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PEDALLING THE WORKS OF THE CLASSICAL ERA – BALANCING EFFECTIVE PEDAGOGY AND HISTORICALLY

INFORMED PERFORMANCE PRACTICE

Julie Haskell, Elder Conservatorium, The University of Adelaide

Most elementary and intermediate classical works for piano may be played entirely without pedal. However, if the pedal is to be used in advanced classical works, a refined pedal technique is required. Artistic use of the pedal requires not only a finely nuanced pedal technique but also a clear understanding of the classical style and its requirements. This paper will attempt to outline a strategy for teaching the use of pedal in classical repertoire at the intermediate level, taking into consideration the articulation, phrasing and rhetorical element of this music.

Recently when adjudicating I came across a performance of a little piece in the style of a classical piano sonatina. The teacher had obviously written in some pedalling and although I don’t have the music, it was similar to this Attwood Sonatina (see Ex.1) with a short rhythmic pedal indication on the first and third beat of every bar.

Ex.1

The performance was lovely and the pedal didn’t hinder the

performance at all but I did find myself asking two questions: 1. What was the pedalling here trying to achieve? 2. Was it helping or hindering the student’s technical

development?

I will return to these questions a little later.

Stages for pedal technique Generally pedalling is best taught to students when they have already

developed a good basic finger technique, good coordination between hands and good posture at the piano. It is not in the scope of this paper to

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cover in fine detail how pedalling can be taught but I will present a short summary of the steps. From my experience, I believe that it can be

developed in easy stages, as follows:

The development of a good basic foot movement and posture at the piano

This can take the form of using the pedal in elementary pieces where the pedal is used for a whole section or the entire piece to create a lovely wash of colour.

The development of foot and hand coordination This is where the student learns to separate the action of playing a note and depressing the pedal. Developing this coordination is a vital step, ensuring that the two actions are not dependent on each other. Students should also be shown why this is absolutely necessary when playing legato with the fingers, so as not to cause blurring with previously held notes.

The development of legato pedalling

Legato pedalling, sometimes called syncopated pedalling, requires a whole series of exercises culminating in the pedalling of legato passages in pieces.

The development of rhythmic pedalling Rhythmic pedalling, which is usually understood as pedalling exactly at the same time as playing a note or chord, is useful for pedalling separate chords and adding accents. Rhythmic pedalling is best left until foot/hand coordination and legato pedalling are well established

Choice of repertoire when teaching the use of pedal

It is important to choose repertoire wisely when teaching the skills

necessary in the acquisition of a good pedal technique. Generally pieces written specifically with a pedagogical aspect are useful to begin with – there have been many suitable pieces written in the last fifty years, but also many of the small romantic piano miniatures are ideal for this purpose.

Most elementary and intermediate level music of the classical era

does not require any pedal and is not suitable for use in the development of a pedal technique. Certainly one reason for this is that the damper shifting mechanism found on pianos of the 18th century was slow in its development. The first damper shifting mechanism was only able to be used for a whole passage as it was operated by a hand stop. The need for more flexibility saw the introduction of a knee lever. The piano that Mozart owned in the early 1780s had two knee levers as well as several hand stops1 but he never indicated pedal in any of his piano music. The foot pedal was

1 Rowland, p.18

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not a standard feature of the Viennese piano until around the beginning of the 19th century. On the other side of the English Channel, the

London school of composers was using the pedal or knee lever at least ten years earlier than in Vienna which influenced Haydn in his only use of the pedal to be found in his penultimate piano sonata in C, Hob. XVI: 50, first movement written in London, c. 1795.

Elementary and Intermediate level repertoire

At an elementary level (preliminary/first grade) students should be starting to develop the ability to project and shape a melodic line, keep the accompaniment soft, feel the strong beats of the metre and shape the ends of slurs by floating off. All of this is relevant to the classical style and pedalling is something that can easily distract the student from mastering these other important aspects. Certainly when the pedal is not essential, I suggest that it be not be used often in the early stages of piano studies.

If a student is to develop the pedalling skills necessary to be able to manage advanced repertoire with refinement and stylistic understanding, this must gradually be developed through several years of careful study at the intermediate level.

