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Piano Technique - Practice

17. Powerful fingers, gymnastics and bruisingproblems

Agoodandstablepianotechniquerequires,aboveall,verystrongfingersandtheability toproperlymanagethe weight ofthemotorapparatus .Aspartofthischapterwewillseehowtostrengthenthefingersthroughgymnasticswithoutthepiano.

BelowIpresentmyvideoincludingsomeexerciseswithoutusingthekeyboard,selectedfrom

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BolesawWoytowiczPolishpianist(18991980)

MieczysawKarowiczPolishcomposer(18761909)

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thoseofferedby CzesawSieluycki inThePianistsHand.

Thevalueofexercisesinspiredbypianomovementsawayfromth e k e y b o a r d is oftenoverlookedorunderestimatedbymanypianists. On the contrary, these exercises were popular andrecommended tostudentsbyChopinandMikuli (according to theoraltestimony of Raoul Koczalski, student of Ch. Mikuli), Liszt andProkofieff, A. Michaowski as well as Johnen, Ching, Gat [] Thisconcerns above all the fact that through special gymnastics, we canachievethesameresultsobtainedafterseveralyearsofregularexercisesonthekeyboardandthatsomepianistsmaynoteverobtain.

CzesawSieluyckiThepianistshandp.322,PolishMusicEdition,Cracow,1982

Apianistoughttobeabletodothefollowinggymnasticexercise:placehistenfingersonthefloorandraisehisbodyvertically.

HeinrichNeuhausTheArtofPianoPlaying.,p.94,PraegerPublishers,Inc.,NewYork1973

Exercise1easy(videoontheright)PreparationStandfacingawall,fairlyclose,andplaceallyourfingersonit.Test

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Withoutremovingyourfingersfromthewall,movebackwardsoneortwostepsandobservethepressureonthefingersthefartherawayyouarefromthewall,thegreaterthepressure.HowtodoitDo vertical pushups in this position, moving away from andsuccessivelyclosertothewall.

Exercise2easy(nottostrengthenthefingers,buttheshouldermuscles)ProfessorWoytowicz recommendedthisexercisetoimprovetheshouldershaking technique:Aspartofthedailygymnastics,afterdoingconventionalpushups where the amplitude revolves around ten centimeters, keep the same position andperformaseriesofminipushupswithalowamplitude,butveryquick.

IMPORTANT ! The following exercises can be dangerous! Theimproperrealization of exercises 3 and 4 can damage thehands.Onemustthusbegincarefullybytestswhichconsistofraisingoneselfuponthe fists, in order to become accustomed to feeling the balance of thebodyandtransmittingitsweightprogressivelytothehands.

Exercise3fairlydifficultPreparationCrouchdownandleanonyourfiststoseeifyoucankeepyourbalance.Thecloseryoukeep the feetandhands, the lower thepressureexertingonthehands,butthebalancewillbehardertomaintain.TestLean slightly forward order to move some of the weight of thebody from the feet to the hands clenched into fists (see photoabove).HowtodoitSupport yourself on your fingertips and lean carefully forward,then return to the startingposition.Repeat this exercise severaltimes, takingcarenot tooverloadyour fingers.Bypressingyourhandsagainstascaleyoucandeterminetheforcebeingapplied.

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Exercise4verydifficultPreparationSeethevideoopposite.TestKneel down, supportyourself on your fists andliftyourkneesslightlywhilepaying attention to thepressureyour feelonyourhands.HowtodoitNow support yourself onyour fingers and lift yourkneesagain.Amoreadvancedversionofthisexerciseistodopushupswhilebalancedonthefingers(andnotontheentirehands,asisthecaseofnormalpushups).

BRUISINGanounceofpreventionisworthapoundofcureYouwillfindseveralsimpletipsthatconcernusingthetendonsin Chapter7 (point7.4.3).

Itakethelibertyhereofwarningyou,forduringthetimeofmystudiesIreceivednone:

Spareyourhandsandyourspinalcolumn!Theymustfaithfullyserveyouforatleastfiftyyears.

Concerning the spinal column, youwill soon find advice in the chapter, currently beingwritten,dedicatedtothepositionatthepiano.Itis,aboveall,aquestionofkeepingyourfeetclose to the pedals and not to rock your body back and forth while playing, as thisexcessivelystrains the lumbar regionof thespine, themostexposedpart.Easiersaid thandone.

Dontplaytooloudly!OntheXraybelow,youcanseethebasesofthethumbs.OntheRH,attheextensionofthegreenarrow,isabigdarkline.Itisacartilagebetweenthebones.Thispart,whichislackingatthebaseoftheleftthumb,istheresultofplayingoctavestooloudly(inthedistantpast),whichisnowtheoriginseverepainincertainpositions.Incurable.

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Howtomoveapiano?Everypianistmaysometimesneedtomoveapiano.Pullingaheavyinstrument (and its the same for carrying heavy suitcases or screwing and unscrewingresistantbolts)causesharmfulstretchingofthejoints,tendonsandligaments.

HereisaproposedbyProfessorWoytowiczsimplesolution:wepushourselvesupagainstthepianowithourhindquartersandwepushtheinstrumenteffortlesslyinreverse.

Justcarefullyfollowthesefewguidelinestoavoidalotofproblems.

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