APPROVED: Pamela Mia Paul, Major Professor Bradley Beckman, Committee Member Steven Harlos, Committee Member Benjamin Brand, Director of Graduate
Studies in the College of Music John Richmond, Dean of the College of
Music Victor Prybutok, Vice Provost of the
Toulouse Graduate School
TEACHING LATE INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL TECHNICAL SKILLS THROUGH THE STUDY OF
LESCHETIZKY, VENGEROVA, AND NEUHAUS: EXERCISES OR REPERTOIRE?
Jihyun Lee, B.M., M.M.
Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
August 2016
Lee,Jihyun.Teaching Late Intermediate-level Technical Skills Through the Study
of Leschetizky, Vengerova, and Neuhaus: Exercises or Repertoire? DoctorofMusicalArts
(Performance),August2016,62pp.,42musicalexamples,bibliography,38titles.
Tobesuccessfulandbeeffectiveinteaching,onemustbefamiliarwithavariety
ofmethodsininstructionandteachingstrategies.Thisalsoincludesbecomingawareof
any challenges that student and teachersmight confront at all levels. Advanced-level
pianostudents,suchasthosewhoareatthecollegiatelevel,studythemasterpiecesof
thegreatcomposers.However,theymaystillbeinneedofdevelopingcertaintechnical
andmusicalskillswhichshouldhavebeencoveredatthelateintermediatelevel.
Thisstudyfocusesbothonexercisesandonlateintermediate-levelrepertoire.
ThisstudyexaminedthemethodicalapproachesofRussian technicalschoolprimarily
through the exercises of Theodor Leschetizky, Isabelle Vengerova, and Heinrich
Neuhausandcomparedtheseexerciseswithpassagesfromappropriategreatliterature
suitable for late intermediate-level students.Thismaynotonly inpreparing formore
advancedpianorepertoirebutalsobroadeninggeneralpianotechniques.All together,
thismayfurtherpromoteinpreventionofmusicalproblemsthatmightoccuratamore
advanced-levelofpianostudy.
ii
Copyright 2016
by
Jihyun Lee
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES .................................................................................................................. iv CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION: PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE .................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2. RUSSIAN PIANO SCHOOL .................................................................................................. 5 CHAPTER 3. EXERCISES ........................................................................................................................... 15
3.1 Leschetizky ....................................................................................................................... 15
3.1.1 Leschetizky as a Teacher ............................................................................... 15
3.1.2 Leschetizky Exercises ..................................................................................... 18
3.2 Vengerova .......................................................................................................................... 28
3.2.1 Vengerova as a Teacher ................................................................................. 28
3.2.2 Vengerova Exercises ....................................................................................... 31
3.3 Neuhaus .............................................................................................................................. 38
3.3.1 Neuhaus as a Teacher ..................................................................................... 38
3.3.2 Neuhaus Exercises ........................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 4. REPERTOIRE ....................................................................................................................... 45
4.1 Tone Production ............................................................................................................. 45
4.2 Scales/Arpeggios ............................................................................................................ 48
4.3 Legato/Staccato .............................................................................................................. 50
4.4 Octaves/Double Notes/Chords ................................................................................. 52 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................... 54 APPENDIX: REPERTOIRE FOR THE LATE INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL PIANISTS ................... 55 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................ 60
iv
LISTOFMUSICALEXAMPLES
Page
Example1.Exercisesforonefinger………………………………………………………………………….20
Example2.Exercisesfortwo,three,four,andfivefingers…………………………………………21
Example3.Exerciseswithonetoneheld…………………………………………………………………21
Example4.Exerciseswithoutheldtones………………………………………………………………....22
Example5.Preparationexercisesforscales…………………………………………………………….22
Example6.Exercisesforscales……………………………………………………………………………….23
Example7.Scaleswithdynamicchanges…………………………………………………………………23
Example8.Preparationexercisesforbrokenchords………………………………………………..24
Example9.Preparationexercisesforbrokentriadswithoutheldnotes…………………….24
Example10.Exercisesforbrokentriads………………………………………………………………….24
Example11.Exercisesforoctaves…………………………………………………………………………..26
Example12.Exercisesforchords……………………………………………………………………………27
Example13.Exercisesforpairednotes…………………………………………………………………...27
Example14.Accentoneverynote…………………………………………………………………………..33
Example15.Accentoneverytwo,three,four,andeightnotes…………………………………33
Example16.Exercisesforpassingthethumbunder,orwiththeotherfingersoverthe
thumb……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………34
Example17.Exercisesforarpeggios……………………………………………………………………….35
Example18.Exercisesforarpeggioswithoutaccents………………………………………………35
Example 19. Döring, Exercises and Studies on the Pianoforte for the Preparation and
DevelopmentofStaccatoOctavePlaying(G.Shirmer,1902),p.4,mm.1-8….……………37
Example20.Exercisesfortrills…………………………………………….…………………………………37
v
Example21.Exercisesforthirds………………………………….……………………………………….…38
Example 22. Moszkowski, School of Scales and Double Notes for the Piano, Book III
ExerciseA.1,mm.1-3…………………………………………………………………………………………….38
Example23.Exercisefortoneproduction……………………………………………………………….41
Example24.Exerciseforvarietyoftone………………………………………………………………….42
Example25.ExercisesforscalesA…………………………………………………………………………..43
Example26.ExercisesforscalesB…………………………………………………………………………..43
Example27.Exercisesforarpeggios……………………………………………………………………….43
Example28.Exercisesfordoublenotes…………………………………………………………………..44
Example29.J.S.Bach,SinfoniaNo.11inGMajor,BWV.797,mm.1-12……………………46
Example30.L.v.Beethoven,BagatellesinB-flatOp.119,No.1,mm.1-15………………..46
Example31.E.Grieg,LyricPiecesOp.54,No.6Bellringing,mm.30-64…………………...47
Example32.J.RameauNouvellessuitesdepiècesdeclavecin,LaTriomphante,mm.1-
12………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….48
Example33.F.KuhlauSonatinainGMajor,Op.55No.2,1stmovement,mm.1-11…….49
Example34.F.ChopinPreludeinFMajor,Op.28No.23,mm.1-3…………………………….49
Example35.D.ScarlattiSonatainDMinor,K.9,L.413,mm.1-9……………………………….50
Example36.W.A.MozartVienneseSonatinaNo.6 inCMajor,1stmovement,mm.1-
11…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..51
Example37.W.A.MozartVienneseSonatinaNo.6inCMajor,3rdmovement,mm.1-6
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………51
Example38.F.ChopinNocturneinCMinor,Op.Posth,mm.4-6……………………………….51
Example39.W.A.MozartVienneseSonataNo.4inB-flatMajor,1stmovement,mm.1-5
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………52
vi
Example40.L.v.BeethovenEcossaise,WoO.83,mm.1-17………………………………………52
Example41.MendelssohnSongWithoutWords,Op.19,No.3“HuntingSong”,mm.23-
29………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….53
Example42.SchumannScenesfromChildhood,Op.15,No.6“ImportantEvent”,mm.9-
16………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………53
CHAPTER1
INTRODUCTION
Manyexerciseshavebeenwrittenthroughthecenturies,includingsomewhich
areveryacceptedwithoutquestionsuchasthoseofMuzioClementiandCarlCzerny,as
well as others such as Pischna and Hanon, which can be controversial. Prestigious
pianistandteacher,FerruccioBusoni, forexample,preferredtouseexcerptsfromthe
literatureastudentwasworkingoninordertobuildtechniqueattheadvancedlevel.
Butwhat about at the late intermediate level,which is about the time that a serious
student of the piano begins to need a well-organized plan? Advanced-level piano
students, such as thosewho are at the collegiate level, study themasterpieces of the
greatcomposers.However,theymaystillbeinneedofdevelopingcertaintechnicaland
musicalskillswhichshouldhavebeencoveredatthelateintermediatelevel.Successful
teachingrequiresfamiliaritywithabroadrangeofmethodsofinstructionandteaching
strategies,aswellasanawarenessofthechallengesthatconfrontstudentsandteachers
at all levels. A number of articles and dissertations have been written on piano
pedagogy.Theydescribesuccessfulteachingstrategiesandputforwardsuggestionsfor
learningmaterialsandmethods.However,thereisnotmuchofferedthatincludesstudy
guidesspecificallydiscussingtechnicaldevelopmentforlateintermediatestudents.
Since the intermediate area covers a wide range, both the exercises and the
repertoiremustbedividedintothreelevels:earlyintermediate,intermediate,andlate
intermediate.Itiscriticallyimportantthatateachstagetherepertoireisselectedwitha
viewtowardssystematictechnicalandmusicalgrowth.
Thisstudy focusesbothonexercisesandon late intermediate-level repertoire
which canbe used for pedagogical purposenot only in preparing formore advanced
1
piano repertoire but also for broadening general piano techniques and preventing
musicalproblemsthatmightoccuratamoreadvanced-levelofpianostudy.Thisstudy
will examine the approaches from the school of Russian piano technique primarily
through the exercises of Theodor Leschetizky, Isabelle Vengerova, and Heinrich
Neuhaus. It will compare these exercises with passages from appropriate great
literature suitable for late intermediate-level students in order to assist teachers to
more fully develop their students’ technique. The pieceswere chosen based on skills
that the exercises begin to train the young pianist for, trying to staywithin the level
expectedofaserious late intermediatestudent,andcoveringsome,butobviouslynot
all,ofthecomposersfromtheBaroquethroughthenineteenthcentury.AnAppendixof
furtherchoices isprovidedat theendof thedissertation.Clearly,noteverypiecethat
mightbesuitablecanbeincludedinthisdissertationorinthisAppendix,sothechoices
aremeantasexamplesonly.Adedicatedteachershouldbeabletousetheseasjumping-
offpointsforfurtherselectionsoftheirown.
There are plenty of method books available for beginning students, and
certainly advanced studentsdonot lack for thewidest possible rangeof greatmusic.
While there is plenty of greatmusic suitable for the development of an intermediate
student,thereappearstobelessfocusedawarenessofthismusicorperhapsalsoless
awarenessofthepedagogicalpurposesthatcanandshouldbeservedbytheliterature
available.
ThepianistandpedagogueScottMcBrideSmith,inhisbookTheWell-Tempered
Keyboard Teacher1, defines intermediate-level as the transitional stage between the
beginning-level and advanced study. The designation of intermediate-level quantifies
1MarienneUszler,ScottMcBrideSmith,andStewartGordon,TheWell-TemperedKeyboardTeacher(NewYork:Schirmer,1999).
