JOHN THOMPSON

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VELOCITY STUDIES
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5824 THE WILLIS MUSIC COMPANY

 Copyright, 1938
by
The Willis Music Co.
Printed in U. S. A.

W. M. Co. 5824
 FORE\MORD
The purpose of this book is expressed in its title, i.e., to develop
velocity in piano playing of about Third Grade of difficulty. It is

designed to supplement the THIRD GRADE BOOK in JOHN

THOMPSON'S MODERN COURSE FOR THE PIANO and deals
only with the purely technical side of piano playing. All the various
phasesof pianism have been considered and excellent examples for
Right Hand, Left Hand and Hands Together are carefully selected
from many of the masters of 6tude writers.
The editor has given short notes on how to practice each exercise
and space is reserved for keeping a record of the velocity attained in
each instance.
to say, speed is of no value unless it is under- perfect
Needless
control. Each exercise therefore, should be learned first at slow
tempo until accuracy and ease of performance are assured, after which
the tempo should be gradually increased.
While the prime purpose of the etudes is to develop the mechanics
of piano playing, every effort should be made to play them as artisti-
cally as possible. For this reason it is of great importance to observe
phrasing, the use of the pedal as indicated and the marks of
expression.
/

W. M. Co. 5824
 CONTENTS
Poge Poge

Hand.
1. Finger Le!,ato--Right 3 26. Perfect Evenness in Scale Playlng-
Left Hand 26
2. Flnler Legato-Left Hand 3
27. Brokerf Ctrord-Groupe-Right Hand 27
3. Flnger Legato-Both Hands. 4
28. Progress. ... 28
4. L$^to Passages as Melody. 4
29. Albumleaf .......29
5. Legato Scale PassaEes-Right Hand. . 5 30. L'avalanche.... .......30
6. Legato Scale Passa$es-Left Hand.. . . 6
31. TenderFlower. ...32
7. Wrist Staccato-Right Hand 7
32. Harmonles du Soir . ... . 33
8. Rollint Attack-Right Hand. 7
33. Anfelvoices. .....34
9. Passage Playin!-Both Hands.., . . . . . 8
34. Chorale ... . 36
10. Trills-Right Hand 9
35. Fanfare-Finger Staccato. . . . ... .... . 37
11. Diatonic Sweeps-Right Hand. . . . . . . 10
36. RtpplinEWaters. .......37
12. Three-note Slurs-Right Hand.. . .. . . 10
37. Carnlval of the Birds-Trills.. . . . .. . . 38
13. Broken Chords-Right Hand. . . . . ... 11
38. Crlss-Cross ......39
14. Broken Chorde- .......40
Divided between Hands l2
39. Gracefulness....
15. Broken Thirds-Both Hands t4 40. Prelude ln C minor ... . . 4l
16. Left-Hand Broken Chords tq 4t. StaccatoChord PlaytnE ...... 42
17. Arabesque.... 16 +2. Chromatlc Scales-Both Hands. . .. . . 43

18. Left Hand Paeeag,e Playing. r7 43. Hands. .... 44

TrillFigures-Both
19. March Wlnd-Left Hand Itrn 44. Scherzino ........45
20. Broken Chords-Both Hands. 18 45. TheSwallow.... .......46
21. Sustaining the Thumb l9 46. TurnRlght-Right Hand. ..... 48
22. Chaslng Butterflies. . . . 20 47. PassaEe Playtn$-Both Hands.. . . . . . . 50

23. Smoothneee ln PassaEe Playing. . . . . 22 48. Light Wrist Staccato-Left Hand. . . . 51

24. Perfect Evenness in Scale Playtng- 49. Thumb under and Hand over ln Ar-
Right Hand 24 pqll$o Playint. ...... . 52

25. Arp€gEios dlvlded between the Hands 25 50. Veloctty-Both Hands ... 54

livl
 - PRACTICE RECORD _

e:u,iii' iii"ot*l,i riiirnit, sisiiii,:rj

Record of Scales and Arpeggios Studied

and Maximum Tempo afaineO

Dere I scetEs
I I TEMpo

: aRPEGGIOS :
 3
Raise and drop the fingers
with military precision. Velocity attained M.M

Finger Legato - Right Hand

Czerny
Allegro vivace

Observe the phrasing and

marks of expression. Velocity attained M.M'

Finger Legato - Left Hand

Allegro Czerny

'W.
Copyright, MCUXXXVIU by ?he Willis .Music Co.
M. Co. b8z4 Printed in U. S. A.
4
Use well-articulated finger
leeato in both hands. lVelocity attained M. M.............. I

