Leaf reading
The aim of the booklet "Leaf playing training from the beginning" is to promote musical independence. Active listening is of great importance here.
Holzschuhverlag has published another valuable book in the "Tastenforscher" series. As a répétiteur and conductor, Guido Klaus is well aware of the importance of sight-reading skills. As a pedagogue, he advocates the inclusion of sight-reading from the very beginning in order to support playing by ear and learning by imitation. In doing so, he pursues the goal of guiding learners towards a musical independence that is often lacking.
The booklet is clearly structured and cleverly structured in terms of progression. I like the fact that Klaus first gives a big overview of the notes and keys and then, with the notes C and G, allows the whole keyboard to be explored with reading exercises without a fixed pulse. Recognizing small groups of notes in combination with fluently reading the next beginning note in advance is intended to promote summary reading as a basic skill. In addition, there are sections with pure rhythm training before pitch and rhythm are combined in small monophonic, later two-part melodies.
Another basic skill for fluent reading is recognizing and grasping individual intervals and triads. There are numerous examples of exercises and music puzzles. After the theoretical introduction of the accidentals, they are to be placed in scales by ear. The importance of active listening for sight-reading cannot be emphasized enough.
This booklet is probably aimed more at older children and young people and is also ideally suited as an opening in lessons, as rhythmization or for "lazy weeks" in which not enough practice could be done.
Guido Klaus: Keyboard researcher, sight-reading training from the beginning, VHR 3418, € 14.80. Holzschuh, Manching