2
skills, not age or length of study. It is a teacher’s responsibility to choose repertoire
whichcanmeet theparticularneedsof the individual student.Selectingcompositions
forstudentsisoneofthemostdauntingtasksforteachers,andthisisespeciallytruefor
intermediatestudents.At the intermediatestagestudentsbegin to learn longer,more
difficult pieces which require more sophisticated techniques. Smith offers a list of
technical and compositional characteristics commonly found in intermediate
repertoire:
▪ Melodies becomemore complicated. There ismore frequent use of scale andarpeggiofiguresrequiringfingercrossingsandmorehand-positionchanges.
▪ Rhythmbecomesmorecomplexwithdiversepatternsintroduced.▪ Accompaniments also becomemore elaborate through the use ofmore chord
inversions,differentstyles,andbiggerleaps.▪ Twoormoreindependentvoicesarepresented,sometimesinthesamehandor
between the hands with increased use of intricate articulations, contrastingdynamics andnotevalues.Betterbalanceandvoicing skills are requiredwiththerequisiteincreasedvarietyoftone.
▪ Richerandmoreintricateharmonyandtexturearepresented.Doublenotesareintroduced,aswellasmorechallengingpedalwork.
▪ Technicalpracticebecomesmoreinvolvedaspiecesbecomemoredifficult.Thisnecessitatesmoredrillsofscales,arpeggios,exercises,andetudes.2
AttheSecondNationalConferenceonPianoPedagogy,RitaFuszekpresenteda
paperentitled“TheBlackHole,”emphasizing“theimportanceofexploringtheworldof
intermediatepiano literature-anareathat isoftenavoidedincollegepianostudents’
backgrounds.”3
Wemust thank our colleagues in the science domain for the discovery of the"black hole" forwe inmusic have one also. This black hole inmusic becomesacuteinthepianopedagogycourses.Somethingincrediblehappensbetweenthebeginning material and the collegiate repertoire. The leap between JohnThompson,BookThree,andthefirstBeethovenSonatacreatesamind-boggling
2Ibid.,82.3PamelaNicoleWilson,“APracticalGuidetoExploringIntermediatePianoLiteratureFoundinCollections:TheDevelopmentofaComputerDatabasetoSelectPianoRepertoireFromCollectionsFortheIntermediateStudent”(DMAdiss.,UniversityofAlabama,2000),4.
3
situation. This is the “black hole" into which too many pianists seem todisappear... It isaphenomenonthathasnotchangedoverthethirteenyearsofdevelopingthepianopedagogycoursesinappliedteaching.4
Josef Lhévinne, one of the greatest Russian pianists emphasized the importance of
learningstep-by-step:
InRussia,teacherslaygreatstressuponcarefulgrading.Manyteachersofnotehave prepared carefully graded lists of pieces, suitable to each stage ofadvancement.IunderstandthatthissamepurposeisaccomplishedinAmerica…IhavehadnumerousAmericanpupilsandmostofthemseemtohavethefaultofwantingtoadvancetoahighersteplongbeforetheyarereallyable.Thisisverywrong,andthepupilwhoinsistsuponsuchacoursewillsurelyrealizesomedaythatinsteadofadvancingrapidlyheisreallythrowingmanyannoyingobstaclesdirectlyinhisownpath.5
He also said, “The teacher often makes the mistake of living up in the clouds with
Beethoven,Bach,Chopin,andBrahms,neverrealizingthatthepupilisverymuchupon
theearth, and thatnomatterhowgrandly the teachermayplay, thepupilmusthave
practicalassistancewithinhisgrasp.”6
4MaryScanlan,“TheStructuring,Analysis,andTeachingOfIntermediatePianoRepertoire:AnApproachforUseInAPianoPedagogyCourse” (paperpresentedatthemeetingfortheNationalConferenceonPianoPedagogy,Oakbrook,Illinois,October20-22,1988).5JamesFrancisCooke, comp.GreatPianistsonPianoPlaying:Godowsky,Hofmann,Lhévinne,Paderewskiand24OtherLegendaryPerformers(Mineola,NY:DoverPublications,1999),173-4.6Ibid.,174.
4
CHAPTER2
RUSSIANPIANOSCHOOL
Christopher Barnes’ The Russian Piano School: Russian Pianists and Moscow
ConservatoireProfessorsontheArtofthePianooffersinsightsintotheschoolofRussian
pianism.Hewrote in his book, “The artistry ofRichter, Gilels, Ashkenazy, or recently
emergent masters clearly transcends any process of formal teaching, the perennial
ability ofRussianpianists to take leadingprizes in international competitions, andof
theirmentorstoattractpupilsanddisciplesfromaroundtheworld,hasinevitablyled
to the Russian piano school.” He added that in some of the most prestigious music
schoolsintheUnitedStatessuchastheJuilliardSchoolorCurtisInstitute,someofthe
20th century’s most compelling teachers such as Josef and Rosina Lhévinne, Isabelle
Vengerova,andJosefHofmann,originally trained inRussia,wereprominentmembers
ofthefaculty.7
The Russian piano tradition traces back to the late eighteenth century when
WesternEuropeanmusiciansvisitingRussiabegantoinfluencemusicallifethere.Great
pianistssuchasJohnFieldandAdolphvonHenseltvisitedRussiaandhadperhapsthe
earliest influence on Russian piano pedagogy. John Field, a pupil of Muzio Clementi,
enjoyedparticularpopularity.TheRussianaudienceespeciallyadmiredhisdelicateand
precise touch, smooth phrasing, and extraordinary technique. The singing quality of
Cantabile style made a great impression on pianists there and became one of the
importantcharacteristicsofRussianpianism.8
The school of Russian pianism began to achieve international recognition
7 Christopher J. Barnes, ed. The Russian Piano School: Russian Pianists and Moscow ConservatoireProfessorsontheArtofthePiano(London:Kahn&Averill,2007),ix.8 Irena Kofman, “The History of the Russian Piano School: Individuals and Traditions” (DMA diss.,UniversityofMiami,2012),11.
5
beginning in the second half of the nineteenth century. In 1862, Anton Rubinstein
(1829-1894)foundedtheSt.PetersburgConservatorywhichwasthefirstconservatory
inRussia.Nationalistic traitsbecameevidentandadistinctstyleofpianoplayingand
teachingarose.9AccordingtoHaroldSchonberginTheGreatPianist,
Russianpianismreflecteda traditionstemming largely fromAntonRubinsteineventhoughindividualartistshadtheirownstyle.However,certainlytherearecommon characteristics that Russian pianists have: a warm sound, anextroverted quality, a good deal of controlled freedom, a generosity ininterpretation,anability tovary rhythmswithoutever losing thebasicmeter.ContrastedtotheGermanschool,[Russianschool]characterizedasmoresevereandintellectualized,ortheFrenchschool,characterizedasclear,logical,fastintempos, on top of the keys with less color and sonority of the Germans andRussian.10
Rubinstein’s piano playing was distinguished by a powerful sound, full or
orchestral color, and by the singing quality of his tone. Ossovskii described his
performanceas“mighty,poetic,well-thoughtout,andheartfeltconceptionofthewhole
and the titanic embodiment of it in sounds.”11Rachmaninov recalled his memory of
Rubinstein’splaying:
Inmyopinion,noneofthecontemporarypianistscouldevencomeclosetothe greatest, Anton Rubinstein, whom I had a privilege of hearing manytimes… There is a huge goal for all of us. It is to be compared withRubinstein.12
Rubinsteinputastrongemphasisonexpressionofhumanemotionthroughthepiano
whichhedeemed theprincipalpurposeofmusical interpretation.TheRussianschool
thusevolvedtofeaturenotonlyaspectsofsoundandsingingline,butalsoexpressions
9HaroldCSchonberg,TheGreatPianists(NewYork:SimonandSchuster,1987),288.10Ibid.,293.11John Anthony Rego, “Skryabin, Rakhmaninov, and Prokofiev as Composer-Pianists: The Russian PianoTradition,Aesthetics,andPerformancePractices”(Ph.Ddiss.,PrincetonUniversity,2012),48.12Kofman, 18. Kofman’s own translation of the book, Russkie pianisty (Russian pianists), (Moscow:Muzyka,1948),312.
6
ofemotionandintuitionratherthanintellectualanalysisandimpersonalrationality.13
This romantic approach became an essential attribute of the Russian Piano School.
Naturally, in order to achieve the aforementioned, a well-trained technique was
indispensable.
Another influential figure at the St. Petersburg Conservatory was Theodor
Leschetizky (1830-1915). Rubinstein and Leschetizky shared many ideas on piano
pedagogical methods. If a student wanted theoretical instruction he went to
Leschetizky; in turn Leschetizky told his students to observe Rubinstein’s tone, his
pedaling, his breathing and relaxation. Leschetizky’s piano playing is described as
featuring archedhands, flexiblewrists for octave and chord passages, skillful fingers,
and use of arm weight.14He was Polish by birth and studied with Czerny in Vienna
where Leschetizky began developing many famous pianists. Leschetizky eventually
settled in Russia and taught at the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1852 to 1877,
wherehedevelopedasignificantpianopedagogicalschool.15FollowingFranzLiszt,the
mantle ofmost eminent teacher and pianist of the Romantic traditionwas passed to
Theodor Leschetitzky. 16 His students included many world famous pianists and
teacherssuchasVasilySafonov,AnnetteEssipova,IgnacyPaderewski,ArturSchnabel,
IgnazFriedman,andmanyothers.Ironically,noneofthesesuccessfulstudentssounded
orplayedalike.Thisistestimonytohisstatedbeliefthat“IhavenomethodandIwill
havenomethod.”Leschetitzky’sstudentspassedonthetraditionofRussianschool to
13Ibid., In one of Kofman’s footnotes, shementioned that “in the last decade of the twentieth century,intellectualandanalyticalplayingbecamefashionableincertaincirclesofRussianmusicians.”14Thomas Lee Fritz, “The Development of Russian PianoMusic as Seen in the Literature ofMussorgsky,Rachmaninov,Scriabin,andProkofiev”(DMAdiss.,UniversityofSouthernCalifornia,1959),82.15ReginaldR.Gerig,FamousPianistsandTheirTechnique(NewYork:RobertB.Luce,1974),294.16Patricia Hammond, Three Hundred Years at the Keyboard: A Piano Source Book from Bach to theModerns:HistoricalBackground,Composers,Styles,Compositions,NationalSchools (Berkeley, Calif.: RossBooks,1984),280.
7
latergenerations.
