Thumb Madness

[steve jones]

Check out Rubinstein's thumb on this cover:



 

Is that freaky, or is it just me?

SJ

[thalbergmad]

It has been written that Paganini could bend his thumb back to his wrist.

[henrah]

That'll allow him to stretch an 11th atleast, possibly even a 12th.

His expression looks like he's fed up with it, and that somebody in the audience just shouted out 'Show us yer thumb!' Probably got a lot of hassle about it.

Paganini's thumb flexing didn't really help him in violin playing, although he was the greatest. I just can't imagine how a flexible thumb can come in use on a violin.
Henrah

[ahinton]

"Had God intended Man to play the piano, He would not have created him with thumbs". Now who was it said that? I can't now recall (and it certainly wasn't me).

Perhaps someone remembers...

Best,

Alistair

[ronde_des_sylphes]

It is rumoured that Paganini suffered from Marfan's syndrome, which is a disease affecting connective tissue (in this case, of the hand).

It is also rumoured that Rachmaninov's remarkable handspan was also due to this disease.

[steve jones]

That'll allow him to stretch an 11th atleast, possibly even a 12th.

Actually, Rubinstein has commented on his small hands during interviews. Watch vids of him play and you'll see that he has far from a large mitt. Ofcourse, with that flexibility Im sure he manages to get by alright!

SJ

[henrah]

Didn't stop them from being awesome musicians......which was nice.

[jas]

Oh god. Yeuch! I have a thing about thumbs (don't ask), so that picture really makes me squeamish. 

[steve jones]

Tell me about it!

My thumb only bends comfortably to 90 degrees from my index finger. If I push it, I can go a little further. Rubi seems to have some crazy doublejointed madness going on with his digits - he's like some kind of Shaolin monk!

SJ

[thracozaag]

koji

[bananafish]

er... I... er... I am crazily double jointed, and I can do that easily, too. My friends' all think it's freaky, but I mean, I am used to it. In fact, I didn't find whatever was "wrong" with that picture until I read the comments. Anyway, what can I say? I grew up with it. 

[bananafish]

by the way, nice inverted palm, Koji. You are on my fondness side.

[rc]

Tell me about it!

My thumb only bends comfortably to 90 degrees from my index finger. If I push it, I can go a little further. Rubi seems to have some crazy doublejointed madness going on with his digits - he's like some kind of Shaolin monk!

SJ

If I keep my thumb completely parallel to the rest of my hand I can only do about 90, but when I let my thumb-knuckle move forward a bit I can easily get it to the angle Rubinstein has in that pic, which is what it looks like he's doing as well. Sort of letting your palm close up a bit

[steve jones]

No chance can I do that - 90 degrees is my max, no matter the angle.

But Im beginning to wish that I could - it must make octaves a breeze!

SJ

[Mozartian]

Doesn't seem particularly freaky to me (if I hold the thumb down, I can do it with my left hand).

So yeah. Not freaky; just another weird CD cover, haha.

[bearzinthehood]

Yeah that doesn't seem too crazy, I can stretch as far and I wouldn't consider myself very flexible at all.

[rc]

I met a girl the other day who can very nearly fold her thumb in the wrong direction, having her thumbnail touch the wrist... It was cringetastic.

[thracozaag]

koji

[stevie]

hahaha da clazzic reuzable material

[mikey6]

Rubinstein must have had a big stretch or it was very malleable coz his transcription of Petouschka (The encouragement to Stravinsly's own) has stretches of 12th's in it.

[steve jones]

I dont think he has a particular long reach.

For example, he seems to always roll the nasty long tenths, even when it is clearly intended for the chord to be played solid.

After watching some vids of him, I would say that does indeed have a high level of flexibilty, but never the less very moderately size hands. His reach is no larger than the average Id wager.

SJ

[steve jones]

To put it in somekind of context, my RH bearly spreads as far between 1-5 as Rubi's does between 1-2!

Ok, this hand is particularly had due to an old injury, but still, that is one flexible hand he has, especially for a old fella!

SJ

[Mozartian]

-

[semme]

koji

i hope you realized its a fake..
no one ( exept those with double joints or whatsoever) wouldnt be able to do that while their shoulders are still in normal position

[Mozartian]

i hope you realized its a fake..
no one ( exept those with double joints or whatsoever) wouldnt be able to do that while their shoulders are still in normal position

No kidding?

Gee, I thought everyone could do that- especially people with hands that are bigger than their heads!

Guess I don't get out enough.

[leahcim]

Gee, I thought everyone could do that- especially people with hands that are bigger than their heads!

Guess I don't get out enough.

Stop indoors. I learnt the hard way that the moon is actually much bigger than my foot.