How to play "leggiero"?

[Sydney]

Are there any good methods to master how to play "leggiero"?

[Maui]

Let's first explain that ''Leggiero'' means soft.

The only way is practicing, and you first should have a well hammered piano, and should know that exists different ways to play it.

[xvimbi]

I love these questions; they make me look up things and learn.

Leggiero was one of the most often used words in the Chopin's piano lessons (the other one being cantabile). The technical contents of this word could be interpreted as a possible smooth, joyful and easy way of articulation of the piano sound. Leggiero itself means light, swift, delicate.

The following is taken from https://www.pianoeu.com

"The very significant aspect of a leggiero is proper control of The Zone: a hand cannot be just fallen down to the uncontrollable keyboard's Zone - it should smoothly be put into suitable Zone that must fully harmonize with our real artistic requirements. The virtual motion in the gained sound must begin immediately; a hearing activity has to virtually push the sound - like a wind pushes the sail."

Not quite clear... The following site explains it in more detail (I think they are actually the same site, but they seem to be mixed up a bit):

https://www.chopin.strefa.pl/engl.html

"At this phase of work one ought to remember that the full-singing legato (e leggiero) is achievable just at the end of such a relatively long preparative period; at the same time one will gradually obtain this particular kind of touch that really joins all the elements in piano technique. Essentially, the zone should act in the playing all the time as the easily detectable border of the sound's quality - which if crossed over, caused artistically very undesirable consequences. Its using requires of course the close mental activity. Such a psychological compulsion for constant concentration, in the didactic sense, might be seen as the aspect of incomparable great worth. The player starts then to hear, feel and "seen" the musical form he/she would like to shape in playing. Clouded and uncertain will obtain contours and backgrounds, changing itself into rememberable, definite, and emotionally - clear.

Without fail, depending on artistic purpose of the form one wants to create, he/she must persistently create the patterns of quality of sound and of its character. Pianissimo or mezzo piano of a special timbre cannot be find - technically seeing - in the same zone as another one. It is definitely logical. Unfortunately, many piano players faithfully try and try to find all these possible timbres and colors at the same place, which is, of course, irrational and costs very much energy. This mainly happens due to an imprudent, raw-hammered manner of articulation in piano playing, which constantly directs all movements of fingers to the same awkward place in the similarly awkward manner. So, it happens due to absence of the concrete sounding object (The Zone) that has to be watched and processed with the similar genuine reality in which a carpenter handles his piece of wood."

That's pretty deep. There is a lot more at this website. It seems 'leggiero' is the most complex pianistic technique out there, involving the mind, sound imagination, and the combination of all other pianistic techniques to achieve sound production.

In terms of what to do, actually, the following might help, but I like the almost metaphysical approach above much better:

https://home.att.net/~vicki.king/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html

"In order to achieve very fast passages over a wide area of the keyboard, we need the help of the arm to "pull" the hand along, just as a mop handle brings the mop along the floor. In "leggiero" the fingers make tiny "taps" down on each key, but do not lift up."

In any case, that should thoroughly explain it

[Sydney]

Thank you very much, xvimbi.

The story about "Mop" really instructed me something.

I am almost there to get the feeling....