Rhythmic pedalling in Classical works

The first pedal use appropriate to classical repertoire for students is rhythmic pedalling. This can be introduced in small sonatinas where the pedal is depressed at the same time as a chord is played and generally released also together with the notes.

The most simple examples of this type of pedalling can be found at

the final cadence chords of expositions and recapitulations in many first movements of sonatinas and sonatas by Clementi, Haydn, Kuhlau and others. This would be appropriate, for example in the final three chords of the Beethoven Sonatina in F, third movement (see Ex.2) as indicated in the Alfred volume 2 in the Masters of the Sonatina series.

Ex.2

By using pedal on these final cadential chords, students learn to play

them with a rounded tone. Everything must be done to avoid the so often heard “cadential peck” when students play these chords with a short,

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sharp staccato attack or even toss them off with light, flippant staccato that is out of character in this context and does not match the rest of the

performance. This unfortunate approach is often not helped by editorially added staccato dots.

One of the problems sometimes associated with rhythmic pedalling is

that students develop a total body movement whereby hands, foot, head and torso all move as one – this must be avoided. Generally final chords of this nature should be played with arm weight and a supple wrist while the foot moves independently, not causing other extraneous movement. Legato pedalling in intermediate Classical works

Legato pedalling, as we understand it today, had not yet been developed during the classical period. In Vienna during the 18th century, pedal use was not common, although its use in London was much more advanced. There, composers such as Clementi and especially Dussek2 were well known for their use of pedal, even though this was almost never indicated in the score. It was generally understood that when the pedal was used, it would be changed as the harmonies began to blur. This would most likely have been rhythmic pedalling as we know it. Kalkbrenner claimed that Dussek invariably used the pedal while the harmony remained unchanged, and kept the dampers almost constantly lifted when he played in public.3

In Vienna however, there was a general preference for a clearer, more

articulate sound. In fact, Kalkbrenner stated as late as 1830 that ‘in Germany the use of the pedals is scarcely known’.4 It is interesting to note that there were no instruction manuals written about pedalling even though there were many lengthy works written about playing keyboard instruments.

On the other hand, we also have several secondary sources that detail

Beethoven’s considerable pedal usage. Czerny remarked that ‘Beethoven used the pedal much more than he indicated in his scores’5 and Hummel’s partisans considered that Beethoven brought ‘only confusing noise through the use of the pedal’!6

Whilst certain sonatinas, especially the slow movements would most

likely have been pedalled during the classical era, one needs to be cautious

2 Rowland, p. 40 3 Rowland, p. 38 4 Rowland, p. 40 5 Newman in Banowetz, p. 146 6 Newman, p. 146

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when advising students about pedalling these works, for example, in the second movement of the Clementi Sonatina in C, Op.36, No.1 (see Ex.4).

Ex.4

The combination of several bars of legato pedalling can sometimes

prove more difficult for students, especially when there are gaps without pedal, scalic passages or faster changes of the pedal. An example of this can be found in the first movement of the Sonatina in G, Op.55, No. 2 by Kuhlau. (see Ex.5) The use of discreet or intermittent pedalling can require considerable development.

Ex.5

Yet another technique that can be employed with great effect is to

depress the pedal only half way down, which adds only the upper harmonics and does not create an overwhelming fullness of sound. This can be very suitable for these small works and is certainly worth developing when a student is ready to cope with more sophisticated use of the pedal. In this second movement of the Kuhlau Sonatina in G, Op.55, No.2, (see Ex.6) I suggest the use of light pedalling, and then in a rhythmic sense, one pedal per bar, but releasing gradually towards the end of every bar.

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Ex.6 Unfortunately much confusion abounds when referring to what I call light pedalling. The pedal can be used on a sliding scale from very light pedal use where it is only slightly depressed, raising the dampers only slightly from the strings, right through to a full pedal depression where the dampers are totally lifted from the strings. This ‘squeezing’ technique is usually reserved for advanced students, but can be taught at any level – it depends on careful listening!

Elements of the classical style requiring careful consideration

When teaching a student to use the pedal in classical repertoire, several aspects must be taken into consideration. Articulation, especially two note slurs, and the “normal” touch necessitate extreme caution in the use of pedal. The sense of pulse with strong and lighter beats in a bar is also an extremely aspect of classical performance which can be adversely affected clumsy pedal use. Articulation

There were several important treatises written in the eighteenth century that need to be taken into consideration, two of which are perhaps most appropriate to pianists: those of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Daniel G. Türk..

