Piano Teacher’s Favourite Piece?

I was listening to Classic FM this morning when the presenter referred to the piece coming up as: “The piano teacher’s favourite”. Was she being serious or tongue-in-cheek, I wondered … having guessed straight away she was talking about Beethoven’s Fur Elise.

Is this really any piano teacher’s favourite? It’s certainly not mine. That’s not to say it’s not a beautiful piece of music – and I love listening to professional renditions of it – and enjoy playing it myself (not very well as I developed bad habits as a child). But as a piano teacher trying to teach it? I’d rather not.

The problem is, a lot of children can play the first nine right hand notes. They’re very impressed with this achievement (and in some cases I think ambitious parents over-encourage) … so they decide they’re ready to tackle the whole piece – which most definitely aren’t. Many have learned these nine notes from a relative or friend … or from an app – and they often use random fingers (or in the worst cases, just the one).

If I do try teaching the piece to these pupils (in most cases purely to make the point that they’re not advanced enough to learn it) – there is a reluctance to even attempt the left hand. The ones who are a little more able accept that they have to play the left hand but don’t want to learn ‘the fast bits’ so never successfully complete the whole piece.

Even the rare few who are ‘ready’ for this piece (and I would say you need to be around grade 5 standard to play it ‘properly’) – struggle with pedalling and fail to maintain an even beat. Some I’ve taught are determined to romanticise Fur Elise which I find slightly irritating as I feel it’s a simple, pretty piece where the notes ‘speak for themselves’ and it doesn’t need rubato or over-dramatic expression.

It’s easy to forget (or not even know in the first place … as I didn’t for a long time) – that Fur Elise is more officially entitled Bagatelle no. 25 in A minor. I think if I ask any of my pupils: “Would you like to learn Bagatelle no. 25 in A minor?” they’ll almost definitely say: “No” … and I certainly won’t be disappointed.