My Aunt is a retired piano teacher. She told me that no one teaches technique any more! She is very insistent about using the Herz scales and excercises book to develop technique. She also told me that I have to use the weight of my body instead of using just my hands and fingers. I've been looking around to see if any one has written about this technique. But, I've found nothing. Has any one here heard of this before?

-- Dennis Di Vincenzo (ddv@earthlink.net), August 15, 2003

Answers

Perhaps you could look under Heinrich Herz in the Grove Dictionary. Clara Schumann performed many of his works. Good Luck!

-- Anita (anitagreenways@hotmail.com), August 16, 2003.

"With Your Own Two Hands" by S. Bernstein, "The Art of Practicing Piano" by M. Bruser, "Playing the Piano Naturally" by Dr. Vicki King, and "Freeing the Caged Bird" video by Barbara Lister-Sink are resources that may help you. I've been struggling with this for years! Piano should not hurt to play it, we should use the body weight we have available (loose shoulders and arms) to play INTO to keys rather than dancing around ABOVE the keys (and have a harsh tone), and our fingers should be supported by the keys.

Hope this is a start.

Sandy

-- Sandy Wilkinson (sandy@pianomail.net), September 14, 2003.