Bach Partita 2 in C-minor - Fingering left hand trill

[kalander]

How do you guys pull off this trill in the left hand in bar 5 of Bach's Partita in C-minor (The Sinfonia). The only option I see is using fingers 4 and 5 and that's bloody difficult. Do you have any tips for practising this or is there other ways to finger to trill?

[perfect_pitch]

Although I've never played the piece, have you thought about playing that chord with 1, 2 & 4, and trilling on the 4th and 3rd fingers??? You actually do the trill on the Ab-Bb, not G-Ab.

I think that's probably what's intended anyway, since you have to slur that chord to the G7 on the next beat.

[quantum]

I play the trill with 3-4.  1 and 2 hold the upper notes.

[kalander]

Yes I tried it and that works the only problem is when I play the thrill it's almost impossible for me not to raise my left pinkiefinger. I've tried keeping my pinkie on the G key but then the trill sounds stiff. Will this put strain on my left hand if I practice this bar too much? Do you have any tips for playing the trill and keeping my pinkie still?

[quantum]

Why would you want to keep the 5th finger down?  It isn't required to hold a note.  There is no need to contort the hand.  Let the 5th finger follow naturally and do the trill.

[michaeljames]

I trill using my third and fourth fingers.

[perfect_pitch]

Yes I tried it and that works the only problem is when I play the thrill it's almost impossible for me not to raise my left pinkiefinger.

Okay... Now here's the hard part. I have seen people, who when playing notes will raise their pinkie unwillingly, but it looks like it sticks out compared to the other 4 fingers. HERE'S what you do. It might be hard, but will help with keeping the pinkie closer to the keys.

Play the trill, exactly as written - BUT also play the lower G (bottom bass line) with your pinkie and try to keep that pinkie down on the key while you trill. You will find this much harder to do at first, but it will stop the pinkie from flying away from the keys if you do it for just a minute or two, a few times.

[quantum]

So what is so wrong about letting the pinky fly? 

[perfect_pitch]

First of all - it looks awkward... and two, think about the hand - do the fingers feel more comfortable in a curved shape, or when you stretch them outward??? Which has more tension?

Plus, it can also fatigue the pinkie. Granted, it's a small amount, but it's worth controlling.

[quantum]

IMO, music is about the aural experience, not the visual aesthetics of a performer.  One should operate ones body and playing mechanism with utmost focus toward the functionality and efficiency of movement, and not have ones movements dictated by the pleasantness of ones visual appearance.  Pretty sound trumps pretty visuals. 

do the fingers feel more comfortable in a curved shape, or when you stretch them outward??? Which has more tension?

There is not a single handed answer to that question.  One must take into account what playing mechanism is doing at the time, and what sound one wants to achieve.   In this scenario, my argument is that the hand receives greater freedom of movement, and therefore more control in producing ones desired sound when outstretched, as opposed to curving the 5th finger. 

Plus, it can also fatigue the pinkie. Granted, it's a small amount, but it's worth controlling.

The question becomes, what fatigues the mechanism more: having an outstretched hand, versus trying to keep the 5th finger curved.  I would argue that in this case the latter causes greater fatigue and restriction of movement. 

[j_menz]

Plus, it can also fatigue the pinkie. Granted, it's a small amount, but it's worth controlling.

How? If that's what that finger wants to do, there seems no reason not to let it. It is more fatiguing to try and force the hand into a position it doesn't like than to just let it be. You only do the forcing if there is a reason. Hands are generally pretty lazy, and know how to keep comfortable - we tend to start creating problems when we intervene.

[perfect_pitch]

One should operate ones body and playing mechanism with utmost focus toward the functionality and efficiency of movement, and not have ones movements dictated by the pleasantness of ones visual appearance. 

Exactly!!! If your pinky finger is further from the keys while playing, each time you play it means you have to bring the finger closer to to the keys again and again. If it sits naturally on the key (and it is very easy to control and fix) then you help to minimise bigger exaggerated movements, especially in more dextrous and softer passages. You will sometimes hear accents on the pinkie finger since it is further away and they bring it to the key with more speed and force than the other fingers.

Look, this is coming from someone who used to have appalling technique and control. Okay, pretty visuals don't make the performance, but ensuring that the hands, arms, and fingers do what is necessary to achieve the right sound while ensuring you're not over-exaggerating, or doing any unnecessary movements help ensure that the sound is more consistent time and time again.

[quantum]

Let's return to the subject in question: a 3-4 trill and 1-2 hold in the LH.  In this particular case the 5th finger is not required to actively play or hold keys, whereas the four remaining digits are engaged in contrasting execution.  There is no inherent delay to playing a key with the 5th finger, because the 5th finger is not required to play any key.  No accents are probable as the 5th finger is not engaged in playing. 

Attempting to keep the 5th finger in contact with the keys essentially amounts to a 1-2-5 hold with 3-4 trill.  That means holding with the outer digits while executing a trill with inner digits.  This results in far more and unnecessary physical exertion, not to mention diminishing the amount of control the player has over the tone of the trill.