(Amadeus). This holistic approach to the keyboard, based on a sound understanding of the relationship between physical function and musical purpose, is an invaluable resource for pianists and teachers. Professor Fink explains his ideas and demonstrates his innovative developmental exercises that set the pianist free to express the most profound musical ideas. HARDCOVER.

This is the first book that teaches piano practice methods systematically, based on mylifetime of research, and containing the teachings of Combe, material from over 50 pianobooks, hundreds of articles, and decades of internet research and discussions with teachersand pianists. Genius skills are identified and shown to be teachable; learning piano can raiseor lower your IQ. Past widely taught methods based on false assumptions are exposed;substituting them with efficient practice methods allows students to learn piano and obtainthe necessary education to navigate in today's world and even have a second career. See http://www.pianopractice.org/

Essential Piano Techniques: A Guide to Practice and Performance

ON PIANO PLAYING begins with a revealing introduction to the fundamental relationships among motions and emotions, the keyboard itself and the human performing mechanism - the physical equipment that is used to make music. Here Sandor explains the role each plays in performance, pointing out typical mistakes and misconceptions that get in the way of virtually every pianist. He then discusses the basic technical patterns: free fall, scales and arpeggios, rotation, staccato, and thrust. Aided by carefully designed exercises, he shows how to execute physical movements to build muscle tone, sharpen coordination, and increase strength and flexibility. The exercises are based on common-sense principles of anatomy and physiology. Sandor next applies these patterns to the classic repertoire, showing how to play the exposition of Beethoven's WALDSTEIN sonata, for example. The emphasis in this section is on simplicity of motion and movement, and on ways to integrate motions to optimal effect - how to identify the technical patterns of a score and put them in the service of musical interpretation. No pianist, Sandor demonstrates, need suffer fatigue or exhaustion from playing a difficult piece. He shows that strength alone is not enough; the ability to use different muscles of the upper arm - is essential if practice is to be something more than a mechanical warming-up exercise. Special attention is given to problems of interpretation and performance as well: pedalling, variants, the development of precise musical diction and a singing piano tone, and much more. And he explores the common psychological challenges of public performance as well. Complete with line drawings, photographs, and many musical examples, ON PIANO PLAYING provides the means for mastering the complexities and intricacies of good musicianship. It offers an accessible, intriguing, and effective program for developing the fundamental skills that are the building blocks of good music-making.

Great modern teacher and pianist's concise statement of principles, technique, and related material. Includes 10 musical examples.

The Complete Piano Technique book is a carefully structured method, developed over several years, to help you build perfect piano technique from the ground up. It covers every aspect of piano playing technique and you will learn essential scales and arpeggios at the same time!

" . . . a most precious book which every serious pianist and teacher must own." —Journal of the American Liszt Society Joseph Banowetz and four distinguished contributors provide practical suggestions and musicological insights on the pedaling of keyboard works from the 18th to the 20th century.