The Sick Doll by Tchaikovsky: Piano Tutorial and Chord Study

[@LuigiRubino72]

Great explanation and very useful and in-depth analysis of this piece, thank you so much Allysia!

[@Dickens20]

What a great way to analyze a new piece of music and to make sense of it. I usually just push through a new piece, note-by-note, and hope I find a rhythm. Your analysis plan gives me a stepwise progression of items to consider, from beginning to end, which makes it so much clearer what I am getting into. Thank you for this detailed and insightful way to understand how to play any piece of music.

[@christinacrawford3376]

Thank you for the music theory breakdown. I appreciate how your channel provides a whole music approach. I've learned a lot about music history and repertoire levels from your other videos as well. In reference to the negative commenter, I also watch Josh Wright and Paul Barton. You all provide unique angles to music. Paul plays beautifully, Josh provides great technique tips and exercises and you add all this rich history and analysis and you're very approachable for the beginner. I love you all for helping us on our piano journey.

[@hoblogbicycling]

Thank you for taking the time to spread your knowledge, trying to teach me more about piano playing and music, about composers and their music. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into this. Your effort helps me to remain motivated to keep playing and learning. (English is not my own language, so please excuse any awkwardness of expression.)

[@guybrushthreepwood9532]

Wow this piece looks easy and sounds so very beautiful.

[@coleb.t.6905]

You should do an "easiest and hardest of Tchaikovsky".

[@shinyam75]

There is even one piece called the "Doll's Funeral". This doesn't seem to be normal collection of children's songs.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

And "The new doll". A trilogy that tells a story. ;)

[@PianotvNet]

That's one of the reasons I love it! :D

[@luigipati3815]

And who decides what is "normal" ? If Tchaikovsky would see children with smartphones today, he would probably try to call a doctor.

[@vahabshalchian3232]

This was amazing! Please do more of this kind of piece analysis and story telling aspect of the pieces.

[@ricardo_valerio]

Aaaah, analysis, yes! this type of tutorials are great Allysia! Thank you goddess of piano tutorials! Please do more of these...

[@LiloUkulele]

Thank you so much for bringing depth and understanding. A wonderful lesson!!!!

[@shinyam75]

Love your channel. You have such a great personality and a great teacher. You explain things very well and present the material with great clarity and passion. Keep up the good work!

[@jedi_mario]

I love this tune. Thanks for the great breakdown.

[@bSharpHacker]

Nice timing. I just learned my first Tchaikovsky piece, A French Song, for RCM 4. I'm interested in learning more of his work. I think I'll go back and give this a try

[@raphaelneves7666]

Thanks for the video, your channel is great

[@wladypimentel]

Lovely. Thank you.

[@ashbgash6447]

The Pikachu in the thumbnail made watch this! 😻

[@Mrfailstandstil]

The sick doll -> the doll's funeral-> the new doll I don't know why but it's so funny

[@kiyashahidi768]

Wonderful video, and channel! I would love to see a musical analysis on Chopin's, funeral March! Thank you

[@mikecipriani7495]

I ordered this book just to get this music, I love it. I would like to see the grade level for each song in this book.

[@abhishekchanda6859]

Thanks a lot for the superb explanations. Any other tutorials of yours , which has such explanations from chords perspective? Can you please do more such videos?

[@CrunkleGibroni]

One thing to mention is that that V chord in a minor key is a minor chord (in this case a Dmin. D F A) HOWEVER, many many composers just use a major chord (in this case, D F# A) as the dominant because it has a stronger pull and resolution to the tonic (most the bars with a V7 have an F#)

[@PianotvNet]

I thought about adding that detail, but was afraid of getting too convoluted with music theory. Perhaps I should have mentioned it!

[@CrunkleGibroni]

pianoTV I like what you're doing with the chord study format on this video. After I learned to play a few classical pieces, I wanted to go back and learn what the chords are, how they function, etc to get a better understanding of the work. Maybe you could do a Moonlight Sonata Pt. 2 with in depth chord analysis? Everybody loves the first movement.

[@Seekthetruth3000]

What a beautiful woman.

