help with Cortot's Rational Principles of Pianoforte Technique

[perifferol]

Hello all,

I have a request of some seasoned veteran of the piano who knows Alfred Cortot's book "Rational Princples of Pianoforte Technique." Would you be so very kind as to help me understand how to apply the transferable table to the exercises? I am quite confused and do not have a piano teacher to consult.

If you have completed some or all of this book and know about using the transferable table, I would be greatly obliged if you could describe what one does with it.

As a refresher, the book includes various elements in the transferable table:
1. the set of the 12 major and 12 minor scales (used for exercises preceded by the symbol "C")
2. a table of harmonic combinations (used for exercises preceded by the symbol "H')
3. a model of rhythmic combinations (for symbol "R")
4. a table of fingerings (for symbol "F")

I seem to be asking a big favor indeed, but if you can give a partial answer even I would be most obliged.

Thank you very kindly. I hope you take pride in being able to demonstrate for all some excellent technical writing here.

Best,
Tom

[ajspiano]

I'm not overly familiar with the book, but having just taken a rushed gander on scribd...

the exercises are preceded by letters that instruct you in how to alter the exercise, its so cortot could save himself writing it out multiple times for each variation he intend you to do.

Suppose for example I want you to practice one octave of a scale..

C D E F G A B C

but I want you to do the same exercise in all major and minor keys, so I precede it with a C.
(C) C D E F G A B C.

Which means you do it as written, and also all the variants found for the instructions relating to (C).

C D E F G A B C
D E F# G A B C# D
A B C# D E F# G# A
etc.

ofcourse, if the exercise had been C E D F G.. the transfers for the same keys I've used there would be..
D F# E G A
A C# B D E

...same idea applies to all the different types of variations.
If my exercise is (F) CDEFG, that may mean that I play that series of notes with a different fingering each time..

CDEFG
12345

CDEFG
23123

etc. (i didnt look at cortot's fingering table so that may not be at all what he suggests in a similar exercise)

(H) CEGEC

C E G E C
C Eb G Eb C
C Eb Gb Eb C
etc.

[j_menz]

**** wonders what AJ could possibly have against G major.

[ajspiano]

**** wonders what AJ could possibly have against G major.

it has no character..   its just.. i dont know.. the party key or something. No emotion.

[perprocrastinate]

it has no character..   its just.. i dont know.. the party key or something. No emotion.

But but but.. Bach's Goldberg Variations..

[ajspiano]

But but but.. Bach's Goldberg Variations..

Aside from the fact that I'm joking (with an ounce of subjective truth), a short inspection suggests that the goldberg variations modulate within the first 3 bars.