Legato playing as we understand it today was certainly not used when

Haydn and Mozart were writing their piano works. The “normal” touch according to C.P.E. Bach in his Versuch was half the length of the note,7 whereas 25 years on, Türk in his treatise suggests that this has become three quarters.8 It is well known that Mozart and Beethoven were familiar with the writing of CPE Bach and Beethoven even stressed the importance of the Versuch and legato playing when teaching Czerny.9 7 Harrison, p. 41 8 Harrison, p. 41 9 Stanley, p. 21

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However, the normal touch as recommended by Clementi in his

tutor of 1801 is ‘the best rule is, to adhere chiefly to the legato; reserving the staccato to give spirit occasionally to certain passages and to set off the higher beauties of the legato’10 Appoggiaturas and the resolution of two note slurs The light resolution of two-note slurs (appoggiaturas) is something that can often be disturbed by the use of pedal. In the AMEB grade 7 series 16 version of the Mozart Sonata in G, K 283 first movement (see Ex.7), the use of pedal on the 2nd beat of bar 5 is not really necessary because it adds emphasis to the resolution, which should be much softer.

Ex.7

In the CPE Bach Prussian Sonata in A, H 29, second movement, (see Ex.8) found in the AMEB grade 5 series 16 edition, there is similarly marked pedal on the fourth beat of bar one, on the resolution of an appoggiatura. To use the pedal at this point is very difficult at this intermediate level. While it might enable the pianist to fade gently if executed with skill, it is more likely to introduce an undesired accent on the resolution of this appoggiatura.

Ex.8

Accentuation

10 Rosenblum, p. 154

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The execution of strong and weak beats in a bar is an essential component of any work written in the classical period. Türk writes about

this extensively in his treatise and it is also described carefully by Clive Brown in Classical and Romantic Performing Practice 1750-1900.11 In the AMEB grade 6 series 16 version of the finale of the Haydn E minor Sonata Hob XVI: 34, (see Ex.9) there are editorial rhythmic pedal indications on every beat. Whilst it could help to add buoyancy by highlighting the first beats, the pedal could tend to add undesired emphasis on the second and weaker beat of each bar.

Ex.9

Likewise in AMEB grade 7 series 16 version of the Mozart Sonata in G, K283 first movement, (see Ex.10), editorial legato pedalling adds too much emphasis to the second and third beats. In this example, some finger pedalling would be appropriate to add warmth and sustain the bass notes slightly. This is something that C.P.E. Bach wrote about in his Essay, stating that the “slurred tones of broken chords should be held through by the fingers” (See Ex.11: C.P.E. Bach, Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments, page 155).

Ex.10

Ex.11

Upbeats also need to be carefully managed. In the Beethoven Waltz

11 Brown, p. 26

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in E flat (see Ex.12) it is difficult not to accentuate the upbeat if the pedal is used (as indicated in the Allans edition of the Beethoven Fifteen

Waltzes) and it would probably be much better to save the pedal for the first beat of the first bar. Also, a shorter pedal in this bar would enable the pianist to manage the lighter second and third beats of the bar.

Ex.12

In the Menuetto I from the Mozart Sonata in E flat, K282, (see Ex.13) the pedalling here again accentuates the third beats when it is always the downbeat that requires the emphasis (AMEB grade 5, series 16).

Ex.13

In classical performance, a diminuendo must be made leading to the

end of a phrase; this is one stylistic aspect that is not always well serviced by the pedal indications found in some editions. In the Alfred Essential Keyboard Repertoire edition of the Menuetto from the Sonata in D Op.10 No.3 by Beethoven, (see Ex.14) the final chord of the line must be played more softly than the chord in bar 15. The pedal in bar 16 only adds unnecessary emphasis.

Ex.14

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Why Use Pedal?

Returning to the questions posed at the beginning of this paper, we can now be more specific about the aim of the pedalling in Example 1. Did it help to sustain? – No. It only served to sustain the bass notes a

little but this could be done with finger pedalling although not usually at this elementary level.

Did it help with the legato touch? – No.

