Lesson 85: Virtuoso Studies, Part 5 — Complex Rhythms
- Keep the beat steady through a hemiola, which groups six beats into three pairs.
- Play the short groups in 5/8 and 7/8 with even eighth notes.
Keep the small notes even as their groups change.
A hemiola groups six quarter notes into three pairs. In irregular metres, keep each short group clear.
Hemiola — three pairs across two bars
Keep the quarter-note speed steady across two bars of 3/4.
Count bars 1–2 as 1-2-3; in bars 3–4, stress every second quarter note, then land on bar 5.
5/8
2 + 3 or 3 + 2, usually shown by the beaming; this drill is 2+3.
Two quavers, then three.
7/8
Practise 2 + 2 + 3.
The daily warm-up
Daily practice:
- Clap the hemiola with a steady quarter-note beat, then play it.
- Count 5/8 as “1-2, 1-2-3”, then play it.
- Count 7/8 as “1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3”, then play it.
- Switch between 5/8 and 7/8 without changing eighth-note speed.
Now play these
- Telemann: Duet Sonata TWV 40:105 — complete first part
- Compare the Gratioso’s 3/4 cadences with the hemiola drill.
- Telemann: Duet Sonata TWV 40:106 — complete first part
- Contrast the Presto’s 4/4 with the Soave’s 3/8.
When your recording has even small notes and clear groups in all three drills, move on to Lesson 86.