Christmas on the Piano

 

Some of Tomoko’s favorite composers wrote Christmas music for the piano.

Liszt, for example, composed a suite of twelve pieces: Weihnachsbaum (Christmas tree). Several of the pieces are based on traditional Christmas carols. He dedicated this work to his first grandchild Daniela von Bülow, who was born on Christmas Eve. This suite was first performed on Christmas Day, 1881, in Daniela’s hotel room in Rome.

Another composer who was inspired was Bartok, who heard regional traditional Romanian carols, called colinde, and transformed them into two series of piano pieces totaling 30 works.

It is not surprising that Cesar Franck composed four Christmas piano pieces. He was a major French Romantic composer and music teacher. In his thirties he became the organist for the Basilica of Sty. Clotilde in Paris, a position he held until he died in 1890. One of his most famous compositions was the communion anthem “Panis Angelicus,”  but he also wrote a set of four piano pieces specifically for Christmas, again based on traditional carols: “Christmas Carol from Anjou,” “Now Tell Us, Gentle Mary,” “Old Christmas Carol,” and “Whence Comes This Rush of Wings?”

Christmas traditions also inspired composers, such as Berlioz. In 1844 he composed “Rustic Serenade to the Virgin on the Theme of the Roman Pifferari” for the melodium organ, which was invented by an organ builder friend of his. The inspiration came from his time in Rome. While he did not enjoy Rome itself or think much of the music from there, he was impressed with the traditional oboe called a pifferi. The pifferari were rural wandering musicians who performed devout concerts before images of the Virgin Mary.

Another Christmas tradition moved Schumann. His miniature piano composition “Knecht Ruprecht” refers to St. Nicholas’s attendant. This character was a wild country foundling whom St. Nicholas raised, and helps give out presents – or punishments to naughty children. Schumann’s piece is part of his Album for the Young collection, written in 1848.

Mendelssohn also wrote piano works for children. His Opus 72, 6 Kinderstücke (Children’s Pieces), was original not tied to the holiday, but the 1847 English edition of the work was named Six Christmas Pieces.  He wrote this opus specifically for children and adapted his style to children’s musical development (e.g., using fewer accidentals and more familiar time signatures). At the time of this composition, Mendelssohn and his wife lived with a relative who had seven children.

Especially as Tomoko enjoys her grandson Kai, she may well be playing some of these Christmas pieces for him.

 

When Should Children Start Piano Lessons

Tomoko asserts, “You can start learning how to play the piano at any age.” However, starting piano lessons too early can be a waste of money. Here are some guidelines.

First, the child should WANT to learn how to play. If there is a piano or electric keyboard around, does the child show interest and gravitate to it? Pushing a reluctant child into piano lessons invites frustration and family fights. 

Is the child emotionally ready? Can the child follow directions? Is the child willing to accept instruction – and criticism? Does the child have a long enough attention span to sit still, practice and persevere?

Is the child physically ready? Can the child place his hands parallel to the ground when seated so he doesn’t have to strain when reaching the piano? Does the child have enough finder strength to press the piano keys down effectively? (A good way to tell is if the child can hold onto objects without dropping them.) Does the child have sufficient fine motor skills; for instance, can he color within a picture’s lines and draw letters accurately? Does the child have enough stamina to last through a 20-minute lesson without getting tired? 

Is the child cognitively ready? Can the child tell between her left and right hand? Can the child count? Does the child know the alphabet? Can the child learn how to read notes?

AND are the parents ready to encourage and support the child? 

Even if children aren’t ready to take piano lessons, they can still be encouraged to become familiar with the piano. They can explore how sounds are made on the piano. They can discover the relationship between the sequence of the keys and the associated pitch from low to high. They can watch people play the piano, and enjoy the music that is created. The piano player can also point out how a piano score notes correspond to the keys, just as letter shapes correspond to sounds (generally). 

Just as there is reading readiness, there is musical reading and performance readiness. And a lifetime of learning and enjoyment.

Begin with Music

It’s the beginning of the year, and music is a great way to start the year. 

Music can be a lifelong joy. And that joy can begin early in life. Tomoko knows.

Her father had played the violin in his youth, and her mother sang hymns as she cleaned the house. Her family had a record player, and listened to classical music. Tomoko liked listening to music on the radio too. 

Singing songs was part of the Japanese educational curriculum when Tomoko was growing up. There were textbooks all public and private schools had with songs for schoolchildren for each elementary grade. The government wanted to make sure everyone had a music education. Tomoko recalls: “When I was in grades 7-12 at Ferris Academy we had mass every morning and had to sing, of course. I enjoyed the singing, and all the students knew how to sing well.”

It’s never to early to begin the love of music in a child. Mothers and fathers can sing to their babies. Lullabies are very soothing, but folk songs and even modern songs can be pleasant to hear; the main point is for the singer to enjoy sharing the song. There are many nursery songs that children can learn, and when the family sings together it is special. Tomoko says, “It’s a good way to communicate.”  

Play music in the home, be it on the radio, on a DVD, or on the computer. Music is not only an esthetic experience; it is also educational. Listening to music helps children learn the concept of rhythm, which helps them learn language too.  Having a musical instrument is wonderful because children can see how music can be created, and explore the instrument’s physicality. Music and science go hand in hard. 

There are so many ways to bring music and harmony into people’s lives. Begin now!