Did it add colour? – Yes, however, at the elementary level, it is more

important to develop good finger technique, pedal technique and musical understanding.

Did it help with phrasing? – No.

Did it help give emphasis or accentuation? – In fact, it gave

unnecessary accentuation on the second beats of the bar.

Understanding the reason for pedalling

Unfortunately it appears that many students today are taught to use

the pedal only by following precisely the pedal markings in the score. This is fraught with problems for several reasons especially if the students don’t understand (1) how the pedal functions and/or (2) why they are using it. Also, at an advanced level, pedalling must be adapted for every instrument and in every different venue according to the resonance of the instrument in any particular acoustic.

The great inconsistency of pedal markings in anything but Urtext

editions, (which at least let us see what the composer intended), is bound to cause confusion. One only has to look at the recent AMEB publications to see that the piano for leisure books have no pedal added in the classical works yet in the series 14, 15 and 16, editorial pedal markings abound. One must search carefully in the front of the book to find a paragraph stating that the pedalling is entirely editorial and may be altered as desired.

To give an example of this, the Beethoven Pathetique Sonata, Op. 13,

first movement, found in the AMEB Piano for Leisure grade 8 book has no pedalling marked at all yet it is well known that Beethoven used the pedal quite considerably, even though he did not mark it in the score until Op. 26.

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In comparison, the AMEB grade 8 series 16 version of the Haydn Variations in E flat, Hob XVII:3 has abundant pedal indications (see

Ex.15). The work was written in the early 1770s when Haydn would most likely have played it on a clavichord or harpsichord.

Ex.15

The theme of this work is based on the Minuet from Haydn’s String

Quartet Op.9 No.2. If a full pedal is used here through the first bar, the sound built up is quite considerable and not really in keeping with the style of a Minuet or the texture of a string quartet.

Some subtle use of the pedal in this work played on the modern

piano is probably a very good idea, but by blindly following the pedal indicated in the score without any background knowledge or understanding, students could easily produce a performance devoid of any sense of the classical style.

The difficulty when performing a work on the modern piano that was originally written for clavichord or harpsichord is that it can quickly sound dry and wooden. Subtle light pedal is generally the best solution, and done with an understanding of the classical style this can produce a beautiful yet stylish performance. In addition to this, the pianist does need to be aware of the rhetorical aspect of the music, the articulation and touch12 and the sense of pulse in this dance metre.

Many students throughout Australia learn their entire repertoire from

unreliable editions or publications that are over-edited. As we have seen, even the AMEB publications can be inconsistent, but teachers are often loathe to do anything different from what is indicated in the book, fearing that the student will be penalized in the examination.

12 Rosenblum, chapter 5.

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Notation

The issue of how pedal was notated in the early nineteenth century can sometimes be cause for concern. In his Für Elise WoO 59, Beethoven did not worry about dynamics or slurs but did mark the pedalling in detail throughout the piece (see Ex.16).

Ex. 16

This pedalling is not actually legato pedalling although many pianists assume that this is the case! It is true that the first pedal indications were often quite erratic in their placement in the score and a standard system had not yet been developed. However, we also know as mentioned previously that legato pedalling was not the normal method of pedalling until much later in the 19th century. One could argue that Beethoven and other good pianists would have instinctively used legato pedalling as that is the only “nice” way of using the pedal but not only are our pianos different, so perhaps is our musical taste. The first documented description of what may have been legato pedalling can be found in Czerny’s Complete Theoretical and Practical Piano Forte School of 1839.13

It is interesting to compare two other editions of this work: The

AMEB Piano for Leisure series one version has legato pedalling indicated (see Ex.17).

13 Rosenblum, p. 106. Czerny’s directions are as follows “In the Tremolando, the damper pedal is almost always necessary; but the pedal must always be relinquished and resumed at every change of chord. The quitting and resuming the pedal must be managed with the utmost rapidity, not to leave any perceptible chasm or interstice between the chords; and must take place strictly with the first note of each chord…. the rapidly leaving and resuming the pedal must be practised, till we can manage it almost without thinking of it; and till such passages …. sound as if the pedal was held down without interruption.”

