Famous Pianists & Their Technique"Ever since Cristofori constructed his fortepiano, composers and performers have searched for the best ways to produce tone on the instrument. Because the piano differs vastly in range and intensity from its keyboard relatives, techniques developed for organ, harpsichord and clavichord do not necessarily transfer to the piano. As the instrument was perfected mechanically, pianists tried through various approaches and exercises to 'perfect' the hand. Virtually every renowned pianist had some thoughts on the matter; those who didn't write such thoughts down at least discussed them with those who did. Reginald Gerig has drawn together these writings and incorporated from chronologically and geographically in Famous Pianists and Their Technique. Here are summaries and little known excerpts from the works of C. P. E. Bach, Bartok, Bauer, Beethoven, Brahms, Breithaupt, Cage, Chopin, Clementi, Czerny, Debussy, Deppe, Fay, Godowsky, Horowitz, Hummel, Levinskaya, Leschetizky, the Lhevinnes, Liszt, Long, Matthay, Mozart, Ortmann, Prokofiev, Ravel, Rubinstein, Schubert, the Schumanns, Schultz, Townsend, Virgil, Whiteside, and others--as well as the adventures of the less deservedly famous. Rich in original material, this book will help student and teacher to gain perspective in technical development. It adds a valuable dimension to music literature in its highly readable interpretations of thoughts on touching the keyboard through the centuries. In his large bibliography, Gerig directs the reader to original and often obscure or unexpected sources."--Dust jacket. |
Contents
The Meaning of Technique | 1 |
The Early Clavier Methods | 9 |
The Beginnings of the Piano | 35 |
Copyright | |
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Amy Fay Anton Rubinstein arpeggios artist Bach beautiful Beethoven Brahms Breithaupt C.P.E. Bach Carl Czerny Chiroplast Chopin chords Clara Clara Schumann clavichord clavier Clementi composer composition concert Conservatory contraction coordination Czerny Debussy Deppe elbow Etudes execution exercises expression feeling finger action fixation flexors forearm German hammer hand harpsichord heard Hummel Ibid instrument intensity joint Josef Lhevinne Kalkbrenner keyboard Kullak later legato Leschetizky lessons Levinskaya Liszt Ludwig Deppe manner Marguerite Long master Matthay mechanical melody method Moscheles motion move movement Mozart muscular musicians natural never notes octaves Ortmann Paris passages pedal perfect performance pianist piano playing piano technique pianoforte pieces player position practice produced pupil relaxation result rhythm Robert Schumann Rubinstein scales Schultz Schumann small muscles sonatas sound speed staccato strings student style teacher teaching technical thumb tion Tobias Matthay tonal tone quality touch Vienna virtuoso weight wrist wrote