GENERAL HAND POSITIONS OF THE GREAT PIANISTS
YouTube has made it possible to see virtuoso pianists’ hands up close and personal. When I observe Yuja Wang’s hands she has a decided arch you can almost see under, as well as her incredible articulation. Khatia Buniatishvilli, in contrast,, has very flat fingers, and I can barely see them move. No matter what she is playing, it seems effortless, but an effortlessness that defies analysis. So very different are these artists, and yet each is a phenom at the piano. What elements of technique do they share, as well as what they do not? How is this not confusing to those of us who stand in awe at their performances at the piano?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic….it seems to be a fascinating one, at least to me!
-
And then there is Horowitz who just strokes the keyboard
with completely straight fingers (almost).
-
Hi Janice, I have not heard of Khatia so I read about her on Wikipedia. She studied Michel Sogny's 'piano method'. The method described on Wiki is very interesting. I am picking up the piano again after decades of non-playing, and I came across the Taubman method during the pandemic. I find that Khatia's playing with flatter fingers and the inconceivable movements of how her arms and hands move across the keyboard has some similarity with the Taubman method. After having taken 2 years of lessons using the Taubman method, I find that I have much more confidence that I can tackle some of the more difficult pieces I have learnt in the past with much ease and deliberation, and that they are not as daunting as they used to be. There are videos of the Taubman method by Edna Golandsky and Bob Durso that you can take a look at. Edna also recently published a book on the method.
-
I suspect the reason every great pianist's hands (and arms, and posture) look so different is because, in part, their bodies differ. Their training differs as well, but when you think about achieving mastery in a physical skill, it matters what physical tools you're bringing with you. Even playing on different instruments affects one's approach and what one can attempt. Length and shape of fingers, individually and in relation to each other, body mass, muscle strength, whether you've got better fast-twitch or slow-twitch responses, flexibility in particular joints. Plus, the great pianists often choose different fingerings for the same piece depending on the piano they use (Krystian Zimerman says he always has several alternative fingers to choose from for a given piece, depending on circumstances). Given so much intrinsic variability, it's not only hard to discern the "best" elements of technique, but even hard to discern whom you would want to model yourself after -- after all, the pianist whose performance you love might have a very different body from yours, and the piano you're watching them play might have a different action than yours.
-
Vicky Brandt has given a very good response. It's pretty much horses for courses, which any top-flight skilled jockey will ride differently depending on the horse and the course.
Martha Argerich is so interesting to watch in this regard. There's a talk on Youtube which describes how she arches more and has what I would describe as a 'wood-pecker' action when she wants to be very detached - say in Scarlatti sonatas but then she will have a much more gently curved finger position when playing chords on the black notes and scales too.
I suggest trying everything and keep ringing the changes.
Dominic has advertised a new course from Sara Davis Buechner called 'Introduction to the School of Virtuosity', which will no doubt contain all the technical answers that your question poses. Sara's course on scales is terrific.
I have never been that virtuous (pun) but I love Sara's teaching. She makes so much sense.