6. Barcarolle in Venice

Perhaps the most challenging aspect to explain about this piece is the tempo. If the piece is played too fast, everything sounds very light and perfunctory. Conversely, if it's too slow, it becomes heavy. A dotted quarter note around 60 might be an appropriate tempo.

This piece is profoundly deep and changes significantly depending on the performance approach. Let's explain it in order. The two notes in the right hand (E-sharp - G-sharp) appearing in measures 3-4 serve as the motif for this piece. While this is the latter part of a melody line that appears later, as indicated by the dynamics in the score, play E-sharp loudly and G-sharp softly. Sustain the E-sharp and match the volume of the G-sharp to the fading sound. This might be a psychological depiction of a very impactful emotion gradually receding and disappearing like waves on a lake. The lyrical section begins from measure 6. Consider measures 6 to 14 as a single unit. Thus, within these eight measures (6-14), measures 6-10 form one phrase, and measures 11-14 form another.

Please look at the first section, measures 6-10. Upon reaching C-sharp in measure 7, a remarkable five C-sharps appear in the melody line up to the first beat of measure 9. If all five of these C-sharps are played identically, the charm of this piece is lost at that very point. These five C-sharps must never be played flatly. As for how to approach this, the author would first consider the initial three C-sharps as one group.

• Begin the first C-sharp softly, leading towards the third C-sharp on the first beat of measure 8, playing this note the loudest.
• Then, decrease the volume once. The remaining two C-sharps require very little volume. If anything, since the melody reaches its highest note, A, in measure 9, the remaining two C-sharps can be considered preparation for that. Therefore, in measures 6-10, aim for the greatest volume to occur in measure 9.

Next, regarding measures 10-14, when comparing measures 6-10 and 10-14, the author believes that the latter (10-14) is actually dynamically larger, so bring the strongest volume to measure 13.

To backtrack slightly, let's now discuss the left hand. Observing the left-hand movement from measure 1, it is an arpeggio and merely an accompaniment figure; however, please look at measures 5-6. While it's debatable whether this can be called a melody, this section alone exhibits a movement that is 'close to a melody'.

The same phenomenon occurs in the left hand in measures 13-14.

Let's look a bit further ahead. It also appears in measures 31-32. Thus, there are three instances in the piece where the left hand becomes melodic, and these three spots share a commonality. This melodic left-hand passage always appears after the right hand has played the E-sharp - G-sharp motif. These are highly lyrical and emotional sections, filled with sadness. Play these sections with ample expressiveness, singing. Bring out the top note with the first finger of the left hand.

From measure 21, the melody of the middle section emerges. It ascends in two-measure sequences. Gradually build a crescendo towards measure 29 as the goal, increasing the tension. There is a long trill in the right hand in measure 33. A typical mistake is to play this trill with 'the same volume and the same speed,' resulting in a flat and mechanical sound. This long trill should begin p, gradually crescendo, increase the trill speed, reach a peak, and then diminuendo while decreasing the trill speed.

The coda begins from the last chord on the second beat of measure 43. While the top notes of the chords descend successively, the volume crescendos, reaching measure 45. This depicts a state of unease or anxiety gradually intensifying.

Considering the piece as a whole, since the time signature is 6/8, there isn't much room to linger unnecessarily.

Choose a tempo that is neither rushed nor heavy, one that allows for a natural flow in your playing. The left-hand accompaniment should generally be pp, allowing the right-hand vocal line to stand out.