Nikolai Rubinstein (1835-1881), Anton Rubinstein’s brother, founded the
Moscow Conservatory in 1864. Many of the piano faculty members at the Moscow
Conservatory were brought from St. Petersburg. The preeminent pedagogues there
consistedofTaneyev,Pabst,Safonov,andZverev.Theywererecognizedaspillarsofthe
Russian Piano School around 1900 and made enormous contributions to piano
pedagogy. They also produced great pianists and composers such as Sergei
Rachmaninov,AlexanderScriabin,andNikolaiMedtner.
SergeiTaneyev(1856-1915)wasacomposerandgreatpianistwhowasknown
tohave a flawlesspiano technique.Hewas a close friendofTchaikovskyandhe also
premieredthesolopartofallTchaikovsky’sworksforpianoandorchestrainRussia.As
a pedagogue, he followed thepedagogicalmethodsof his teacher,NikolaiRubinstein,
both in conceptualizing and understanding music. 17 He imparted Rubinstein’s
pedagogicalprinciples tohisstudentsand foundedanorganizationcalled“Rubinstein
lunches,” tocontinue the traditionofNikolaiRubinstein. Inaccordancewithhisbelief
thatthecontemporaryRussianrepertoireshouldbesupportedbyperformersinorder
toestablishamoredesirablenationalperformanceschool,he incessantlyexposedhis
studentstotheRussianmusicofAntonRubinsteinandTchaikovsky.18
PaulPabst(1854-1897)wasacomposerandpianovirtuosowhosepianismwas
acclaimedbyTchaikovskyandRachmaninovandmanyothers.HetaughtattheMoscow
Conservatory from 1878 until his death, gaining a great reputation as a teacher. He
placedspecialemphasisoninterpretingmusicaccordingtothestudyoftheaesthetics
ofvariouscomposersanddifferenteras.Healsoemphasizeddevelopingartistryrather
17Rego,74.18Ibid.,77.
8
thanworkingonstudents’technicaldeficiencies.19
VasiliSafonov(1852-1917),anoutstandingstudentofLeschetizky,wasagreat
pianist and a pedagogue and was a worthy successor to the best traditions of the
Moscow and St. Petersburg Conservatories. He was a piano professor at the St.
PetersburgConservatoryuntil1885,andin1889movedtotheMoscowConservatory.
Inhis teaching,heemphasized technicaldevelopmentaswellasmusicalmastery.His
pedagogical ideas combined Russian pianistic tradition with ideas from western
Europeanpedagogy.One of Safonov’smost valuable contributions to piano pedagogy
wasthecreationofhisowntechnicalmethod.Hesubstitutedmusicalliteratureinplace
ofmechanicalexercises,yethedidnot totallyavoid theuseof technicalexercises.He
insisted that technical practice should not be worked mechanically, but rather with
consideration of tone, rhythm, and dynamics.20His newmethod inspired students to
discoverbothtechnicalandartisticnotionsinaparticularwork.In1916,hepublisheda
bookonpianotechniquetitledNovayaformula(newformula).
Nicholas Zverev (1832-1893) was one of the foremost piano teachers at the
MoscowConservatory.He focused on training young studentswho lived in his home
andstudiedunderhisguidance.Thesestudents includedSergeiRachmaninov,Leonid
Maximov, Matvei Pressman, and many others. After the lower level of study with
Zverev,thestudentswouldproceedtotheupperlevelofstudywithSiloti,Safonov,and
Pabst.21MuchofZverev’spedagogywasfocusedonhandplacement.Hisbasicprinciple
ofphysicalmovementwasthatthehandsshouldnotbestiffandexcessivearmmotion
19Ibid.,78.20Robert K. Wallace,A Century of Music-making: The Lives of Josef & Rosina Lhévinne (Bloomington:IndianaUniversityPress,1976),22.21Wallace,30,32.
9
shouldberestricted.22
IsabelleVengerova(1877-1956),alsoastudentofLeschetizky,wasarenowned
pianistandpianopedagoguewhotaughtLukasFoss,SamuelBarber,LeonardBernstein,
andGaryGraffman. She taught at the St. PetersburgConservatorybeginning in1906,
movedtotheUnitedStatesin1923andtaughtattheCurtisInstituteofPhiladelphiaand
MannesCollegeofMusicinNewYork.ASovietpianistandmusicscholarVitalyNeuman
wrote, “She creatively elaborated the pedagogical principles of her own teachers
LeschetizkyandAnnetteEssipova,butintroducedalsoherindividualcharacteristics.”23
Both the St. Petersburg andMoscowConservatories played a vital role in the
growth of Russianmusic. A prominentRussian critic, Boris Asafiev, talked about this
periodfromtheendof1880totheRussianRevolutionof1917,callingit“atimeofhigh
emotional temperature.” Similarly, Kofman said it was “the golden age of Russian
piano.”24The piano training at both conservatories during this timewas exacting, as
ThomasFritzdescribesinhisdissertationaboutthetrainingduringthelastdecadeof
thenineteenthcentury:
AsdescribedbyJosefLhévinne,thenormalcoursecontinuedforeightornineyears. The first five of these were devoted largely to the development oftechnical facility through thepractice of exercises, scales and arpeggios.Onlystudentswhomasteredthisstagesuccessfullywerepermittedtoenterthefinalthreeyearscourse,whichwasdevotedtotheadvancedmaterialsoftheartist.The necessity of having to play without music during lessons forced thedevelopmentofaprodigiousmemory…Originalityasaqualityofperformancewasnotdiscouraged,buteccentricorhighlymanneredstyleswereconsideredpoortasteandsignsofimmaturity.25
In the late nineteenth century Russian pianism reinforced the pedagogical
22Fritz,84.23Geric,313.24Kofman,23.25Fritz,84.
10
methodsofstricttraining.ThispracticewascontinuedbyEssipovinSt.Petersburgand
MedtnerinMoscowinthetwentiethcentury.Theconceptthatanartistshouldaimto
address and master all musical and technical problems was also developed. Also, a
pianist’sabilitytointerpretmusicofdifferentperiodsinastylisticallycorrectmanner
whilestillpreservingone’sartisticindividualitywasadvanced.26
Duringtheearlytwentiethcentury,thegovernmenttookaprofoundinterestin
the conservatories and supported them for the purpose of producing marvelous
musiciansatthesametimeastheycontrollededucationalpolicyandcurriculum.27The
conservatorieshadastrictsystematicalapproachfor trainingmusicians.Ontheother
hand,theteachersstrivedforfaithfulinterpretationofmusicandafreedomofartistic
expression.
Following the revolution of 1917, most of the Moscow Conservatory piano
faculty stayed in Russia. Themost illustrious piano pedagogues in twentieth century
Russia include Blumenfeld, Igumnov, Goldenweiser, Nikolayev, and Neuhaus. They
continuedthelegacyofRussianpianismandreconcileditwiththeindividualityoftheir
performance style. Most notable among their students were Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav
Richter,VeraGornostaeva,YevgenyMalinin,LevNaumov,BorisBerezovsky,andmany
others.
Despitethedifferencesintheirapproachtopianopedagogy,theyhadacommon
viewoftheartofpianoplaying.ElenaNazarovasummarizedthecommontraitsofthe
pedagogicalmethodsintwentiethcenturyRussia:
▪ Perceptionofthedutyasanartist▪ Broadknowledgeofmusicandwideculture,artistictaste,loveofmusic
26Rego,73.27Fritz,86.
11
▪ Highexpectationsonboththeteacherandthestudent▪ Refining students, both as amusician and a person, through the formation of
theirattitudes,spiritualities,andpersonalities,andartisticindependence▪ Onthescore,analysisofthecomposer’sintentionwhicheventuallyleadtoone’s
owninterpretation▪ Aconstantattentionontoneproduction▪ Technique was aimed at insightful interpretation, projecting the right sound,
withthenaturalmovementofthehands▪ Acommitmentofrepertoire28
Konstantin Igumnov (1873-1948) taught at the Moscow Conservatory from
1899untilhisdeath.Hismusicalinterpretationisdescribedasdeeplyricismcombined
with a spiritual identification with virtuosity. As a renowned pianist, Igumnov
premieredRachmaninov’sSonatainDminorandRhapsodyonaThemeofPaganiniin
Russia.Asateacher,heplacedgreatemphasisonsingingqualityforphrasingandtone
production.Healsostressedfreedomofthearmandhand,well-cultivatedfingers,and
useofweightwhichlinkedallofthehand,upperarm,shoulder,andtorso.29Hestated
that,
…asregardssonority,andeconomyofmovement,asenseofweightplaysanenormousrole…”30Hisadviceoncultivatingthemostsubtlenuanceswastopossess a perfect control of a performance led by sensitive inner ear. Hecalledthis“theapproachfromwithin.31
Alexander Goldenweiser (1875-1961) was a respected pianist, composer,
editor, and teacher who taught more than two hundred students. He was a true
inheritor of the original Russian pianism of Safonov, and Siloti. He believed that the
main task of the performer was to study the score thoroughly, understanding the
composerandhishistory,andmemorizebyheart.Intermsoftechnique,hewrotethat,
28Rego,87.29Barnes,81.30Ibid.31Kofman,102.
12
I do not think anyone would ever suggest that the process of physicalmovementshouldactuallyimpedeapianist’sartisticintentionsorthesoundimageshetriestoproject.Butthereisnodoubtthatbodilymovementsplayaprimaryroleintherealizationofourartisticaims.32
Goldenweiserwasaseriousmusicianandteacherwhotreatedeverythingverygravely
withanintellectualapproachwhichwasoftencriticizedbyhiscolleagues.33
LeonidNikolayev (1904-1934)was a prestigious pianist, composer, historian,
and professor of the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1909 until 1942. Among his
famousstudentswereSofronitsky,Shostakovich,Yudina,Serebryakov,andBogdanov-
Berezovsky. Nikolayev’s piano teaching methods were based around the goal of
achieving beauty of sound. Hismethod of achieving thiswas to focus on the natural
movementsfromshoulderstothefingers.
Heinrich Neuhaus (1888-1964) is recognized as one of the most influential
figuresinRussianpianopedagogy,andhisbookObiskusstvefortepiannoyigrï(TheArt
of Piano Playing)34is invaluable to serious pianists and their teachers.35His teaching
activity at theMoscow Conservatory began in 1922 and continued there until 1964.
Neuhaus claimed in his book that the technical aspect of piano playing has to be
absolutelyattheserviceoftheartisticdemandsofthemusicandthisholdstruefrom
the early stage of learning.36In terms of technique, he opposed the use of technical
exercisesorstudies.Hestated,“Whenachildplaysanexerciseorstudy,apiecewhichis
purelyinstructiveanddevoidofartisticcontent,hemay,atwill,playfasterorslower,
louder or more softly, with or without nuances; in other words, there is in his
32Barnes,61.33Kofman,107.34HeinrichNeuhaus,TheArtofPianoPlaying(London:Kahn&Averill,1993).35Gerig,293.36Neuhaus,2.
