Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano
Subject: Q: cramped hands?

I've been working on Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (Op 27 No 2)
and have found that my wrist joint gets extremely sore after playing
the first adagio for a little while.  I can still keep playing this
piece; however,
when I stop playing or switch to a different piece, I feel like I have
bad arthritis: my wrist feels locked into position.

This doesn't happen to me with other pieces with what seem to me
to be similar wrist movements such as some of Bach's pieces in
the Well Tempered Clavier.

Has anybody else had similar problems?  I wonder if it's
in my physical body placement or if I'm just getting old.
I'm not ready to get old yet!

        -- Tim
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano
Subject: Re: Q: cramped hands?


Do some arpeggios slowly to make sure you stretch out the hands on a
daily basis, but don't overdo it.  This is also helpful if you have
small hands. An trick Glen Gould used was to heat up his hands in a sink
of hot water right up to the elbows before playing.  This warms up the
muscles in the forearms and the tendons.  Basically piano playing is an
unnatural thing, so you have to condition you hands.  When we get
carried away with practice, without proper technique and stretching,
hand fatigue is often a result. not to mention the effect aging has on
the elasticity of our tendons. The tendons in the hand also pass through
a channel in the wrist called the carpal tunnel.  As a result of overuse
they become inflamed and sometimes wrist  pain is the result. There are
also a number of  stretches available from a physio-therapist,
especially when performance is a must.  A doctor could refer you if the
problem is that severe. If you can stretch the hand over those octaves
plus and more while being relaxed, I think your tension will ease . A
good teacher will also help you with techniques I find it is important
to ensure that the forearm and wrist are in line, as bending the wrist
back and playing is very uncomfortable  I also believe that the ng
rec.music.classical.performing has an article on this problem..     Good
Luck MW

Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano
Subject: Re: Q: cramped hands?


I also should state the obvious Tim.  If this is the only piece that
causes you discomfort,
You might drop it from you repertoire.  I find not all pieces are suited
for all players.