body constitution,important or not?

[paris]

i was wondering if body constitution is important for richer sound-i mean,for example-if somebody has strong big hands, will he do better fff than person who has a little, tiny hands and arms?

is being fat bad for 'be in shape' in playing piano? do slim people need more strenght for rach,etc. than others?

[monk]

I only know that there are some really fat, but also really awesome pianists. Oscar Peterson for instance.

And there are these very tiny Korean girls who play all sh*t under the sun with much power.

Neuhaus in his book claims that it plays no role whether the player is fat or thin or whether the arms are heavy or lighter (!!!); but perhaps fat people with heavy arms have more confidence in that the sound will be loud and full? While tiny people tend to think that they're too weak and lightweight to really play fff - and use unnecessary force and tighten up, so that the sound becomes thin?

I think it matters more how one approaches the whole thing - how efficiently one uses his body, how one's psychological state is.

Best Wishes,
Monk

[in_love_with_liszt]

I don't think it makes that much of a difference. I think strength and confidence on the piano comes more from experience than from being fat/thin/buff.

[donjuan]

I like Darkwinds thought from another thread.  It was something like,

If you can sit on the bench without breaking it, you're good to go!

[Saturn]

Strength is very important.  But the strength required for playing the piano is not what many people think of as strength.  It is not the strength of muscular tension and exertion.  We're not weightlifters.

Piano playing requires inner strength, which comes from, somewhat paradoxically, the relaxation of the muscles involved.  Proper coordination of those muscles is what constitutes strength.

Everyone has the ability to harness their inner strength as much as the next person.  So, provided the pianist has two arms and is not badly malnourished, strength of the muscles themselves shouldn't matter too much.  Bodily constitution will make a difference, but will rarely be a limiting factor.

- Saturn

[pianojems]

Does a fat pianist have less stamina and energy to perform and practice, or does it not matter?

[donjuan]

A good fat pianist will find ways of conveying their huge gravitational force into power.

[xvimbi]

A good fat pianist will find ways of conveying their huge gravitational force into power.

One word: Brahms

[Spatula]

One word: Brahms

Brahms was fat? His name makes him look...not skinny...but not fat ...

That James Levine had rather large fingers.  Interestingly I was watching Family Guy with the episode of Peter joining the beautiful people and stu was so fat he couldn't put his two hands together...

Now that's fat.  Not to say theres anything wrong...

(DON"T THINK I"M RUDE!!!! GOD DAMMMMMIT!)

[pianojems]

It must be really hard to play with fat fingers though. They probably wont fit in between the keys.