This paper is an investigation into the problem of the pianist with small hands, causes and effects of limitations encountered, and methods for managing the problem. A central aim is to demonstrate the accessibility of many standard works (particularly from the Romantic era) generally thought to be out-of-reach to pianists with small hands.Early chapters deal with physiological demans of piano playing. This includes hand function, related brain and central nervous system activity, and also ideal hand structure characteristics for pianists. It is then shown that the hands of many pianists deviate from the ideal, but that it is possible to compensate for most deficiencies, as seen in the hand structure and pianistic achievements of several virtuosi with small hands.Although relatively little has been written on the problem of small hands, those authors who did touch on the subject offered a variety of solutions, classifiable as physiological corrective measures, and musical devices and techniques.Physiological corrective solutions fall into three broad groups: (1) stretching the hand span, (2) strengthening hand and arm muscles and building general endurance, either at or away from the keyboard, and (3) inducing a relaxed state of body/mind to eliminate tension and musclecontraction.Musical devices and techniques consist of 166 edited excerpts from standard works of sixteen composers to illustrate numerous principles. These techniques and principlesare categorized as follows:Strength: Devices to increase strength and tone forthose with small or fragile hand structure.Stretch: Devices to increase or to give the illusionor increasing the hand span.Small hand position: Devices to maintain a small and relaxed hand position.Redivisions: Redistributions, rearrangements of notes between the hands to reduce stretch requirements.Re-editing or rewriting of a note or passage.These principles for musical solutions are then applied to selected Chopin, Ravel, and Debussy works, closing with the entire Sonata in B Minor by Chopin.Just as each hand with its limitations is unique, so are solutions highly individual. The musical excerpts, therefore, are meant to serve as examples or catalysts in aiding pianists to solve their own hand problems.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/176024 |
| Date | January 1982 |
| Creators | Eger, Patricia R. |
| Contributors | Sebastiani, Pia and Koriath, Kirby L. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | 2, viii, 261 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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