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How to obtain all this practically?
F. Chopin (1810 - 1849) All of us perfectly know - how great composer and
pianist he actually was. Though, unfortunately very few pianists know how
great he was as a teacher, too. Are you sure - the musical idea factually
determines the quality of each one sound in your everyday practicing? Modernly thinking, one must be
sure that the deficiency of particular sounding object (a specific quality of the
sound) that can persistently be a watched in playing, causes impossibility to
achieve the competent piano technique. We should remember, of course, we need
the well-working hands - but as well we need well-sharpened hearing, creative
fantasy and the truly active intellect. A touch of professional quality
will never be born without professionally trained ears. The careful
self-control, realized by precise hearing - is a cornerstone of the whole
matter. Who does NOT believe in
effectiveness of such approach, he/she - apart from the Neuhaus' famous book
- ought to become acquainted with Mr. Joseph Hofmann's work and, particularly, with
any possible achievable recording of him. Who never heard Hofmann's art of
the piano (Kreisleriana!), he would – possibly – never get the proper
image about real greatness of our unrivaled instrument. Are you sure - you could frankly say, in your
playing the fingers just convey the hand's weight in such a way, that this
load fluently moves on the keyboard's being moved like a good cellist's bow
and being the hidden source of dynamic power of the fingers? Are you sure - you do not must hold yours
hands in the air, really? Each one of us should be assured
yet that even if we use the most accurate kind of motions, it means only that
the physical, i.e. external components of playing become properly arranged. "All technique originates in
the art of touch and returns to it"! Both greatest piano giants - Chopin
and Liszt - were of the exactly equal opinion.
F. Liszt (1811 - 1886) was one of the greatest masters in history of the
piano. Though, the very few teachers know that his teaching method at the
beginning of his pedagogical work was nearly formal. Just later, in his
mature era he forgot the hands as a particular problem and started just
taught music activating his students' musicality... Every player must pay homage to real
beauty and value of the sounding result of ones work: the artistic substance
has to be put into every one sound. The pure reproducing of notes, signs and
other external elements is not enough for us: such an activity tires and
bores only! So, at first one must find the sound
"that sings better", filled it up with the artistically meaningful
idea and with some drops of natural human's emotion as well. The proper way
to really joyful and effective piano playing, maybe, starts from this point; well, I am quite sure. Yes! To find the sound "that sings
better" - actually, seeing the problem from its touchable side, should mean: to find the
proper energetic balance inside the working hands - which is possible in such
a case only, if the co-operation between hands, fantasy and ears - really
works very well (Earl Wild). As we know: the very common mistake in
playing the piano - is to use the whole arms or the major parts of them for
the fulfillment of many delicate duties that require the small and mobile
instruments (as the fingers are). As the result of such a rude mistake
reveals the fingers' weakness and, as a side effect, comes inactivity of
artistic fantasy...
You are getting a real chance to overcome
majority of yours actual piano troubles now! Prof. H. Neuhaus (1888 -
1964), in fact, was the only teacher in a whole history of modern piano
teaching, who essentially knew, how great the Chopin's Method was, and only
one as well, who used it in its full extend. Let you have a look around the
introductory problems' catalogue - as they could be seen from the genuine
Chopin & Neuhaus' point of view: The most common mistake in manual
aspects of playing the piano is: to use the whole arms or the major parts of them for
the fulfillment of very delicate duties that normally require approximately
small, well-developed
and mobile instruments
(as the fingers are). Are you sure - you really do not do such
errors? Do you know that in Chopin's playing
just the fingers have activated the whole
arm...? "The fingers and the palm ought to act together as a
well-integrated system" - one must clearly understand the sense of
rational division of roles and competencies inside the working hands. Are you sure, you build yours piano technique
in accordance to this incontestable Chopin's rule? Are you sure, again - the musical idea FACTUALLY
determines the quality of each one sound in your everyday practicing? Seriously thinking about real
improvement of our piano instrumental technique, we firstly should become
convinced that, seeing the problem from its most real side and truly exactly
said, the artistic poverty FACTUALLY causes the
immobility of fingers...! Just after getting informed about real
image of the actual situation, one could start to look after the proper help
in ones piano studies...
Actualized:
2006-04-12 |
