it is a very good exercise for beginners on the technical side; on the other hand it can enrich and enlarge the pianistic repertoire.