For this piece, I would stay quite close to the composer’s suggested final tempo of dotted quarter note = 58. More importantly, I would keep the metronome on the dotted-quarter pulse rather than setting it to eighth note = 174. Subdividing that finely tends to fracture the measure and can make it harder for the student to hear the continuity of the phrase. This piece benefits from being felt in larger rhythmic units, allowing the rolling accompaniment and melodic line to unfold with a more natural sense of flow.

Overall accessibility

Many students will find this atmospheric piece immediately appealing. The rolling left-hand arpeggios provide useful technical work, but because the accompaniment pattern is consistent and predictable, the piece is significantly more accessible than much of the Senior B repertoire. In practical terms, this is one of the most approachable selections on the list this year.

Use the left hand as an agility study

The continuous arpeggiated accompaniment offers an excellent opportunity to develop left-hand flexibility, evenness, and ease of movement. Encourage students to think in larger harmonic shapes rather than individual notes so that the pattern feels fluid rather than labored. The left hand should remain present enough to establish atmosphere and harmonic motion without competing with the melody. Because the figuration repeats so consistently, it can become a very effective vehicle for building technical confidence.

Work on phrasing and voicing

The piece provides ample opportunity to refine long melodic shaping and sensitive voicing. Encourage students to hear where the melody naturally intensifies, relaxes, and changes direction. In places where the melody is distributed across different registers or embedded within the texture, treat it as a compound melodic line that must still sound continuous.

Use rubato as an exotic spice

The evocative character invites a very delicate touch of rubato. Whiile temptation to bend the pulse may be strong, remind your student that the underlying flow of the arpeggios should remain intact enough that the piece never loses its sense of forward motion.

Use the piece to explore color

One of the strongest pedagogical benefits of this work is its potential for tone-color exploration. The harmonic shifts are occasionally unexpected and can create distinctly different emotional or visual impressions. Encourage students to experiment with how pedaling, touch, voicing, and dynamic shading can alter the character of the same basic texture. 

Pedagogical value

Although technically accessible, the piece still addresses substantial musical skills: balance, voicing, phrase shaping, rubato, compound melody, and coloristic pedaling. For a student who needs a less technically intimidating Senior B selection without sacrificing musical depth, this is a particularly strong choice.