13
performance an inevitable element of uncertainty, an arbitrary quality; it will be
“playingasitcomes”(andveryoftenitdoesn’t“come”).37Inhisteaching,thetechnique
itself had less priority than musical interpretation. Nevertheless, he demanded solid
technique from his students. He produced many world-renowned pianists including
SviatoslavRichter,EmilGilels,StanislavNeuhaus,ElisoVirsaladzeandRaduLupu.
37Ibid.,11.
14
CHAPTER3
EXERCISES
In order to examine the implications of the Leschetizky, Vengerova, and
Neuhausmethods, it is important tounderstandbroadprinciplesof their artistic and
pedagogical philosophy, as well as how those qualities apply to theway they taught
students.
3.1 Leschetizky
3.1.1 LeschetizkyasaTeacher
Two of Leschetizky’s pupils wrote books about his teaching. Annette Hullah
wrote Theodor Leschetizky,38and Ethel Newcomb wrote Leschetizky as I KnewHim.39
Bothbooksarememoirsoftheiryearsashispupils,teachingassistants,andfriends.In
their books, they described Leschetizky as a pianist, composer, teacher, and a man.
Accordingtotheirbooks,Leschetizkyregardedhisstudentsashisfamilyandwantedto
knowaboutstudents’lives,suchastheirpersonalities,moralmaturity,theirmannerof
dress, and the relationships they surrounded themselves with that would influence
their individual musical growth. He believed that one’s artistry is inextricably
associatedwith one’s life experiences.Accordingly, he rarely gave great repertoire to
thosewhomhefelttobestillyounganduntried.Hethoughtanimmaturenaturecannot
understand or draw sincere expression from certain great works unless they have
learnedatleastsomelifelessons.40
In Leschetizky’s piano lessons, he took pleasure in experimenting with his
38AnnetteHullah,TheodorLeschetizky(London:J.Lane,1906).39EthelNewcomb,LeschetizkyasIKnewHim(NewYork:DaCapoPress,1967).40Hullah,46.
15
students, inventing unique fingerings or particular exercises for unusual cases.41He
frequently used good similes to make appropriate suggestions for each student. He
rarelytheorized;rather,hespoketothepointinapracticalwaywhichwasintelligible
andpermanentintheirminds.Leschetizkytoldhisstudents,forinstance,“Yourfingers
are like capering horses, spirited andwilling, but ignorant of where to gowithout a
guide.Putonyourbridleandcurbthemintilltheylearntoobeyyou,ortheywillnot
serveyouwell.”42
Leschetizkytrustedthataconsiderableamountoftimewouldbespentstudying
eachpiecethoroughlyineverydetailfromthebeginningstagesoflearning.Afterawork
hadbeenstudied,heexpectedthatastudentwouldpracticemeasurebymeasureata
slow tempo and play every part accurately. After this process was done, they were
expected to visualize themusicwithout the score. Leschetizky also insisted that long
hoursofmindlesspracticewoulddiminishone’sconcentration.Habitualrepetitionofa
phrasewithoutthinkingbeforeeachrepetitionwasdiscouraged.43
Leschetizky thought that good sound production begins with deliberate
listeningtooneself.OnceLeschetizkytalkedtoNewcombabout“athreefoldprocessof
mind,eye,andear”inwhich,“thelackofoneofthoseessentialsoftalentwasaserious
matter in the development of an artist…”44And he added, “Listening to the inward
singingof aphrasewasof farmorevalue thanplaying it a dozen times.”45Moreover,
accordingtoNewcomb,Leschetizkyrecommendedtohisstudentsthataftereveryhour
ofpracticetheyspendanotherhour inthoughtawayfromthepiano.Leschetizkysaid
41Ibid.,58.42Ibid.,62.43Newbomb,18.44Ibid.,11.45Ibid.,18.
16
“one’sbeststudycouldbedoneawayfromthepiano…onecouldmoreeasily imagine
thebeautiesofmusic,thanonecouldrevealtheminactualplaying”46Healsostressed
that a piece should be fullymemorized by the brain. Brée described the process of
practiceandstudy:
Afterthefingershavebeenproperlygovernedbythoughtforsomeweeks…Then the mental effort may be more fully concentrated on the study ofpieces…Thoughtisindispensableinthestudyofpieces,astheyarelearnedfirstbythebrain,andfromthatbythefingers.Memorizingisimportant…itispermanentlymasteredby thebrainwithoutcreatingany faultyhabitsoffingering… analyze the harmonies and decide upon the fingering andpedaling.Playtheleadingsectionslouder,andthesubordinatepartssofter;butdonotputingreatexpressionbeforethemusicislearned.Nextreadthepracticedmeasuresthroughcarefullywiththeeye…themusicwillbemadetostandoutclearlyinmentalvision…Ifanoteisforgotten,itshouldnotbegroped forby the fingers,norshould thepassagebecontinuedbyear.Thestudentshouldstopandtrytothinkofthenotementally,lookingatthepageasalastresort.47
According to Hullah, Leschetizky was very broad minded with regard to his
method.Heconsideredeachstudent’sindividualityandassertedthattherewasnoone
methodthatcouldbeapplicableforallstudents.Inotherwords,histeachingapproach
wastorecognizeastudent'sindividualqualitiesandcultivatethestudent’sownspecial
gift.Anymethodwhichhelpedastudenttoachievemasterywouldbeembracedbyhim.
Leschetizkysaid,“Ihavethoughtoverthesethingsallmylife,butifyoucanfindbetter
waysthanmineIwilladoptthem–yes,andIwilltaketwolessonsofyouandgiveyoua
thousandguldenalesson.”48InLeschetizky’swritingtoCarlStasnyoftheNewEngland
ConservatoryofMusic in June1915,hemaintained that “Ihavenomethodand Iwill
havenomethod.”49:
46Ibid.47MalwineBrée,TheBasisoftheLeschetizkyMethod(Mineola,NY:DoverPublications,1997),57.48Hullah,34.49Newcomb,107.
17
Iampersonallyagainstanyfixedprincipleininstruction.Everypupilmust,inmyopinion,betreateddifferentlyaccordingtocircumstances…Mymottois that with a good, yes a very good teacher, no printed method will beeffective, and only he is a good teacher who can practically demonstrateeverypossibilitytohispupils.50
Inaddition,Hullahstatesthathismethodwasnotatechnicalsystem,“includingadvice
on musical matters, but a system which makes its primary aim the study of music
writtenforthepiano;itssecond,thatoftheeffectstobeobtainedfromtheinstrument;
itsthird,thatofthedevelopmentofthehand.”51
Even thoughLeschetizkyavowed thathehadno specialmethod, it is obvious
that he recognized the importance of technique. Also, like his teacher Czerny, he
specialized in the art of technical virtuosity and believed firmly that it was
indispensabletoachieveanadequateinterpretation.Leschetizkynotedthat,“Technique
wasverylittlevaluedinitself,andwasusefulonlyasameansofexpressingbeauty.”52
3.1.2LeschetizkyExercises
Leschetizkyneverpublishedhisownexercisesormethod;however,hisstudent
andassistant,MalwineBréewroteabook,TheGroundworkoftheLeschetizkyMethod,53
anddedicatedittohim.Shecollectedandorganizedtheexercisesandetudesthatwere
usedinlessonstotrainpreparatory-levelstudentsforeventuallessonswiththemaster.
Leschetizkywrotetoher:
Mybestthanksforthededicationofyourbook,whichIofcourse,acceptmostgladly.Asyouknow,IamfromprinciplenofriendoftheoreticalPiano-methods;
50WilliamLeslieSumner,ThePianoforte(NewYork:St.Martin’sPress,1966),186.51Newcomb,40.52Ibid.,11.53Malwine Brée,Die Grundlage derMethode Leschetizky,mit ermächtigung desMeisters herausgegebenvonseinerassistentin.OriginallypublishedbyB.Schott'sSöhne,Mainz,1902.Thisdissertationuses theDoveredition,TheBasisoftheLeschetizkyMethod:AGuidetoFineandCorrectPianoPlaying. (Minelola,NY:DoverPublications,1997).
18
but your excellent work, which I have carefully examined, is such a brilliantexpositionofmypersonalviewsthatIsubscribe,wordforword,toeverythingyouadvancetherein…Ideclareyourbooktobethesoleauthorizedpublicationexplanatoryofmymethod,andwishitallsuccessandpopularity.54
In her book, Brée demonstrated several exercises recommended by Leschetizky. He
assignedmanyexercisestohisstudentstobuildstrengthofthehands,buteachpractice
was in accordance with the students’ individual hands. Leschetizky’s preparatory
exercisesareinnovativeandeffective.Theexercisesareshortandsimple,concentrating
onbothfingersandthewristandnotdiscussingarmmovement.
Leschetizkytaughthisstudentstohavegoodpostureatthepiano,whichwould
bethebasisforaclearandeasyexecution.Hehatedanymannerofhistrionicsignsor
motions in piano playing which diminished simplicity and efficiency of movement.55
Position of the handwasofprimary importance toLeschetizky.Brée defined awell-
trained hand as “broad, flexible in the wrist, equipped with wide finger-tips, and
muscular.”56Thehandshouldbeinanarchedshapeinordertogetfullstrengthinthe
fingerstroke,andthefingersshouldbealittlelowerthantheknucklesbutthethumb
shouldstrikethekeywithitstipsideedge.
54Ibid.,4.55Bret Serrin, “The Legacy of Theodore Leschetizky as Seen Through His Pedagogical Repertoire andTeachingStyle”(DMAdiss.,UniversityofNorthTexas,2010),19.56Ibid.,5.
19
3.1.2.1 FingerExercises
Brée presents some general rules for the finger exercises. First, the exercises
shouldbeplayedwithalighttouch,evenly,withequalqualityoftone.Second,inorder
to avoid injury, it is prohibited to repeat the exercises to the point of physical
exhaustion. Third, while playing, lower and raise the wrist between repetitions to
prevent hand stiffness. Fourth, the fingers should keep a curved shape when raised
from the keys. Fifth, pay attention to finger-tips to ensure that they strike the keys
accurately.Lastly,theblackkeysshouldbestruckwithoutstretchedfingersratherthan
rounded.57
Thesimplestexercisesareshowninexample1.Pressdownall fivekeys,raise
onefingerandexerciseitwhileholdingdowntheotherfourfingers.Toexercisefingers,
the quarter notes should be played with a tone that is warm but not harsh. After
practicingthroughtheseexerciseslegato,practicethemstaccato.58
Example1.Exercisesforonefinger
Aftercompletingtheexercisesforonefinger,thestudentshouldprogresstoexercises
fortwofingers,thenthree,thenfour,thenfive.(SeeExample2.)Thesameapproachis
suggestedasExample1.
