Piano Forum

3. When playing the notes of the right hand, either as a chord or breaking it by "wiggling", (a) must I depress the keys to bottom?, ALLthe way down? (b) How can I make it sound pp? (c) Should I use pulling or pushing fingers? (d) curled, semicurled or flat fingers

(Sorry, I have so many questions...I'm really confused
about this stuff... curled fingers, flat fingers, pushing, pulling,.. I've read a lot, I bougth some books but It's really difficult without a real example.

Ok. Before I answer, understand that there are only a few limited number of basic movements one needs to do when playing the piano. However these basic movements are then combined in ever increasing sequences of co-ordinations to the point where there are literally infinite ways to play any piece.

Consider language. The number of words in any language is limited. However you can express the same meaning of a sentence using a variety of words. If instead of sentence you think of a novel, there is no limit to the number of ways in which you can use words to write more or less the same novel. Hence the ever expanding fiction market. And if you now think instead of words letters of which there are only 26, you can say that all the books ever written are just combinations of these twenty six letters.

Likewise the basic movements that make up piano technique are pretty limited. But as they grow into co-ordinations of movements and these into huge uninterrupted sequences of movements it becomes impossible to keep track of everything that is going on. But there is no need to . No one would approach a book by counting the number of letters in each page. Likewise the way to approach technique is not to get too distracted by the movements themselves. Of course you need to know them, just like you need to know the letters to read. But once you know the basic movements, you refer to the sound you are producing. If the sound you are producing is the sound you were aiming at, then the movement is right.

However there are a number of movements that may produce the same sound. So you may want to investigate further movements, since the ones you may be using may lead to injuries (lots of pianists that had amazing sound did so at the expense of ergonomically incorrect movements – Leon Fleischer, Glenn Gould, Byron Janis and Alfred Brendel come immediately to mind – all had serious problems that for Janis and Fleischer meant that they had to give up the piano).

All the movements you mentioned can be used. But I cannot give you more details because this sort of thing is not only very difficult (perhaps impossible) to write about, as it is very easy to misunderstand what is being said form the written word. Ideally I would have to see you playing and then demonstrate a series of movements. This is really hands on teaching I am afraid. Moreover, what works for me may not work for you at all simply because we have different bodies.

It will also depend on the passage. Usually playing on black notes requires a more flat finger approach. Playing composers like Scarlatti requires a more curled finger position. Just watch any video of Horowitz (the most flat fingered pianist ever) playing Scarlatti sonatas.

As for the question of depressing the key all the way to the key bed, have a look at this thread where this issue is discussed:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=stud;action=post2

5. When I play the right hand as a chord, hands together.. the chord is in the place of the first note of the triplet, the second, should I play it like a 1/16 note? (perhaps, I'm a little confused in rythm matters)

Ignore the original rhythm when playing in chords. The chord should have exactly the same time value of the LH notes. That is, you play everything evenly without gaps. The reason to practise in chords is to have your RH fingers in the correct places, so that you don’t hesitate about the next note. Also it is the fastest way you can play these two notes together. When you split them you just stretch the time to accommodate two notes instead of one chord.

6. Should I use the pedal for practicing the left hand alone? and hands together?

You can play this piece with or without pedal.  You must make a series of interpretative decisions before you can go on. But if you decide that you are going to use the pedal then yes, you must practise with the pedal. Otherwise when are you going to practise? During the performance?

If you play this piece without pedal the left hand will be extremely detached – staccato almost. It will sound dry and bouncy. This is not at all undesirable. After all the piece is a Giga – a very fast dance. This can be very effective especially if you play it really fast. Glenn Gould plays it like that.

Or you can decide to really make the melody sing. In this case you must use the pedal. But now there are so many options for phrasing – all equally valid – that cannot really be described in writing. Listen to Rosalyn Turecks’ interpretation of it (my favourite). She is not as fast as Gould, but the phrasing is amazing. Then there is Arrau’s recording of it when he was in his late eighties. He plays it very, very slow. Some people hate it, but I think it is one of the most incredible recordings ever of it. For a start it sounds like a different piece altogether. At that speed and by bringing out the melody he must of course use the pedal. His phrasing although impeccable is altogether different from Tureck and Gould. Another four worth listening to are Dinu Lipatti, Angela Hewitt. Maria Joăo Pires and Richard Goode.

I suggest that you learn this piece both ways: without pedal and with pedal (with a variety of pedal effects). Then you will be able to choose which one you like the best.

7. And a last one.. when I play fast it is difficult to me to focus on the expression; what should I do?

As the purely mechanical aspects of your playing become more and more and more subconscious, this will sort itself out. Once you find yourself hitting the right keys without knowing how you are doing it (a sure sign that hand memory is in place) you will be able to devote more and more of your awareness to the musical aspects of the piece. The most important advice I can give in this aspect is this: Have a very clear aural image in your mind of how you want this piece to sound and your fingers will comply. Needless to say, Bach didn’t give any directions whatsoever in that respect. So it is up to you!

Best wishes,
Bernhard.