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Ex.17

The Alfred edition edited by Palmer (see Ex.18) has slight gaps marked in the pedalling. What is even more curious is the fact that yet another student edition published by Alfred has legato pedalling indicated!

Ex.18

Cadenzas and Improvisation

When writing about improvisation and ‘The Free Fantasia’ in 1762, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach stated that “The undamped register of the pianoforte is the most pleasing and, once the performer learns to observe the necessary precautions in the face of its reverberations, the most delightful for improvisation.”14

This does give us some idea that it was quite acceptable to use the

sustaining lever in passages of an improvised nature. The first mechanisms found on the pianos of the mid 1700s had only lever so that could only be employed for a whole passage. Gradually a knee lever followed, and Mozart first used this on a piano in 1777.15 The knee lever was actually very sensitive but it was soon to be replaced by a sustaining pedal, around the beginning of the nineteenth century on ‘Viennese’ pianos.

The Mozart Fantasie in D minor K 397 (see Ex.19) contains passages which are in the style of a ‘free fantasia’. Although Mozart did not indicate pedal in these cadenza-like passages, we can safely assume that this would have totally appropriate in the time. However, unlike the earlier instruments where the dampers were left off the strings for a whole passage, pianists should be encouraged to adjust the pedalling for the

14 CPE Bach, p. 431 15 Rosenblum, p. 104

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tonal effects – perhaps using lighter pedalling or flutter pedalling to avoid a large build up of sound.

Ex.19

Judicious pedalling can highlight the rhetorical shaping of phrases, the sense of direction, punctuation and accentuation of the melodic lines. These characteristic features can also be totally obscured by indiscriminate use of the pedal. As Bart van Oort pointed out in a masterclass,16 bar 10 of this cadenza consists of a series of appoggiaturas and should be played as two note slurs. In other words, each group of two notes should be slurred, shaped with a diminuendo and slightly shortened on the second note. Pedal throughout this passage would obliterate this effect.

Pedalling is always safer in the higher registers, where it is less likely

to prevent clarity of articulation, or cause too much confusion of sound. In the instance of the first Presto in the Mozart Fantasie K 397 (see Ex.20) some light pedalling at the top of the descending scale could add sparkle but the pedal would have to be released or fluttered as the scale reaches the middle register of the piano. However, the ascending arpeggio at the end of the cadenza would benefit from some pedal use to sustain the bass and add harmonic substance.

Ex.20

Texture

16 Fortepiano Summer School, Middelburg, The Netherlands, July 2008

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Another aspect of classical writing that needs to be taken into

consideration is the texture. A further example from the same Mozart Fantasie (see Ex.21) highlights writing that is in the style of a string quartet. To pedal through this passage only serves to blur the texture and join the quavers in the right hand, although they are clearly meant to be separated, in the rhetorical sense of the phrase shape and articulation.

Ex.21

Conclusion To summarise, the use of pedal in classical works is something that will take considerable time to develop. Students should first be taught basic pedalling skills using repertoire that is suited to this task. They should also be taught a good understanding of the classical style without the use of pedal. Only when the pedal technique and basic stylistic ideas have settled should the pedal gradually be incorporated into works of the classical period. In addition, students should be made aware of the reason behind the chosen use of the pedal. Finally, as with any music making, students should be encouraged to listen carefully to the result of their performance and adjust as they play. Good pedalling is flexible pedalling, guided by understanding and a clear idea of the desired result.

About the Author Julie Haskell studied piano in Melbourne with Jean McQuarie and Diana Weekes

and also held a scholarship with the Australian College of Education for 7 years from the age of 12. She was the winner of many prizes and awards, and performed as a finalist in the ABC Instrumental and Vocal competition at the age of 15. Her tertiary studies took place at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague with Theo Bruins and later with Jacques de Tiège.

Since returning to Australia in 1991, Julie has established herself as a leading chamber musician, accompanist and teacher in Melbourne. She is a member of the piano staff at the Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne and has also worked for many years as an accompanist at ANAM. An AMEB examiner, Julie has presented workshops throughout South-East Asia and Australia and has adjudicated more than 30 eisteddfods. She has a special interest in the classical era and historical performance practice and is currently working on a PhD thesis studying the development of the use of pedal in the

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classical era.

Contact Details

Ms Julie Haskell juliehaskell@mac.com

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