57Ibid.,7.58Ibid.,9.
20
Example2.Exercisesfortwofingers
Exercisesforthreefingers
Exercisesforfourfingers Exercisesforfivefingers
ThefollowingexampleillustratesafingerexercisewithonetoneheldandExample4is
onewithoutheldnotes.ThesameapproachissuggestedasExample1.
Example3.Exerciseswithonetoneheld
21
Example4.Exerciseswithoutheldtones
3.1.2.2 Scales
Leschetizky suggested the following exercises for scale practice. The main
purposeoftheseexercisesistoacquirefreedomofthethumbwhenmovingitunderthe
otherfingers.Example5isthepreparatoryexerciseforscales.Bréepointedoutthatthe
most difficult part of scale playingwas “passing the thumb under after three or four
notes.”59
Example5.
Preparationexercisesforscales
Asshowninexample6, thethumbispassingunderthe fingersandmovesbackto its
normalpositionassoonas ithasreleasedthekey.The forearmshouldnot followthe
changing hand shapes when the thumb turns under, and instead shouldmove along
smoothlyandsteadily.Thewristshouldnotmoveupordownbutbeheldcomfortably,
whilethefingersarecurved.Bréestatedthattheseexerciseswouldhelpto“minimize
theunconscious tendency to startwithemphasiswhen the thumb is turnedunderor
59Ibid.,12.
22
thefingersswungoverit.”60
Example6.Exercisesforscales
Brée recommended practicing scales slowlywith a firm and even touchwithout any
accents. One can gradually increase the speed and change dynamics later on. (See
Example7.)Infastertempi,itshouldbeplayedwithquasi-detachedfingersinorderto
make a pearly sound. The scales can be practiced in contrary motion and parallel
motionineverykey.
Example7.Scaleswithdynamicchanges
60Ibid.,13.
23
3.1.2.3 Arpeggios
The following exercises (Example 8) are for broken chord playing with and
withoutheldnotes.Thehands shouldbekeptarchedand fingers remaincurved.The
wristshouldmoveupanddownwhilecontinuingtoplay.Thearmshouldmovesteadily
withoutjerkingandfollowthedirectionofthenotes.
Example8.Preparationexercisesforbrokenchords
Example9.Preparationexercisesforbrokentriadswithoutheldnotes
Example 10 is a series of exercises for broken triads. These exercises should be
practicedinfundamentalpositionandinversionsofCmajoratfirst,thenmustbedone
ineverykey.
Example10.Exercises
forbrokentriads
24
3.1.2.4 Articulations
Leschetizky placed the utmost emphasis on tone, saying “it is the tonewhich
makesmusic.”61InChapterXIV, “VarietiesofTouch,”Bréeexplainsthepurposeof the
fingerexercises,whichistodevelopthevarietiesoftouchandwarmfullnessoftone.In
discussingLeschetizky’sapproachtovarietiesoftouch,Bréewroteabouthowtoplay
legato,fingerstaccato,andwriststaccato.Forlegato,eachfingermustremaininthekey
until the next finger is played. In order to produce a full singing tone, andwhen the
fingerstrengthisnotsufficient,wristpressuremustsupportinthefollowingway,
The key-surface is touched lightly and the finger then forced down by amovement of thewrist that brings the latter upward.Wrist and the fingerjointsbeingheldfirm,thewristtendstoswingthehanddown,butismovedupby the resistanceof thekey.Theweightof the forearm is thusbroughtinto play… Immediately after striking, thewristmust return to its normalposition,andthefingerholdsthekeydownlightly.62
Forstaccato,fingersstrikeabovethekeyinsteadofpressingdownandrelease
immediately. The finger staccato is considered as non-legato. The fingers should be
raised high, the wrist may be bent back a little, and power is provided from the
knuckles.Thewriststaccatoisplayedwithbentfingersstrikingthekeysandathrowing
backmotionofthewrist.
3.1.2.5 Octaves
Bréedescribedanexerciseforoctavesinwhichoctavesshouldbeplayedwith
thereboundingwriststaccato.Whenplayingforteorfortissimooctaves,onemustplay
witha firmforearmandthewristheldhighbut firmlywhile the fingersmovenot far
abovethekeys.Thesameideaworksonlegatooctaves;thefingersmustbeclosetothe
61Brée,26.62Ibid.
25
keysandthewristmustnotbestiff.Seeexample11.
Example11.Exercisesforoctaves
3.1.2.6 Chords
Inpracticingchords,thekeysshouldbepressedratherthanstruckinorderto
carrythesoundwellandavoidharshtones.Oneshouldtrytoarchthehandasfarasthe
intervalpermits,make fingerscurved,andmaintain the firmnessof thewristand the
fingertips.Theapproachisthesameaslegatoplayingdescribedabove.
26
Example12.Exercisesforchords
3.1.2.7 DoubleNotes
The following exercises (Example 13) are for paired notes playingwith and
without held notes. Brée suggested that it should be done with a loose wrist. The
movingnotesdonothavetobeplayedlegato.
Example13.Exercisesforpairednotes
27
3.2 Vengerova
3.2.1VengerovaasaTeacher
IsabelleVengerovawasaleadingpianopedagogueofhertime.Thequalitiesand
characteristics of Vengerova’s method are very similar to the traits that Leschetizky
exhibited in his lessons. She extended the pedagogical principle of her own teacher
Leschetizky, and creatively restructured it with her individual traits.63One of her
students,GaryGraffman,explainedthatherteachingtraditionwasacombinationofthe
nineteenth century romantic tradition which was derived from her own study with
Leschetizky and the twentieth century tradition which demands respect for a
composer’sintention.64
In addition to possessing brilliant piano skills, she was notorious for her
irascible temper. Shouting, stomping, scolding, sarcasms, treats, curses, and furniture
crashing frequently happened in Vengerova’s lessons. 65 Samuel Barber, a former
student,recollectedhisstudieswithVengerova,
…asIgrewolder,Icouldappreciateherloyalfriendship,herwarmwitandirony.Butthefirstlessonswerenoteasy.WithwhataffectionandsadnessIrememberthem:"Sitstill!Thatpianostoolisnotagardenswing."And"Areyoulazyorconceitedorjuststupid?”66
Herformerstudentsagreedthatshehadagreatenthusiasmforteaching.Barbersaid,
…Ioftenthinkthatshetaughtme–throughthepiano–moreaboutsingingthanmy singing teacher, ormore about the construction of a phrase or amovementthanmycompositionteacher…67
63Gerig,313.64 Robert D. Schick, The Vengerova System of Piano Playing (University Park: Pennsylvania StateUniversity Press, 1982), 102. Schick indicated that this is from an obituary for Vengerova by Jay S.HarrisonwhichappearedintheNewYorkHeraldTribuneonSunday,March4,1956insection4,page5.65MonaMender,ExtraordinaryWomeninSupportofMusic(Lanham,MD:ScarecrowPress,1997),154.66Schick,101.67Ibid.
28
Vengerova was a formidable pianist who would frequently play the piano to
demonstratewhatshemeantandcouldshowherideasclearly.68AccordingtoNeuman,
shewaspreparedtoteachanyworkandcouldplaytheentirerepertoirebymemory.69
Shewas capable of great concentrationwhich could last for the length of a seven or
eight hour lesson. Abba Bogin recalled an incident inwhich one of her studentswas
unawareofhowmuchpedalhewasusing,butVengerovastoppedhimandsaid “Is it
possiblethatIamfortyyearsolderthanyouandhavebetterhearing?”70
Vengerova took an individual approach to each student,much as her teacher,
Leschetizky,didwithhisstudents.ThomasScherman,anotherformerstudent,saidthat
“shehadadistinctteachingmethodthatcouldbeappliedtoeachstudentdifferently.”
Atthesametime,shewas“atremendousdisciplinarian,somuchsothatagreatmany
potentialstudentscouldn’ttaketherulessheinsistedon.”71
Sheencouragedher students toenlarge theirknowledge ingeneral aswell as
theirmusicalculture.Onceshesaid,
…when you play a Beethoven sonata, youmust also form an idea of allotherBeethovensonatas.Whileplayingaworkofacertaincomposer,youmustbecomefamiliarwiththehistoricaleraofhistime,hisbiography,hisideasandthemusicianswhoinfluencedhiscreativeimagination.Youmustalsostudyscholarlyandliteraryworksdevotedtothiscomposer.72
In the beginning stage of learning a new piece, Vengerova insisted that one’s
musical interpretation suchas “nuances, articulations,phrasing, andotherparticulars
shouldderivefromadeepemotionalfeelingandunderstandingofthestyle,andshould
68Ibid.,102.69JosephRezits,“Cana2ndGenerationMethodbeSuccessful?TheTeachingofIsabelleVengerova,”ThePianoQuarterly106(Summer1979):19.70Schick,102.71Ibid.72Rezits,19.
29
not be mechanically attached to the notes, following a teacher’s instruction or the
editor’sindicationsinthemusic.”73
In termsofhermethod, sheconsidered toneproduction tobeof fundamental
importance, both in illuminating the music’s significance and in enlightening the
pianist’smusicianship. Shewas really interested in “how to coax the largest range of
beautiful, subtle, dazzling, dramatic, velvety and singing sonorities”74from the piano.
LeonardBernsteinsaidthatthegoalofherteachingwithhimwastomakehimproduce
a singing tone.75Vengerova was known to believe that good hand position was a
primary requisite in terms of one’s ability to project beautiful sound and legato.
Graffmanwrote that “Shewas interested primarily in sound – she had an obsession
withbeautifulsoundandlegato.Toachievethis,shewasquitedogmaticinherteaching
about hand positions, and extremely slow practicing, hands separately, with accents
everysomanynotes.”76Shewasverystrictaboutherideasofhandandwristaction.
Regarding technique, Schick said that Vengerova endorsed the collections of
exercisesbyPischnaandTausig.Sheassignedanewexerciseateachlessonandinsisted
that it bepracticedwithin the frameworkofherownsystem,usinga flexiblewrist.77
AccordingtoBernstein,Vengerovanevermadeanyseparationbetweentechniqueand
musicalexpression.Andhesaid, “Whenshe taughtpiano techniqueshe taught itasa
part of the interpretive quality of music.”78While there are undoubtedly technical
aspectsinVengerova’steaching,itisperhapsmorecorrect,asBernsteinnoted,thatthe
primary intent of hermethodwas to train her students in themost efficientway to
73Ibid.74GaryGraffman,IReallyShouldBePracticing(GardenCity,NY:Doubleday&Company,1981),44.75Mender,154.76Graffman,43.77Schick,30.78Ibid.,101.
