Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Question about Mozart's Turkish March

Yes, I've also been practicing that piece, but I was a bit intimidated by the fast parts! I actually thought that the K545 piece was more difficult than The Turkish March. Thanks for the tip.

The mistake many beginners (including myself, when I first learnt it) make is to play the outer movements, especially the first, too fast - just because it has what looks like lots of technical exercises for the fingers. But they are all part of the melody, and should be played as such with proper phrasing and articulation, and of course, should 'flow like oil' - just like the tune at the beginning. (Oddly, I first heard this when someone in The Addams Family (TV series, not movies) played it on the harpsichord..... ....and I immediately wanted to learn it myself). When I first heard it played by a professional pianist (I think it was Mikhail Pletnev - who is no stranger to speed....), I was shocked that he played it at half the speed I was playing it.

The second movement is also pure Wolfie in its operatic aria-like melody over regular accompaniment, and I think it's a great introduction to the development and cultivation of the bel canto tone that you'll need eventually to play Chopin Nocturnes.

The K545 I'd say is around about grade 5? Turkish March is definitely post Grade 8 IMO.

You don't have to do anything--except make a choice. The choices you make will determine whether you learn the Turkish March in 6 months, a year, five years, or never. (Same for Chopin.)

I see no harm in playing around with the easy parts of a piece of music you enjoy! Just be careful, right now, not to put to much time into really "learning" something that is a bit far beyond your current level, as you might develop bad habits and it becomes harder to learn it later on when you are prepared.

Here's some inspiration to keep you going:
[video:youtube]Z7izUG6QStA[/video]

As long as the OP realizes it may take a long time or that parts of the piece may not even be possible right now, I think it's really up to him how long he is willing to spend on this piece. If someone is very interested in a piece this can be the most important consideration for them even if the piece isn't the best pedagogical choice.

Absolutely. I hope there would exist more than one piece for the student to choose from, and that one of them is closer to the student's level, but you'll get no argument from me on this one. Student enthusiasm is one of the single most important considerations.

There are numerous simple arrangements of the Turkish March available for free online. Perhaps you should try some of them. It may be the perfect compromise for now.

Hi Dief (just joking),

As architect I was fascinated by the layout of the fortress city of Bergen op Zoom ... with it’s surrounding waterways (even supporting boats) ... and those charming little (on paper) links from inside to the surrounding agricultural fields ... it would be
interesting to hear from you where exactly your home is in Bergen op Zoom ... looking at the marvellous Grand Market Place with it’s cane chairs, makes me envious of sharing a cup of coffee ... but I’m sure the present
icy weather dims the prospect ... perhaps better in June.

Just a side thought, having lived most of my life in Cape Town, known as the Mother City, where the Dutchman Jan van Riebeeck first landed on 6 April, 1652. .
His three ships were called the Drommedaris, Reijger, and Goede Hoop ... Van Riebeeck had been ordered to build a fort for future arrivals from Holland ...
The wooden fort was replaced in 1666 with the present stone faced one,four years after van Riebeeck had returned to Amsterdam.

The five points of the Cape town Castle are called
Leerdam, Buuren, Katzenellenbogen, Nassau and Oranje.
In days of my youth we had a Public Holiday on April 6 commemorating the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck.

But then the Dutch like to “muck around in boats”.

Sorry chaps about the history lesson.

I'm with bennevis on the Mozart K.545 suggestion ...
sheer magic.

Hi guys,

We're about a week further and I have to say that I've changed my routine completely.
It was just so frustating to sit behind the piano and not produce anything decent sounding. On the rare occassion that I actually hit the right notes at the right time, it still didn't sound right to me. I've been playing fingerstyle guitar for a few years now and my ears got quite sensitive to that sort of thing. I was missing the emotion in my piano playing, I couldn't play the notes the way I wanted to play them.

I then realized that whatever I was doing, was just plain stupid. If, for example, I wanted to learn to read Russian, I wouldn't start with Dostoyevsky. You have to start with the basics. Besides, how silly would it be if I could play "The Turkish March", but have trouble with sightreading "Brother John"?

Right now I'm focussing on Alfred's book, and doing all of the exercises very thoroughly. Currently I'm on page 68, with the "Beautiful Brown Eyes" song. I'm also practicing simplified pieces like "Ode to Joy" and "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik". It's a bit weird going from "The Turkish March" to "The Wheels on the Bus", but at least I'm having fun again. I'm happy I took a few steps back.

@btb

It's so nice to hear a little history of my home town! I'm actually surprised that there are people that have heard of this town.
I live in the south of Bergen op Zoom, in an area called "Bergse Plaat".

There sure is some beauty to find in this city. Drinking coffee or some beers with my friends on the Grand Market, is just really lovely. Especially in the summertime.

Aka Crab Town!