How To Teach Chopin Prelude in E Minor Op.28, No.4

Today we’re talking about how to teach the Chopin Prelude in E Minor. This is one of the easiest pieces by Chopin to learn, and one that students can personalize with their own expression. To purchase the Festival Collection book 6, please click here: amzn.to/3v6fqJe
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0:00 Introduction
1:51 Key signature, chords, and accidentals
2:28 Octaves, four note chords, and m.17
3:47 Triad inversions
6:03 Half step movement
10:04 Feeling the long line
11:38 Balance
12:16 Pedal
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[@JannaWilliamson]

Do you have other pieces in the intermediate repertoire that you'd like me to cover in a future video? Leave a comment here!

[@OrionL7]

This was helpful as a student, thank you. Also your voice is very soothing!

[@Joshua-dc1bs]

This is brilliant!

[@NomeDeArte]

This is SO useful, thank you so much and best regards from Argentina!

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thank you for watching!

[@areteseulgi9328]

Thank you so much. This is brilliant lecture!

[@JannaWilliamson]

You are welcome!

[@samuelguzmann]

Vladimir Horowitz gave this prelude a very similar feeling of despair and loneliness this work and the mazurka op 17 n 4 in a minor are my favorites thanks for sharing

[@ocmolina83]

Thanks for the tip on the big diminished 4 note chord on measure 18 :) Really helps my playing!

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thank you for your comment! I'm glad that tip was helpful!

[@RalucaBojor]

I just taught that to Nora McMaken yesterday morning!

[@jordanstephens95]

Thank you! This is on my to learn list for sure! I've been playing for 8 years independently without much structure (besides following what I love), and now I'm going back to learn the basics. Currently working on easier level pieces like Baroque and Classical dances from Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Starting to learn easier selections from the Children's Albums by Schumann, Tchaikovsky, etc., as well. Would you happen to be interested in making a video about Beethoven's two movement Sonatina in G? There are some other tutorials on the internet as well, so no worries if not- but I like your style. Thanks for the videos either way!

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thanks for your encouragement, Jordan, and good luck with your studies. I have considered doing one of the Beethoven easy sonatinas and might do so sometime in the future. In case you haven't seen Tim Topham's tutorial on the first movement of that Beethoven sonatina, I'll link it here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJ24apelarJnnpI

[@JannaWilliamson]

Hello again Jordan - I recently added a video on the Beethoven F Major Sonatina. In case that is helpful for you, here’s the link. 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qX-4lnaDgZWWmtU

[@alih4341]

I enjoyed your videos. Can you tell em how do you know if a chord F is or F7 and how important ist identifying the all chords in sheet. Please introduce a complex book for training this technique. Tanx , your the best

[@JannaWilliamson]

An F major triad is F-A-C. To make it an F7, an E-flat must be added (major triad plus minor 7th from the root). My opinion is that students wanting to play this level (Chopin preludes) should have at least this rudimentary level of theory knowledge. I'd encourage you to do some self study - one good place to start is musictheory.net

[@Jack-hy1zq]

Very well explained. And I'm so pleased that your piano is in tune.

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thank you for watching!

[@tsizzle]

Chopin definitely knows how to pull at your heartstrings! What do you think about his Prelude in C minor Op. 28 No. 20? Some say that it is also one of the easier piece to learn for beginners being 13 bars of chords (albeit difficult in terms of control/dynamics/voicing). Would you say this or the Op 28 No 20 is easier to start with first? Btw, I’m not a teacher… just a beginner student trying to self-learn the piano. My dream is to one day play my favorite Chopin pieces: Prelude in E Minor Op 28 No 4, Prelude in C Minor, Op 28 No 20, Nocturne Op 9 No 2, Nocturne in C Sharp Minor No 20… and if really ambitious… Fantaisie Impromptu and even Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement. 😮

[@JannaWilliamson]

I think most teachers don't teach the C minor first because the hand span is difficult for children and adolescents. If you have a large hand and you know how to play chords without building up a lot of tension, it might be easier for you than the E minor. There are two channels you should check out, geared more towards adult learners than teachers: The Piano Prof (Kate Boyd) kzbin.info/door/aloISgSTjq4Kq5leFVd2oQ and Ashlee Young Music Studio www.youtube.com/@AshleeYoungMusicStudio Good luck in your studies!

[@tsizzle]

@@JannaWilliamson Thank you so much for these referrals!! It’s exactly what I’m looking for! These channels look to be great resources while I’m also going thru the Alfred and Faber books. Proper technique and the relevant nuances are often difficult to get from just the books. Thanks again 🙏

[@Pablo.Albino]

Hi Janna! May I make a suggestion? It would be very useful if we could see the piece sheet on the screen while you are explaining!

[@JannaWilliamson]

Hi Pablo - I’m very sensitive to copyright issues, so I have avoided this for the most part. I encourage you to purchase a good edition of anything you are learning or teaching. However, in my most recent video, I put up a few small screenshots. See if that is helpful!

[@tonymoroc]

Could have watched this for hours ❤