Gedike - Moderato

Interpreting the Music

Teaching & Learning the Piece

Gedike: Moderato

• A minor, few black notes
• RH melody, LH accompaniment
• 2-note chords, including RH 6ths
• LH jumps a 7th
• Holding a tie

This is an intriguing miniature, which could be interpreted in different ways. The title “Moderato” gives hardly any clue about Gedike’s intentions, except perhaps that it is not meant to involve extremes. There is a sense of folksong, and with its key of A minor it could have a sad and wistful air, but the staccato quavers and accents give it the feel of a dance. The abrupt glimpse of C major at bars 13-14 is quite dramatic.

For the imaginative student there is scope to explore different possible titles such as “Tired ballerina”, “Grandma’s childhood”, “Skipping in the rain”, “Autumn” and so on. When introducing it as a new piece, you could play it and ask for a suggested title; a child may come up with surprising ideas in response to the music.

There are not many dynamic markings but the style of the music demands a mixture of louder and quieter playing to help shape the phrases and clarify the mood. Without such variety the piece will sound dull. The f at bar 12 should not be too sudden or too loud, as the key change in bar 13 is also a surprise and too much drama will unbalance the overall effect. Think of it more as an increase in warmth.

The main technical issues are chord playing and repositioning the hands. In bar 5-6 the jump down is made easier by remembering that there is a B in common between the two chords. Similarly at bars 12-13 the C is a common note.

Neatness in staccato playing will be required and evenness at the semiquavers. All the articulation is clearly marked and should be carefully observed. Rests and ties are often missed at the note learning stage so mark them for extra attention. The dotted-quaver/semiquaver LH rhythm should exactly match the semiquavers in the RH.