30
interpretmusic.
3.2.2VengerovaExercises
Like hermentor Leschetizky, she never claimed to have a particularmethod;
however,sheclearlyhadatechnicalsystemwhichsheimpartedtoherstudents.Robert
D. Schick wrote a book called The Vengerova System of Piano Playing demonstrating
severalexercisesrecommendedbyVengerova.
The facet of piano techniquewhich Vengerova emphasized themostwas the
positionofthehandswhichischaracterizedbythefollowing:
1) theelbowsshouldbekeptaway fromthe torso.2) thewristsshouldbeheld with complete freedom. 3) the fingers should maintain a curvedposition, with strength and precision.79 4) the fingers should be removedfrom the key immediately after striking, and shifted to the next playingposition.80
Inordertohaveaproperhandposition,Vengerovasuggestedthatthehandpositionbe
suchthat“…thebackisdownandthepalmisup,asifholdingaball,andthentoplace
thehandonthekeyboard,maintainingthesameshape.”81
According to Schick, the basis of Vengerova’s technique was proper tone
production, in order to provide the basis for the formation of speed, flexibility, and
power. 82 The following descriptions are the basic rules, formulated in regard to
achievingabeautifultone:
1) Non-percussive touch. The fingers are to be close to the keys exceptwhenplayingahandstaccato.
2) Flexiblewrist.Theflexibilityandpowerofthewristmustbedeveloped.
3) Accents.Thewrist israisedandthefingertippreparedonthekey.The
79Gerig,313.80Rezits,19.81Schick,22.82Ibid.,12.
31
hand isheld firmly from the fingertips through theknuckles to thewrist,though without unnecessary tension. The wrist is pushed sharplydownwardwith its energy going into the fingertip and then into the keyandthenrelaximmediatelyafterward.
4) Quiet upper arm. At no time is the upper arm used directly in theproductionofanaccent.Whenplayinganaccentthepowercomesfromthepressure from the finger andwrist. The elbow stays in a relatively fixedposition,andtheupperarmremainsquiet.
5) Relaxation.Allmusclesmustbe relaxedwhileplayingexcept for thosedirectlyinvolvedintoneproduction.
6) Weight.Thefingersdirectagreateramountofweightintoakeyforloudsounds,andlessweightforsoftersounds.
7) Application to music. The hand must follow the fingers in whateverpattern they play. When combined with a “close to the keys,” non-percussivetouch,theseprincipleshelptoproduceagoodlegato.83
3.2.2.1 BasicExercises
Vengerova’sexercisesapproachdifferenttechnicalissuesinpianoplaying,such
as scales, arpeggios, double notes, staccato. The exercises are based on a series of
systematicaccents.The first step inVengerova’s technique is learninghowtoplayan
accentoneverynoteofaone-octavescale.Asageneralrule,thewristshouldberaised
as high as possible with curved fingers. The fingertip must be prepared on the key
beforehand. Onemust feel theweight going into the fingertip and presswith a good
tone,notapercussiveone.Afterfirmlypressingthekey,thewristdropsdownsharply
andquickly.Thenitwillbelowerthanthepositionwhenitbegan.Theelbowshouldbe
kept almostmotionless to prevent the energy from being lost and to direct it to the
fingertip and the keyboard. The upper arm is not directly involvedwhen playing an
accent,evenwhenplayingloudchords.
83Ibid.
32
Example14.Accentoneverynote
Once the scalehasbeenplayed foroneoctavewithanaccentoneachnote, it canbe
repeated with accents every two, three, four, and eight notes. By practicing these
exercises and eliminating all unnecessary arm movements, students will master the
transferofweightfromfingertiptofingertip,producingaconsistenttonequality.
Example15.Accentoneverytwo,three,four,andeightnotes
Vengerovainsistedonslowpracticeinordertobuildagoodfoundationforfastplaying
lateron.Schicksuggestedworkontheseexercisesinoctavesaswell,handsseparately
andtogether.
33
3.2.2.2 Scales
Vengerova’s students practiced scales in the major, harmonic minor, and
melodic minor with standard fingerings, also practicing hands separately at the
intervals of the octave, third, sixth, and tenth. Schick suggested additional exercises
mainlytohelpwiththumbcrossings.SeeExample16.Theseexercisescanbepracticed
inallkeys.Vengerovademandedthatthearmmovefreelyfollowingthepatternofthe
scalewhenplayingscaleswithorwithoutaccents.
Example16.Exercisesforpassingthethumbunder,orwiththeotherfingersoverthethumb
34
3.2.2.3 Arpeggios
Vengerova’sstudentspracticedarpeggiosinmajorandminortriads,dominant
seventh, and diminished seventh patterns. As a rule, when playing asccending
arpeggios,therighthandthumbshouldplayassoonaspossible,andaslateaspossible
forthelefthandthumb.Theforearmandwristshouldbekeptatthesameangletothe
keyboardthroughoutalongarpeggioinordertopreventlossofspeed.
Example17.Exercisesforarpeggios
The following example illustrates arpeggio exerciseswithout accents. Since the notes
playedbythethumbcanbeaccentedreadily,thethumbshouldbepreparedonthekey
beforehand.
Example18.Exercisesforarpeggioswithoutaccents
35
3.2.2.4 Articulations
Schick defined Vengerova’s staccato technique as a combination of dropping
downandraisingupwristmotions.Thishelps toavoidstiffness, aswellasmaking it
easier to phrase and add shadings to the music.84Vengerova differentiated between
staccatos using a non-percussive touch andusing a percussive one. A non-percussive
touch is playedwith fingers that are in contactwith the key before playing then; 1)
depress the key and lift fingers quickly, 2) pluck the key “as if snapping a rubber
band.”85A percussive touch is playedwith a relatively fixed and firm finger. The key
shouldbestruckfromaboveandthehandmoved“asaunitfromthewrist.”86Schick’s
viewonthistouchwasthatitisusefulforfaststaccatopassageswithmanynotesand
thatitaidsinachievingevensoundsmoreeasilythroughthetransmissionofthesame
amountofweightfromthehandintothefingertip.87
IndiscussingVengerova’sapproach to legatoplaying, Schickdidnotofferany
exercisesofhisown.However,hediscussed“thewayofplayingsinglelinemelodywith
a lyricnocturne-likesound.”Schickwrote that themost importantprinciple is thatof
transferringweightfromthearmtothefingertip.Theweightmustflowsfromonetone
tothenextinordertofacilitatetheevennessofpassagework.88
3.2.2.5 Octaves
AccordingtoSchick,eventhoughVengerovamademanyhelpfulcommentson
how to play staccato octaves she did not systematize any teachingmethod regarding
84Ibid.,65.85Ibid.86Ibid.,66.87Ibid.88Ibid.,46.
36
octaves. 89 Instead Vengerova recommended Döring exercises (Example 19) for
improvingtheflexibilityofthewrist.90
Example19.Döring,ExercisesandStudieson thePiano forte for thePreparationand
DevelopmentofStaccatoOctavePlaying(G.Shirmer,1902),p.4,mm.1-8
3.2.2.6 Trills
According to Schick, Vengerova’s studentswere assignedmany trill exercises,
especiallythosewhichrequiredpressingoneormorefingersdownwhiletherestofthe
fingerstrilled.Theseexercisesarealsousefulforstrengtheningfingersnotonlyfortrills
butalsoformanyotherpassages.
Example20.Exercisesfortrills
3.2.2.7 DoubleNotes
Exercisesfordoublethirdscalesweretobepracticedinmajorandminor,hands
separatelyandthentogetherafterwards.Thesupplementaryexercisesfordoublenotes
89Ibid.,68.90Ibid.,69.
37
suggestedbyVengerovawereacollectionoftechnicalexercisesbyMoritzMoskowski.
Shewasfondofthecollectionwhichincludesusefuldoublenotesexercisesnotonlyfor
thirdsbutvariousotherintervals.91
Example21.Exercisesforthirds
Example 22. Moszkowski, School of Scales and Double Notes for the Piano, Book III
ExerciseA.1,mm.1-3
3.3 Neuhaus
3.3.1NeuhausasaTeacher
NeuhauswasoneofthemostprominentfiguresinRussianpianopedagogyand
histeachingphilosophywascreativeanduniqueinRussiaforhistime.Whilemanyof
hiscolleagueswereusingolder,moretraditionalmethodshesynthesizedbestmusical
pedagogiesofthedifferentnationalschoolssuchasRussian,Polish,Austrian,German,
French,andItalian.92
Neuhauswasbornintoaprominentmusicalfamily.Bothhismotherandfather
91Ibid.,59.92Galina I. Crothers, “Heinrich Neuhaus Life, Philosophy and Pedagogy.” (Ph.D diss., Birmingham CityUniversity,2010),222.
38
werepianists.HismotherwasasisterofFelixBlumenfeld,who taughtHorowitz,and
hisgrandmotherwasrelatedtoKarolSzymanowski.YoungNeuhauslearnedandgained
experience from his family and from traveling to western Europe. He absorbed
influences from the Austro-Germanic tradition of pianism through his teachers Karl
Barth and LeopoldGodowsky, andwas exposed to other pedagogical principles from
Blumenfeld.Thesewerethesourceswhich inspiredhimasapianistand lateronasa
teacher.93
Neuhauswroteabook,TheArtofPianoPlaying,94whichfocusesonbothbroad
andspecifictechnicalandmusicalaspectsofpianoplayingandperformance,aswellas
ontheteacherandpupil interaction.The ‘TeacherandPupil’,amongstotherchapters,
regardsteachingmusicasanartratherthansimplythetransmissionofpianisticskills.
Hewrotethatateacherisresponsibleforgivingstudentsthemusic’spoetic image,as
wellasadetailedanalysisoftheformandthestructure,harmony,melody,polyphony,
andpianistictextureofapiece.95
Neuhaus asserted that a teacher should bemainly concerned about raising a
student; first as a person, second as an artist, third as a musician, and after that a
pianist.96Hewrotethattherealtaskofteachersistonurturestudentsnotonlytoteach
them to play piano well but also to make them more intelligent, sensitive, honest,
equitable, and steadfast.97Andhe added, “worthless is the teacherwho sees only the
piano playing, piano technique, and has but a vague idea of music, its sense and its
93Ibid.,54.94Neuhaus,173.95Ibid.,173.96Tatiana Kritskaya, “Your playing is amirror of your soul” to 18th Anniversary of Stanislav Neuhaus,NezavisimayaGazeta (Moskva,March 16, 2007). Translation byNataliya Sukhina, “Alexander Scriabin:Pianominiatureaschronicleofhiscreativeevolution.”(DMAdiss.,UniversityofNorthTexas,2008),75.97Neuhaus,23.
