Swan Lake: Neapolitan Dance (piano arrangement)

Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski · Level 3 (Late beginner) · Romantic · Piano

The Neapolitan dance from Act III of Swan Lake (1877), in a piano arrangement by Laurence Sardain placed in the public domain: an Italian-flavoured tune over repeated chords, which livens up in sixteenths towards the end. A Romantic-era character piece. F major, 2/4, 54 bars (about 2 minutes), complete score.

▶ Play this piece with the interactive score

How to practise it

• Listen first: the site plays it while the score scrolls.
• Wait mode: the score waits for you at every note, at your own pace.
• Tempo challenge: play in time, with a score and a map of the bars you got right.
• Keep the repeated accompanying chords very light and bring out the melody. One hand sometimes plays two voices: hold the long notes for their full value and let the main line sing louder than the accompaniment. The left hand makes wide leaps: look at the landing note in advance and move early, without rushing the rhythm. For chords, shape the hand in the air before landing, all notes together.

More pieces by Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski

• The Seasons: January (O 37,1)
• The Seasons: February (Carnival)
• The Seasons: August (Harvest)
• March of the Wooden Soldiers (Op. 39 No. 5)
• Morning Prayer (Op. 39 No. 1)
• Old French Song (Op. 39 No. 16)
• Swan Lake, swan theme
• Winter Morning (Album for the Young Op. 39 No. 2)

Source : Mutopia Project · Public Domain