Eleonor Bindman

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Minding your Ps and Qs (Pauses and Quarters)

Published 08/10/20
           
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Here is a tip which will go a long way toward refinement of your playing: let go of single accompaniment notes at the precisely designated moment.  I am talking about those notes in the left-hand part, usually quarter notes, which may seem relatively unimportant to piano students.

Case in point: the Little Prelude in C Minor by J.S. Bach BWV 999, illustrated here.  Most of you have probably played it.  Did you ever really try to hold that quarter note for exactly 4 of the 16th notes and then let go of the key exactly at the same time as the right hand starts the first 16th of second beat?  If you have, hats off to you.  If you haven’t, I highly recommend it.  Not only will it give a crisp sound and a more palpable presence to the left hand, it will bring in that element of counterpoint without which this Prelude can sound quite monotonous.  The effect is similar to a background of an image suddenly coming into focus and presenting a whole new dimension. 

In this case the new dimension will be your increased mental and listening focus, which makes playing a more engaging experience.  This basic improvement of left-hand accompaniment execution is crucial in keyboard pieces of the Baroque and Classical periods where precision is key.  If you go over your basic Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Bach pieces (just to name the obvious) you will notice many opportunities to implement this tip and make your renditions sound more polished.  Hope this helps and Happy Practicing!

Categories: Practicing
Tags: pause, practice
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Quite simply (and irrespective of the particular novelty factor here) this is Bach playing of the highest order. … Listening to Bindman’s recording, I was immediately struck by the mellifluous beauty and sensitivity of her renditions of these iconic cello works; that she has transcribed them so well and plays them with such assurance, grace and finesse makes this 2CD set an easy choice for my Recording of the Month.

Andrew Eales
Pianodao

“Prepare to be surprised when you listen to the new 2-CD release of Eleonor Bindman playing her piano arrangements of Bach’s Cello Suites. Ms. Bindman’s arrangements faithfully include the notes you will find in the original Bach, but have become works that are new, unique, and completely satisfying on their own terms.”

Barry Lenson
Classical Archive

“Her skillfully wrought arrangements… [treat] the solo cello lines straight, and… you get Bach’s text served up with sensitivity and taste… Bindman’s well-considered tempos address the music’s dance origins. …her Preludes and Sarabandes sing out well”

Jed Distler
ClassicsToday

The Six Solo Cello Suites are some of the most celebrated and much-loved works in the classical repertoire, and they continue to fascinate and inspire performers and audiences alike. In this brand new transcription for solo piano, Eleonor Bindman pays tribute to this music’s enduring allure. … The transcription offers scope for some adventurous interpretation, particularly in the wonderfully playful pairs of Minuets, Bourrées and Gavottes. … Like the works included in her ‘Stepping Stones to Bach’, Eleonor has provided pianists with yet more repertoire to explore, and her elegantly, meticulous transcriptions shine a new light on this wonderful music while also remaining true to the original.

Frances Wilson
The Cross-Eyed Pianist

Given her experience in both playing and transcribing Bach, these [Stepping Stones to Bach] arrangements are excellent, retaining a clear sense of the original while offering early to intermediate pianists the opportunity to play interesting and imaginative stand-alone pieces.”

Frances Wilson
A Piano Teacher Writes
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