[@guybrushthreepwood9532]

Seekthetruth3000 Yeah she is, she's so good at breaking everything down and great to listen to.

[@guybrushthreepwood9532]

I'd love to hold hands with her or shake her hand, her hands are so cute.

[@guybrushthreepwood9532]

x d How am I, I said nothing rude douchebag.

[@pleaseexcusemydeeplyawkwar4972]

Mmm I'm sleepy. It worked.

[@MarsLos10]

A pikachu on your thumbnail?😂😂

[@marc_iglesias]

hello. Where you use pedal? thanks

[@r0mmm]

Does anyone know which G Henle Level tschaikowskys Op. 39 Nr. 18 has?

[@dcunited710]

I played it for my mother when she was sick lool

[@mikecipriani7495]

Is there a book that teaches you how to analyze music like this?

[@VOmaker]

I have a question that stems from seeing it in your score when you were showing us some specific thing and that I have found in the copy of The Sick Doll that I downloaded from IMSLP. The 26th measure, which starts on a new grand staff, has TWO treble clefs and the lower staff gets a bass clef at the end of the 29th measure. What the dickens is this all about? I don't know why I even noticed on on the quick shot you gave us, but it seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. Would you share the explanation for this? (Added about 10 min. later.) Holy moly! I just noticed that The New Doll has ALL treble clefs until the last staff, which has a bass clef. Are both hands playing on the "high" side of middle c when we see this type of grand staff?

[@hammerklav8152]

The left hand is written in treble clef because it's easier to read that way, as simple as that.

[@carolinediane1079]

Because the phrase ends on a dominant chord does not mean there is tension. Tension is normally produced by chromaticism rather than a major chord with a seventh. By ending with a Dominant it leaves the listener with the question of what is to come. A feeling of a complete ending would be a tonic chord or a Roman numeral I and in this case it would be a minor one signified by a lower case one: i.

[@carolinediane1079]

Also, the dominant is major as you stated so the V should have lines across the top when written in upper case. Unfortunately, I cannot duplicate that on a computer keyboard...maybe that is why you are writing it the way you are. It should large in size than the minor i tonic. I do have a question about the half diminished chord. Are you saying it half diminished because the triad is diminished and the interval between the d and the c is not a diminished interval?

[@bluedragonfire4960]

Is the jump from grade 7 to 8 big? Should I skip the grade 7 exam and just do 8?

[@PianotvNet]

It's not as big of a jump as it is from grade 8 to 9. But I can't answer that question for you!

[@trustmeimdolphin2005]

I didnt get that theoretical part.

[@joshlau9279]

Wrong note in bar 11 you played an E instead of F

[@adrianmihaiconstantin5470]

I think the notation in the video is wrong. In the IMSLP score, there's an E right there.

[@viewer7200]

Please show us your kitty. I have just subscribed.

[@carolinediane1079]

You refer to the lower case Roman numerals as alphabetical letters the English language. The lower case I or i is not a letter. It is the minor tonic which is a lower case Roman numeral or number. The V ( vee as you call it) is a major chord on the fifth note of the g-minor scale. It is not a Vee. If any beginning theory students are learning via your channel you are not presenting the correct terminology that is used in the analysis of music. While I appreciate the time you have taken I firmly believe that beginners along with those who have studied music for some time should use the correct terminology. Student does not need a bachelors or a Masters to achieve this as it is presented in early theory via piano teachers or music theory in secondary school if available.

[@VOmaker]

Tchaikovsky seems to have had a mean streak in him toward children. Why else would he have a piece called The Sick Doll, another called The Doll's Burial? Of course, it may just be a lesson in real life, boys and girls. He even has a piece called The New Doll, which appears first in copy of the score album I downloaded from IMSLP. Had it been third in the order it may have offered a more hopeful feel. As it is, the child gets a new doll, the doll gets sick, dies and gets buried. Just think how the children would appreciate it if the doll got sick and died, was buried and then a new doll comes along. I think, this is how I would play these "stories" if I were playing for children. This would leave them on a happy note rather than a minor chord! ;)

[@PianotvNet]

Ha ha ha, that's a good point! :)