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Joseph Lhevinne's THREE BASICS

As we watch a program featuring a seemingly accomplished pianist, we may often see his hands flying about above the piano keyboard, and often gracefully and artfully flowing above the piano keyboard as he plays.
If he or she is truely accomplished, much of the visable motion of his hands is an illusion misinterpreted by the audience, and some of the graceful movements are as much a part of playing the piano as when his hands are on the keys.
Novice piano players, though sincere, are wasting huge amounts of energies that are of little value in producing beautiful pianism.

FINGER TIPS TOUCH KEYS FIRST!

No matter what it appears to look like, a trained pianists fingers always arrive at the key or keys FIRST, and though sometimes for only a microscopic increment of a second, gently rest or "grasp" each key before the note or chord is pressed to the piano keybed by the finger or set of fingers. Enabling the fingers to work WITHIN, or UNDER the hand space, with a minimum of effort.
The ILLUSION, that the hands or fingers fly through the air and sometimes seemingly come crashing down into the piano, will certainly create sound, and perhaps even correct notes, but pianists who have not trained to

--------------"touch key surfaces FIRST",-----------

always have bad tone, their virtuosity is limited, and their hands tire much sooner.

Joseph Lehvinne*, the great Russian teacher and first artist in residence at the Julliard Conservatory of Music, in his chapter on "Delicate Playing" established THREE BASIC RULES.

I bring this matter to my students attention first, because if we can play piano "delicately", playing with thunder and power, or with expression, is so much more in our control.


#1. Are you keeping your fingers on the SURFACE of the keys FIRST?

#2. Are you bringing each key to KEY BOTTOM?

#3. Is your arm FLOATING? (not stiffened or cramming fingers)

Learning delicate playing, using these three simple fundamentals alone applied faithfully, will revolutionize your touch, your fluency, your tone and your command.

Continue to the next page for further understanding------------------>

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* I HIGHLY recommend the late, great Joseph Lhevinne's little book "Principles of Pianoforte Playing" Dover Press. Available at any Barnes and Noble, and elsewhere, also at Amazon.com

for serious students I also recommend
:
"Principles of Piano Mastery", Amadaeus Press, by retired S.U.N.Y. faculty pianist Seymour FInk.
Mr. FInk's work is exceptional because of his series of physical exercises done away from the piano, and his thorough understanding of the human physiology applied to piano playing.