39
structure.”98
Neuhaus stressed the foremost importance of “the artistic image of amusical
composition”andthatitshouldbeginattheveryfirststageoflearning.99Whenworking
ontheartisticimage,oneshoulddevelopone’sear,abroadknowledgeofmusicandof
the composer. And a teacher shouldmake a studentmemorizemusic by reading the
scorewithoutplayingthepianoinordertodevelopone’simaginationandear.Headded
“developstudent’s imaginationby theuseofaptmetaphor,poetic similes,byanalogy
withnaturalphenomenaoreventsinlife.”100
Regardingtechnique,Neuhausdidnotadvocatetheuseoftechnicalexercisesor
studybecausehebelievedthatartisticpianotechniquecannotbedevelopedoutsidethe
context ofmusic.He suggested acquiring technique through theuseof a realmusical
compositionandhighlightedtheadvantagesofthat,
First, his emotional state will be quite different; it will be heightenedcomparedtowhenheispracticing“useful”exercisesordry-as-duststudies.Secondly, itwillbemucheasier to showhim–sincehisown intuitionwilltend thatway– the tonequality, the tempo,nuances,acceleration,etc.andconsequently the ways of playing that are required for performing thecomposition so as to make it clear, meaningful and expressive, i. e. in amanneradequatetoitscontent.101
Neuhauspointedoutthat“thebestpositionofthehandonthekeyboardisone
which can be alteredwith themaximumof ease and speed.”Hewrote that themain
technical fault is caused by stiffness, a complete absence of freedom. He suggested
relaxationexercisesandrepeatitmanytimeswitheachfinger,
withthewristraisedandthehandhanginglooselydownplayanoteonthekeyboardfromabove,graduallyloweringthewristasfardownaspossible,in
98Ibid.,25.99Neuhaus,10.100Ibid.,21.101Ibid.,11.
40
aquick,measuredmovement,thenraiseitagainabovethekeyboarduntilthefingercannaturallynolongerholddownthekeyandiscarriedawayquicklyandsmoothly,togetherwiththehandandwrist.
3.3.2NeuhausExercises
SinceNeuhausrefrainedfromusingtechnicalexercisesorgymnastics, itmight
be counterintuitive to present one in this essay. In his book, however, Neuhaus
displayed useful examples of short exercises for an additional explanation of his
thoughtsoncertaintechniques.
3.3.2.1 ToneProduction
Neuhauswrotethatwhenspeakingoftechniqueitisimpossiblenottomention
tone,ashesaid“workontoneisworkontechniqueandworkontechniqueisworkon
tone.”102He said that the mastery of tone is the most significant aspect of all the
componentpartsofpiano technique thepianistmustdealwith, and it is thepianist’s
dutytoworkontoneproduction.Hismainconcernispossessingadeep,full,andrich
tonewhich facilitates the production of any nuance vertically and horizontally.103He
suggested that a note be played with the softest possible tone and then gradually
increasethedynamiclevel.Example23isanexerciseherecommendedtohisstudents
todeveloptheirearandforgettingtoknowthekeyboard.
Example23.Exercisefortoneproduction
102Ibid.,79.103Ibid.,67.
41
Neuhausstatesthatgoodtonecanbeachievedbycompletefreedomandrelaxationof
theweightfromtheback,shoulder,arm,andwristtothefingertipstouchingthekeys.
For acquiring varietyof tone,Neuhaus suggested the following exercises. Seehowhe
usesdynamicmarkingsinExample24.ThefirstexerciseinExample24canbemodified
to four-part and five-part chords. These should be exercised in different tonalities,
slowly,thenwithanincreaseintempo,alternatelyplayingonepartlegatoandtheother
staccato.
Example24.Exerciseforvarietyoftone
3.3.2.2 Legato
Intermsoflegatoplaying,NeuhausagreedwithBusoni’sopinionthat“legatoon
thepianowasonly imaginarydue to the impermanentqualityof thepiano’s tone,”104
andstressedthatthebasisofthelegatoisflexibility.Unlikeotherinstrumentssincethe
pianodoesnothavealastingtone,itneedsmuchricherandmoreflexibleshadingofthe
melodic parts as well as other parts in order to render clearly the intonation of the
music.105
104Ibid.,101.105Ibid.,71.
42
3.3.2.3 ScalesandArpeggios
Neuhaus presents the following exercises for scales (Example 25, 26) and
arpeggios (Example 26). In a way similar to Leschetizky and Vengerova, Neuhaus
pointedoutthatthedifficultyofplayingscalesliesmainlyinthethumbmovement.The
main focus of these exercises is ‘turning the thumb under the hand,’ and he
recommendedchanging theconception to ‘bringinghandover the thumb.’106Neuhaus
suggestedthatintheprocessofplayingthisexercise,thethumbshouldbeplacedonthe
keywhichmust strike next (indicatedwith grace notes in Example 26). And he also
wrotethatwhenplayingscalesandarpeggiosthepianistshouldkeepinmindtheideals
offlexibility,foresight,andevennessofmovement.
Example25.ExercisesforscalesA Example26.ExercisesforscalesB
Example27.Exercisesforarpeggios
106Ibid.,103.
43
3.3.2.4 DoubleNotes
The following exercises are suggested by Neuhaus for double notes covering
intervals from the second to the octave and up to ninths and tenths. He considered
double notes as two parts which must be played differently from each other. When
playingoctaves,Neuhausinsistedthatthepalmandfingersform“aroundedhollow.”107
Andthehighestpointofadomeisnotthewristbutthehand.
Example28.Exercisesfordoublenotes
107Ibid.,125.
44
CHAPTER4
REPERTOIRE
This chapter will present categorized piano techniques from the exercises
discussed in the previous chapter and compare these exercises with passages from
appropriategreatliteraturesuitableforlateintermediate-levelstudents.Therepertoire
covers the wide array of compositions ranging from the Baroque era to the late
Romanticperiod.
4.1 ToneProduction
Leschetizky’s finger exercises and Vengerova’s accent exercises are mainly
aimedatgoodhandpositionandfingerstrength,asthosearethebasisofpropertone
production.Likesomanyofhiscolleagues,Neuhausalsoemphasizedtheimportanceof
developingafinetone.
J.S.Bach’sshortcompositionssuchasPreludes,Fugues,andtwoorthreeparts
Inventions are suitable for helping a student develop variety of tone. These are good
preparationpieces for fugalplayingandvoicing indifferentpartsandarechallenging
for intermediate students. A piece such as Sinfonia No. 11 is written in a way that
introduces the concept of playing different tone colors by making noticeable
distinctions between the voices. This piece contains three part voices flowing
independently. The longer held notes need a rich singing tonewhile playing shorter
sixteenthnoteswithinonehandwhichrequiresskilledvoicing.Fingersubstitutionand
quick finger changesare required.Thisexpressivemusic requires theability to listen
carefully,aswellasfingerindependenceinordertoshapethephraseswell.
45
Example29.J.S.Bach,SinfoniaNo.11inGMajor,BWV797,mm.1-12
BeethovenBagatellesOp.119aregoodpiecesforlearningtheconceptofclear
articulationwhichrequires firm fingertipssupportedbya firmwristandarmweight.
Alternatingstaccatoandslurintherighthandisachievedbythewristandbymaking
gentle accents. Pianists can easily conceptualize different tone colors by making
noticeabledistinctionsbetweenmelodyandaccompaniment.Pianistsneedtobecareful
nottoraiseandlowertheirwriststoomuchonthestaccatoandthefirstslurrednotes
whilethefingertipsremainfirm.
Example30.L.v.Beethoven,BagatellesinB-flatOp.119,No.1,mm.1-15
46
No.6ofGrieg’s LyricPiecesOp.54 is a goodexampleof creating a varietyof
tonecolors inwidedynamicranges.Pianistsneed toplay fromthesoftestpianissimo
and gradually increase the dynamic level to fortissimo. This piece can aid in the
developmentoflisteningskillsthroughthegradualchangeintheintensityofthesound.
Itshouldbeplayedwithgoodtonewhichisachievedbycompleterelaxationofthearms
andeffectiveuseofarmweight.
Example31.E.Grieg,LyricPiecesOp.54,No.6Bellringing,mm.30-64
47
4.2 Scales/Arpeggios
All three pedagogues pointed out that the difficulty of playing scales and
arpeggios liesmainly inthefreedomofthethumbmovementwhenmovingunderthe
otherfingers.
Rameau’s LaTriomphante from Nouvelles Suites de Pièces de Clavecin helps
pianists to develop the faster moving thumb movement that is integral for playing
scales.Thismusicpresentsfastscalesalternatingbetweenbothhands;itissuitablefor
late intermediate students and should be used to introduce the concept of avoiding
stiffnessandundesiredhandfatigue.Thispieceallowsthepianisttodevelopasenseof
transferringweightfromonefingertiptoanotherwithagoodlegato.
Example32.J.RameauNouvellessuitesdepiècesdeclavecin,LaTriomphante,mm.1-12
ApiecesuchasKuhlau’sSonatinaOp.55No.2,1stmovementoffersaverygood
exerciseforfastthumbmovements.Therighthandthumbplaysalternatelyinanormal
andapassingposition.Inscaleplaying,thearmshouldberelaxedandfingermovement
is aided bywrist rotation, especially at the turning point of the scale (indicatedwith
boxesinExample33).
48
Example33.F.KuhlauSonatinainGMajor,Op.55No.2,1stmovement,mm.1-11
Chopin’sPreludeOp.28No.23,whichcontainsrepeatedsixteentharpeggiosin
amoderatetempoissuitableforlateintermediate-levelstudents.Thefastmovingnotes
requireanevenlegatosound.Thispiececouldbeveryeffectiveforimprovingtheuseof
fingersindifferentpositions,supportedbyflexiblewristmovements.Inmeasures1-2,
thepianistshouldmakesurethatthescaleactsastheaccompanimentwhichneedsto
beplayedlightandsmoothly.
Example34.F.ChopinPreludeinFMajor,Op.28No.23,mm.1-3
49
4.3 Legato/Staccato
Inlegatoplaying,itisimportantthattheweightflowsfromonetonetothenext
inordertofacilitatetheevennessofthenotes.
ApiecesuchasDomenicoScarlatti’sSonataK.9(L.413)canbeagoodstudyfor
legatoandcantabileplaying.Therighthandeighthnotesandsixteenthnotespassage
require differentiation of melody and accompaniment and work on shaping melody
lines.
