From: Fred Hooper <fhooper@POSTOFFICE.PTD.NET>
Subject:      piano technique
To: Multiple recipients of list SOREHAND <SOREHAND@ITSSRV1.UCSF.EDU>
Status: RO

Hi, All!
First, my humblest apologies to those dismayed by my human error in
addressing Paul's info to the list.  It is my nature to learn by my
mistakes, and, fortunately, I make lots of them!

Secondly, as a professional piano teacher who recovered from ten years of
tendinitis by working with the Alexander Technique, I have a few notions on
the issues concerning action and technique.
When young students come to me using excessive force to depress keys, I can
usually assume one of two things: 1. the student is a very tense child in
general 2. the piano belonged to Great Aunt Mabel and has sticky keys  and
who knows what else wrong with it.  It is difficult to overcome physical
habits related to continued use of poor equipment, just as it is difficult
to overcome personality issues with physical manifestations. Certainly, the
condition of the action has to be considered in the bigger picture,
especially if it is a performer's primary instrument. The same can be said
for the height and quality of the bench.

When the Horowitz piano went "on tour" I played it.  It had a VERY EASY
ACTION to play, but was voiced precisely to Horowitz's preferences for
sound.

One of the things I learned through the Technique is to adjust my thinking
about how pianos work in general.  Most of us have been taught to strike,
hit, force, whatever... the key, with the underlying implication being that
the stronger you are, the better player you are. However, as Larry Fine
(not one of the Stooges!) points out in his "Piano Book", the only
controllable elements are the speed of the key descent and the speed of the
key release.  With the exception of pedal effects, this is true.  When I
changed my thinking to speed rather than force, I was able to release a
huge amount of physical tension and improve my playing.
Most pianists connect force with some kind of bracing in the body, which
actually prevents the muscles from releasing their energy into the key. So
the sound is often less interesting, more difficult to produce, and the
pianist tires more quickly.

Also, an approach that does not address the whole body is quite possibly
missing some element of bracing not in the so-called playing mechanism.  So
I would question the idea of thinking only about the arm.

I agree that allowing the hand to balance on piano keys is an advantage.  I
do not advise my pianists to think of "holding" the arm up in space, as
"hold" is four letter word to me! I don't know how helpful this is to
computer folks, but I remind my students that no limbs will fly off in
space if they release notions of "holding" them on. Words really are
critical to me.

Also, pianists definitely have an advantage in the range of motion we
employ. We are not stuck in a static area, for the most part, and we do
have horizontal and vertical movements to employ.  But do not be fooled -
WE SUFFER, and we often do not take proper care of ourselves, believing
that the music comes before the musician.

Sorry for being so lengthy, but this is my particular bailiwick.
Be well,
Kay S. Hooper