Michaelangeli - arm/hand drops

[green]

I see Michaelangeli do this all the time, lifts hand/arm as single unit from elbow (or thats what it looks like) and just drops it into the keys (from above the key). Whats he doing here, is there a name for this technique? I would guess just controlled arm weight, but from above the key? When I try it it actually feels quite good, effortless, and you can be very accurate, its almost a simplification of movements...

[nyiregyhazi]

If  your hand is expanding then this can be great. However, there are few pianists that get the movement right. Volodos is among the few living players that can drop from a height and produce a big rounded orchestral sound rather than a hard thud. Don't try and emulate it with a dead hand!

[green]

Here's a link where he does this: