http://www.learnpianohelper.com Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:52:26 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I now come to the loud or sustaining pedal, which Rubinstein aptly called "the soul of the piano." It certainly is the best friend the pianist has at his disposal for helping him to overcome the material drawbacks of the pianoforte's constitution, and without it no legato playing or prolongation ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/play-piano-technique/the-soul-of-the-piano/ In fact, the keyboard ought never to be struck hard at all in legato passages or in melody of any kind. On the contrary, the keys must be caressed with a sort of almost stroking movement, to obtain the requisite tone-values. And in connection with this there is another thing ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/play-piano-technique/perfect-your-hand-technique/ As far as the general rules of interpretation are concerned, I will give a few which appertain to what might be called the syntax of music. Such are the following. An ascending passage should be played with a crescendo, a descending passage with a diminuendo. The pedal must be changed ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/play-piano-advance/rules-of-interpretation/ And what is musical style? I think it can be explained as the impression reflected upon the music by the manners, customs, and modes of thought which were characteristic of the epoch when it was written. For, after all, people lived, loved and suffered every kind of emotion in ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/views-on-piano/what-is-musical-style/ It is to-day, as always, the mission of the authoritative interpreter to amplify and throw new lights upon these traditions, and not be content to accept the general version which his less-gifted brethren have to subscribe to with reverent faith. Still, even for the great artist the fundamental principles must ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/views-on-piano/new-lights-on-tradition/ Some players pick up the peculiarity of making extraordinary faces during their performance of music. This is a very absurd fault, but it too often becomes a habit that is terribly hard to get rid of, because it is done quite unconsciously as a rule, and is also instigated by ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/comman-fault/more-serious-fault-playing-piano-part-2/ There are other serious faults which hamper pianists, pertaining more to purely technical matters. Such is, for instance, sticking out the thumb, instead of always keeping it ready underneath the palm of the hand in order to facilitate its rapid passage during the changes of position on the keyboard. This ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/comman-fault/more-serious-fault-playing-piano/ As hurrying and also dragging the tempi are both errors connected somewhat with faulty rhythm, I will speak of this next as a highly unsatisfactory failing. Rhythm is no doubt to a great extent instinctive, and is bound up a good deal with individual temperaments. But it must be carefully ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/comman-fault/catch-the-correct-rhythm/ Hurrying the tempo is nearly as bad, and is sometimes caused by nervousness, though indifference, want of confidence, and the very general mistake of looking upon a crescendo as an accellerando also give rise to it. People who are inclined to be nervous when playing before others often get a ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/comman-fault/dont-hurry-your-tempo/ Now comes along the temperamental student, burning with ardour for the beauty of the music, longing to make the noble chords of some fine melody speak out its message! What special pitfall lies ready to entrap his zealous endeavours? Why, in his enthusiasm that the melody in both hands should ... http://www.learnpianohelper.com/comman-fault/one-of-the-most-common-fault/