No. 7

This piece is the same as No. 11 in the 3rd edition and must flow smoothly horizontally. To achieve this, there are two main important points to note.

1. Consider the Balance Between On-Beat and Off-Beat Notes

This applies not only to this piece but to any piece: when notes are written alternately (at alternating timings) in the right and left hands, playing (and listening to) the notes as right, left, right, left already causes a loss of horizontal flow, leading to a stiff and mechanical performance. Specifically, if a right-hand eighth note is played, and a left-hand eighth note sounds before the right-hand note reaches its next eighth-note duration, the ear momentarily focuses on the left hand, hindering the sustain of the right hand. This results in a disruption of polyphonic order.

The key is to consider balance as the most important task and to reduce the volume of one of the voices as much as possible. By doing so, the two lines can progress horizontally independently, allowing for a performance without hindering the flow. In this piece, since the melody line is in the right hand, balancing can be achieved by playing the left hand at ppp.

2. Use Rubato to Create a Natural Flow

By using rubato for each phrase and playing 'without feeling the beat,' a horizontal flow can be created. The beginning of a phrase should start slowly, progress forward in the middle, and end slowly again at the conclusion of the phrase.

Other Important Points

• Pay attention to the 'position' of dynamic markings. Dynamic markings are often written where a new phrase begins, so observe carefully from which note the dynamic marking is indicated.
• The difference between bar 1 and bar 27 lies in the notation of the left-hand notes. In phrases where the bass is written as half notes, such as in bar 1 or bar 3, sustain the bass notes with the pedal to some extent. Conversely, in cases like the notation in bar 27, it is advisable to change the pedal frequently.
• From bar 17 onwards, a new melody line enters in the right hand. Since this is at the top, I believe it is the voice that should be emphasized the most.
• It goes without saying, but ensure that the top notes of chords are clearly audible. These top notes form the melody line.
• In bar 37, the cadenza should be improvisatory; however, bar 38 returns to 4/4 time in tempo, so do not play this section fast.