: While not a download of the method book itself, a significant academic resource is available: "BEGINNING PIANO METHODS OF RUSSIAN TRADITION: AN ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE RUSSIAN SCHOOL OF PIANO PLAYING BY A. NIKOLAEV" by Valeriya Kanaeva. This Master's research paper provides a detailed analysis of Nikolaev's method, including specific discussion of Book 1, Part II. You can access and download this valuable analysis for free from the OpenSIUC repository.
This approach ensures you are supporting the artistic community while still gaining access to the rich pedagogical insights of the Russian piano tradition.
Developing a "singing" voice on the piano.
Before dissecting Part II, let’s establish context. Originally compiled by renowned Russian pedagogues Alexander Nikolaev and Vladimir Natanson, this series (often abbreviated as RSPP) was the standard curriculum for children’s music schools ( Detskaya Muzykalnaya Shkola ) across the Soviet Union.
The Russian school of piano playing is renowned globally for producing exceptionally artistic and technically proficient pianists. A cornerstone of this tradition is The Russian School of Piano Playing method, a comprehensive curriculum often divided into two parts within Book 1. While Part I focuses on the absolute fundamentals, is designed to build upon that foundation, bridging the gap between beginner techniques and more sophisticated, expressive musicality. The Russian School Of Piano Playing Book 1 Part Ii Pdf
The book is split into two major sections within Book 1. focuses on absolute beginners: pre-reading exercises, non-legato touch, and five-finger patterns. Part II (our focus) is the gateway to intermediate elementary repertoire.
The Russian School of Piano Playing (Book 1, Part II) is the second half of the foundational piano method edited by Alexander Nikolaev. While Part I focuses on the first year of study (basic keyboard familiarity and simple melodies), Part II covers the second year
Students are taught to hear the desired tone in their mind before striking the key.
Familiarization with more varied keys and musical structures. 3. The Methodology: Why It Works : While not a download of the method
Singing the melody internally before pressing a key.
Part II of The Russian School of Piano Playing , Book 1, is a skillfully constructed bridge from rote-based pre-notation to independent performance with articulation, dynamics, and hand coordination. It avoids decorative elements in favor of functional, musical material that trains both the ear and the mechanism. While the aesthetic is less colorful than modern American methods, the results in finger strength, rhythmic precision, and expressive legato are consistently superior when the method is followed as written.
If you are using the PDF or physical copy of Part II, you will notice the repertoire is carefully curated to include folk songs, classical transcriptions, and studies (etudes). 1. Technical Exercises
If you are a piano teacher or an adult learner returning to the instrument, of Book 1, Part II. Pair it with a good metronome app and a YouTube playlist of Russian piano pedagogy demonstrations. Practice slowly, sing every line, and never sacrifice tone for speed. You can access and download this valuable analysis
You can find a downloadable PDF version of "The Russian School Of Piano Playing Book 1 Part II" online, through various websites and resources, such as:
While Part I introduces the basics and first year of learning, Part II moves into more complex territory: 68 pages of studies, pieces, and technical tables. scales, triads, inversions, and arpeggios at the end of the book. Repertoire A mix of Russian folk songs and works by masters like Tchaikovsky, Mozart, and Shostakovich Technical etudes by pedagogical experts like Gnyesina, Goedike, and Nikolaev Selected Repertoire Examples
Students are no longer just playing notes; they are shaping phrases. The text introduces subtle dynamics (