4. Air

This piece possesses immense beauty. As it is an ensemble of voice and accompaniment, employ rubato to allow the melody to sing out fully. Many small notes appear, such as 32nd-note triplets. Care must be taken to avoid a mechanical treatment of these; this will be elaborated upon later. Furthermore, there are several passages in the piece that are inherently difficult to play with conventional techniques, thus requiring special methods.

Let us examine the piece from the beginning. While balancing the voice and accompaniment, allow the voice to sing freely. The accompaniment should follow and support it. In measure 1, there is a constant accompaniment, but in measure 2, 32nd-note triplets suddenly appear. A crucial hint here is to never rush. The right hand's DCBC in the first beat of measure 2 should be played melodically, lightly, yet without rushing, non-mechanically, improvisationally, and neither too loud nor too soft. Consequently, this first beat will require extra time, so take your time. As a result, the first chord in the left hand of the accompaniment will need time before the next chord is played; please take that time accordingly.

Similarly, sections with such intricate passages will require extra time. Please be very careful to prevent the right hand from becoming mechanical. The vocal solo continues until measure 8. In measure 9, another male singer enters. Play improvisationally as well. Then, in measure 12, on the third beat, the two singers form a duet. In measure 15, ensure the left-hand octaves do not become too loud.

Next, we enter the B section, measures 26-29, which is a climactic part. In measure 26, as we definitely want to sustain the bass E-flat, strike the right-hand G octave and the lowest E-flat in the left hand simultaneously. The remaining E-flat and B in the left hand should be played after striking the lowest E-flat. By doing so, you can sustain the bass and avoid muddiness.

From measure 31 onwards, the interplay between the two singers resumes. Then, in measure 40, the tenor singer enters, but from that point on, the chords on the first beat are very difficult to play, and there is a risk of losing the desired timing if not careful. Therefore, use the right hand as well to facilitate playing the chords. Below are the chords written in the bass clef that should be played with the right hand:

• Measure 40: The top 3 of 5 notes
• Measure 41: The top 1 of 5 notes
• Measure 42: The top 2 of 6 notes
• Measure 43: The top 1 of 5 notes
• Measure 44: The top 2 of 6 notes
• Measure 45: The top 1 of 4 notes
• Measure 46: The top 3 of 6 notes
• Measure 47: The top 1 of 4 notes

From measures 52-54, ensure that the moving inner voices are clearly audible.

In measure 56, the chord on the first beat (GBDG) is easier to play entirely with the right hand.