Finger Legato - Both Hands

Allegretto

,l

As gracefully as
possible. lVelocity attained M.M. . . . ...... I

The Brooklet
Duvernoy
Allegretto
5 q l'r------ 5
^12

-l e)

P ,+t
IJJ.SJ
t? +f ?F
:=:=--
r

+
+- +*

-
 o

Try to play the scales as Velocity attained M. M..............

smoothly as glissandos. I I

Legato Scale Passages - Right Hand

Allegro < b 6

f legato

'l

5 5
t s |p ) I 3

6e l* 1{

W.
6
Treat ths scale figures as an
accornpaniment to the Melody
which should be played as ex-
as Dossible.

Scale figures as Accompaniment

Duvernoy
Allegro comodo
 7
Obsorve the phrasing
in the left-hand part.

Wrist Staccato -Right Hand

Moderato

Play the right-hand groups with

rolling attack,
rolrlng tossi'g off
af,f,acK,toss: the last
note of each grouD.

Rolling Attack-Right Hand

Allegretto
D
8
Practice first ia four- four timo.
Laler in alla breve.
Apply the swetls and diminueados
as indicated.

Smooth Passage Playing

W' U. Co. 682.

 I
Practice first with well-articulated finger-
legato. Learn both sets of fingering.
As speed develops, keep tho fingers closer Velocity attainod M. M
and closer until they actually "rido"the kegrs.

The Trill
Kilhler
Allegro
rlz\sql' ?z l zz
pr 3 2 3

10

4r"zszrzsz
27

a
to
Play tho scale figures with fiagers closo
to the koys and with a swoeping motion Velocity attained M. M..............
of the arm. I I

They should sound almost like glissandos.

Diatonic Sweeps

Apply sharp attack and reloaso to the

three-note groups in the right hand
while the left hand uses a plucking fin-
staccato.

Three -note Slurs

Allegro
4oD

12
 tl
Play the right-hand broken chords
with a graceful Rotary l{otion.
Observe the phrasing of the sus-
tained left hand.

Rolling Attack - Broken Chords

Berens
Allegro
z+6

13

-.)-----
d2nz.

-\_ / +=--r' q1 _ic

eazl
L2

Theso arpeggio figures should be tossed

from one hand to the other and sound as Velocity attained M. M. .......-.....
smoothly as though played with one hand.

By the Seaside
Streabbog
Allegro moderato
D

lr-
t4 p -l
C+ z'a*" ,G"

1 /fr;;>
r.z4?11.2 2 7 t

6? r€* z7 €i
2 D
 t8

Lr | a-4
|

Er fa:t Lfri I

/; \ 1

w LzL- lF L-J-F lz)-F

ai a Qi, *:* €:*

24
2 I g2\ I

p
<>
{} (t -+
++- 1;7

t.4

l-'l--
,C" /----2
?f -i
'F
,<;"

t? t
ri
--F-

a +
p pp
-7 -t ,--+ ,4i
2l 42
D
Practice the broken thirds first
rith high Finger Legato.
As speed develops, use less and
less finger action.

Broken Thirds
Kiihler
Allegretto vivo
1s

15
I

;4

----T-\
 t5
[,Jse a elight rolting motiotr in playing
the left-hand broken chords.

Left Hand Broken Chords

Kiihler

f.
[6
Rorl off the groups in l{iths.
Play the left hand chords with Velocity attained M. M.............
forearm staccato.

Arabesque
Allegro scherzando

17

r'.-1|_-2.-------------,

dim. e poco rqll.

t I
I

a p.r - f
?dmp."
a* 3*
.cre8c.
?t ** GG ** ++ -

T. X. Co. rrr
 17
Play the left hand with strict finger
j legato - well articulated.

Left Hand Passage Playrng

Czerny

Play the left hand with close finger

legato - employing, at the same time
a sweeping motion of the arm.

March Wind
iz

".'
t8
Practice this first at moderate tempo
wil}r high /inger leg'ato. Velocity attained M. M
Later, as speed devetops, keepthe fin-
gers close to the keys anduse a rolling
notion of the arm.

Broken Chords - Both Hands

Czerny
Vivace

20

rF--
7-
I

*#--D_F

W. M. Co. reil
 t9
Let the sustained notes (played by
the thumb) support the weight of the
I arrn, while the upper voice is played Velocity attained M.M
I with finger legato.

Sustaining the Thumb

Duvernoy
Allegretto

W.
20
Play tno two-note slurs with a Vcloc'lty attainod IlI. U -..'..--..-...
rolling motion of the hand, and
toss off each grouP sharPlY.

Chasing Butterflies
Streabbog

4-,3
to2 s

22

4
2i.o sr'<

i\1 aL vi\ a;

p
f E O

W X. Co. 6824