The Love of God (alternative fill-ins)
I know…not all church pianists have big hands like Rachmaninoff! With that in mind…I created alternative fill-ins for the runs in The Love of God advanced piano solo that I just published a couple days ago.
I hope these alternative fill-ins will be more user-friendly for those with small hands. The whole piece is really written for a pianist with large hands but maybe those of you with smaller hands can adapt this arrangement with these alternative fill-ins.
Click here to download alternative fill-ins
Tags: atlernative fill-ins, church pianist, pianist, the love of god
Thanks for the alternatives, but they are kind of disappointing compared to the original. Guess I will have to work on it real slow and get my large enough but rather clumsy hands up to speed. I’m going to drive my wife crazy playing this one. Your demonstration video sounds great.
You can do it! 🙂
Thank you, Jenifer! That is so helpful for me. I find that if I just shorten the runs by one octave I can keep up the tempo okay.
Yes! 🙂 That was my preferred method for making runs more accessible but tried to make it easier for those not-so-nimble fingers. It’s great you could adjust on your own 🙂
How long did it take you to learn to play runs? I have been diligently practicing them for 2 or 3 years and I am still not up to speed (though slowly gaining). I do have small hands, can only reach an octave. I have no difficulty reaching the notes in the runs, but maybe small hands makes it more difficult to play that fast?
Sorry for delayed response….still catching up on my emails, etc.
I started learning runs while in high school (long time ago!)
Referring to the specific runs in “The Love of God”….I think the small hand pianist can achieve the same speed with the suggested fingering (which won’t extend the hand too much) and consistent practice.
I think the trickiest move in the runs is starting the thumb on each group without interruption to the overall speed.
When I play the right hand runs up to speed…I pivot into the first note of each group with my thumb; maintaining a boyant feel in the arm. The accents of the run are also on the first note of each group in the run…giving the run a more shapely sound.
I think on some of the runs (measures 21 and 25 for instance), it would be possible to start the run on the second eighth note of the base and make all the notes of the run 32nd notes(except the last note). This would make it easier to play but still maintain the extension on the keyboard. Not quite as explosive but it still sounds nice to me. The first chord of the measure in the right hand would have to be changed to an eighth note as well I guess.
Excellent suggestion Paul! I played it to hear the difference and it still sounds nice!
Are the runs really supposed to be played as the music shows, with four notes on the first 8th note and eight notes on the second 8th note, or should it be evenly divided, with six notes per 8th note? I hope the question is clear.
Hi Ashley,
Are you referring to the music in this article or the original and if the original….what measure number? Thanks
Yes, the runs are suppose to be played as the music shows 🙂
The run accelerates as it goes higher. I wish I could communicate the run in a different way but haven’t learned how in Finale but I did present the way I play it.
Do you use the fingering 1-2-4-5 for the run in measure 24 in the original?
Yes
I thought that was all the questions I had, but then I realized I had another one. For the rolled 10ths (i.e. measure 18) would you use fingering 1-2-5 or 1-3-5? I’ll try not to ask any more questions!
5-2-1 (bottom to top fingering)