Example35.D.ScarlattiSonatainDMinor,K.9,L.413,mm.1-9
Mozart’sVienneseSonatinaNo.6isveryeffectivetostudyforseveraldifferent
conceptsoflegato,staccato,anddoublenotesplaying.Thefirstmovement(Example36)
demandsfinecontrolofseveraldifferentarticulations.Theslurrednotesintheleftand
right handsmove separatelywhich requires careful control of both hands aswell as
technicalclarity.Thesecondmovement(Example37)requiressinginglegatoplayingin
therighthand.
50
Example36.W.A.MozartVienneseSonatinaNo.6inCMajor,1stmovement,mm.1-11
Example37.W.A.MozartVienneseSonatinaNo.6inCMajor,2ndmovement,mm.1-6
Chopin’sNocturnes, Preludes, andWaltzes are excellent for developing legato
playing. A piece such as Nocturne Op. Posth in c minor is good for learning singing
legatoplaying.Thelefthandeighthnotespassagesneedaflexiblewrist.Thispiecealso
requirestheperformertousesomerubatowhenplayingtwelvenotesagainstfour.
Example38.F.ChopinNocturneinCMinor,Op.Posth,mm.4-6
51
4.4 Octaves/DoubleNotes/Chords
ThefirstmovementofMozartVienneseSonataNo.4canaidinthedevelopment
of fine legato playing especially in the double third passages. All three movements
includedoublethirdpassageswithavarietyofnotevalues.
Example39.W.A.MozartVienneseSonataNo.4inB-flatMajor,1stmovement,mm.1-5
Beethoven’s Ecossaise WoO. 83 is a simple and delightful work. Primary
technicalconsiderationsinvolvethelefthandoctaveleapsandthevoicingoftheright
hand.The thirdmovement is themost challengingwith adouble thirdmelody in the
righthand.
Example40.L.v.BeethovenEcossaise,WoO.83,3rdmovement,mm.1-17
ApiecesuchasMendelssohn’sSongwithoutwordsOp.19No.3providesavery
goodstudy inchordsandoctaveplaying.Thisenergeticpiecerequires firm fingertips
52
andquickhandmovementsforfastmovingrepeatedchords.
Example41.MendelssohnSongWithoutWords,Op.19,No.3“HuntingSong”,mm.23-29
Schumann’s Scenes from Childhood Op. 15 No. 6 is appropriate for studying
octave playing. The performer needs strong fingers for the tempestuous chords, and
octavepassages.
Example42.SchumannScenesfromChildhood,Op.15,No.6“ImportantEvent”,mm.9-16
53
CHAPTER5
CONCLUSION
Many pianists and pedagogues have contributed to the various aspects of
teachingpianotechnique.However,itistruethatthereisnoonemethodthatcouldbe
appliedtoallstudents.Regardlessoftheapproach,theaimoftechniqueistofacilitatea
performer’sinterpretationofthemusic.
This paper offers options that can help a teacher to decidewhether to teach
pianotechniqueseparatelyoraspartof therepertoire.Successful teachingrequiresa
working knowledge of how repertoire and techniquework together. There is a lot of
repertoire which can aid in the development of technical and musical skills for late
intermediate-level students. By studying technical exercises from the repertoire,
studentslearnhowtoaddresstechnicaldifficultiesstepbystepandgraduallybuildan
effective piano technique while learning effective means of practicing. Also, late
intermediate piano students can build both technique and repertoire simultaneously.
Whiletherearedifferingopinionsonteachingtechnique, it isnottheintentionofthis
essay to argue that technical exercises are worthless or should be neglected. The
primary intent of this paper is to assert that technique should never be taught
separately from music. Even a simple scale exercise should be played in the best
possiblemusicalmanner.
54
55
APPENDIX
REPERTOIRE FOR THE LATE INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL PIANISTS
Somerepertoiresuggestionsforlateintermediate-levelstudents,incorporating
thetechnicalissuesdiscussedinthisstudy.
A-ArpeggioD-DoublenotesL-LegatoO-OctaveR-RepeatednotesSC-ScaleST-Staccato
Composer Composition
Albeniz EspañaOp.165,No.1“Prelude”EspañaOp.165,No.2“Tango”SuiteEspañolaOp.47,No.2“Cataluna”SuiteEspañolaOp.47,No.5“Asturias”SuiteEspañolaOp.47,No.8“Cuba”
A,D,LD,LC,D,L,OC,L,O,R,STA,C,D,L,O
Arensky 24CharacterPiecesOp.36,No.1“Prelude”3PiecesOp.42,No.2“Romance”12PreludeOp.63,No.412PreludeOp.63,No.9
A,C,L,OD,LD,C,LA,L
Bach PreludeBWV.928PreludeBWV.925PreludeBWV.936FugueBWV.953PreludeandFugueBWV.900InventionNo.12,BWV.783SinfoniaNo.10,BWV.796SinfoniaNo.11,BWV.797SinfoniaNo.15,BWV.801
D,SCD,SCD,SCD,SCD,SCA,SCD,SCD,LA,D,L
56
Beethoven BagatellesOp.33,No.1RondoOp.51,No.1BagatellesOp.119,No.113BonnSonatasWoO.47MinuetandTrioWoO.826EcossaisesWoO.83
D,L,SC,STD,L,SC,STC,DA,C,D,L,SC,STC,D,L,OD,L,O
Brahms 16WaltzesOp.39BalladeOp.10,No.1CapriccioOp.116,No.3
C,D,L,O,STC,L,O,STA,C,L,O
Chopin PreludeOp.28,No.6PreludeOp.28,No.9PreludeOp.28,No.15PreludeOp.28,No.20MazurkaOp.7,No.2MazurkaOp.7,No.5MazurkaOp.68,No.2MazurkaOp.68,No.3WaltzOp.64,No.1WaltzOp.69,No.2NocturneOp.32,No.1NocturneOp.55,No.13EcossaisesOp.Posthumous72,No.3
A,D,LC,D,LD,L,O,RC,L,OD,LC,SD,LD,LC,L,SC,STA,D,L,SCA,D,LA,C,LA,C,D,SC,ST
Dohnanyi WinterreigenOp.13,No.10“Postludium” A,C,L
J.Field NocturneNo.5 A,D,L
Granados Stories of the Young Op. 1, No. 3 “MaySong”12SpanishDancesNo.1
A,D,L,O
C,D,S
Grieg PoeticTonePicturesOp.3No.1LyricPiecesOp.12,No.1“Arietta”LyricPiecesOp.54,No.4“Notturno”LyricPiecesOp.54,No.6“BellRinging”
L,SC,STA,LC,D,LC,D
Handel Passacaglia,G.255,fromSuiteVII A,C,D,L,O,SC,ST
57
Haydn SonataHob.XVI/6SonataHob.XVI/23SonataHob.XVI/37SonataHob.XVI/39SonataHob.XVI/40SonataHob.XVI/43
A,C,D,L,O,SC,STA,L,SC,STA,L,SC,STD,SC,STD,SC,STC,D,L,R,SC,ST
Kabalevsky PreludeOp.38,No.2 C,ST
Kuhlau 3SonatinasOp.60 A,C,D,L,SC,ST
Liszt ConsolationsS.172,No.1TheChristmasTreeS.1865HungarianFolksongsS.245FarewellS.251
D,L,OA,C,D,L,O,SC,STC,D,L,O,STC,D,L
Macdowell ForgottenFairytalesOp.46FanciesOp.74LittlePoemsOp.32Marionettes,Op.38
D,L,O,SC,STC,D,L,SC,STC,D,L,O,STC,D,L,O,ST
Mendelssohn SongWithoutWordsOp.19No.1SongWithoutWordsOp.19,No.2SongWithoutWordsOp.19,No.3SongWithoutWordsOp.30,No.3SongWithoutWordsOp.38,No.4SongWithoutWordsOp.85,No.1SongWithoutWordsOp.102,No.2SongWithoutWordsOp.102,No.6
A,LA,D,LC,O,STC,LA,C,LA,LC,D,LC,D,L
Moszkowski 10Piecesmignonnes,Op.77,No.6“Tarentelle”Op.77,No.2“Scherzino”
R,STL,ST
Mozart 5VienneseSonatinasK.439bSonataK.282SonataK.283SonataK.545
D,L,SC,STD,L,SCD,L,O,SC,STD,L,SC,ST
Rachmaninov PreludeOp.32No.126RomancesOp.38,No.3“Daisies”
A,C,LA,L,SC
58
Rameau Nouvellessuitesdepiècesdeclavecin,“L'Indifférente”“LaTriomphante”“LesTricotets”“LaPoule”
L,SCA,SCA,R,STA,C,D,R,ST
Scarlatti SonataK.1,L.336SonataK.2,L.388SonataK.9,L.413SonataK.11,L.352SonataK.74,L.94SonataK.149,L.93SonataK.208,L.238SonataK.431,L.83SonataK.446,L.433SonataK.511,L.314
A,L,SC,STA,LD,L,SCD,L,SCL,SC,STR,SC,STL,SCAD,LA
Schubert SonataD.4593PianoPiecesD.459ARondoOp.post.145/II,D.50613VariationsD.5762ScherziD.593AdagioD.612MarschD.606
C,L,OA,D,L,OA,L,O,SA,C,D,L,O,R,STC,D,L,SD,L,SC,O
Schumann ScenesfromChildhood,Op.15,No.6AlbumfortheYoungOp.68,No.23,29,31AlbumfortheYoungOp.68,No.35ColoredLeaves,Op.99SonatafortheYoungOp.118AlbumLeavesOp.124
C,O,STD,C,O,STA,L
A,C,D,L,SC,STA,C,D,L,O,SC,ST
Tchaikovsky AlbumfortheYoungOp.39,No.3“ThelittleHorseman”No.18“NeapolitanDanceSong”No.21“SweetDreams”
C,D,STC,STD,L
Telemann FantasiaNo.5 A,C,D
59
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An,Mieja.“ACompilationofSelectedIntermediate-levelSoloPianoRepertoirefromtheClassical Period with an Analysis of the Inherent Performance Problems.” PhD diss.,PennsylvaniaStateUniversity,1981.
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Gustafson, Amy Elizabeth. “Tone Production on the Piano: The Research of OttoRudolphOrtmann.”DMAdiss.,UniversityofTexasatAustin,2007.
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Sukhina,Nataliya.“PianoMiniatureasChronicleofHisCreativeEvolution;Complexityof Interpretive Approach and Its Implications.” DMA diss., University of North Texas,2008.
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