Pianodao

András Schiff & Natural Breathing

Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Written by Andrew Eales

András Schiff, surely one of the most respected concert pianists of our time, made the following extraordinary observation in a recent interview with Pianist Magazine (No.76, Feb-March 2014):

“For me, it is breathing that is vital. You must breathe naturally, like a singer. Pianists and string players often tend to forget the necessity of breathing and they can become very tense; then they get back pains and wrist pains and so on. Usually it can be sorted out through the breathing.”

Breathing is a subject that I have rarely seen discussed in connection with piano technique, and even less so in the context of pianists’ injuries, their causes, cures and corrections. Schiff is hitting on a point that it would seem is indeed too often overlooked.

In this article I will consider the links between natural breathing and Qigong practice, as well as offering a simple breathing exercise that anyone can try…

The Art of Piano Pedagogy

Pianodao Articles • Full Archive

Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Written by Andrew Eales

The great Russian pedagogue Heinrich Neuhaus (who taught such legendary classical pianists as Radu Lupu, Sviatoslav Richter and Emil Gilels) wrote:

“I consider that one of the main tasks of a teacher is to ensure as quickly and as thoroughly as possible that he is no longer necessary to the pupil; to eliminate himself, to leave the stage in time, in other words to inculcate in the pupil that independent thinking, that method of work, that knowledge of self and ability to reach his goal which we term ‘maturity’, the threshold beyond which begins mastery.”

Heinrich Neuhaus
The Art of Piano Playing, (trans. K.A. Leibovitch, London 1973)

ABRSM’s ‘Piano Mix’

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

The latest series of new piano music books from ABRSM promises “great arrangements for easy piano”.

Does it deliver? Let’s take a look…

Sound before symbol: lessons from history

Pianodao Articles • Full Archive

Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Written by Andrew Eales

Educators often debate the relative merits of aural-based learning versus a notation-driven approach. Seeing the topic wheeled out for discussion again recently, I was reminded of a brilliant quote by legendary concert pianist Andor Földes, from his book Keys to the Keyboard written in 1950 :

“There is no such thing as a proper age for a child to start playing the piano. I avoid saying ‘to start his musical education’ because I believe that an education in music should start very early, perhaps years before the child ever actually learns how to read notes, or can find his way among the black and white keys.”

Földes’ basic point, made some four decades before George Odam’s seminal book The Sounding Symbol (1995) re-popularised the phrase “sound before symbol”, is that music is essentially an aural language, and that playing and reading must build on that foundation.

ABRSM’s Encore Series

Pianodao Music Library

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Over the years ABRSM have produced a steady flow of graded piano repertoire books to supplement their exam resources, with series such as A Keyboard Anthology and Short Romantic Pieces becoming standard items in the teacher’s library.

However, one could have been forgiven for wondering whether some of these selections were made up of the most obscure pieces set in previous syllabi rather than the most widely enjoyed. So when Faber Music brought out their “Best of Grade…” books a few years ago, those looking for a one-stop collection of consistently appealing and varied pieces breathed a collective sigh of relief.

This summer ABRSM have responded with the publication of Encore, a set of four books which, based on their own data, include the most popular pieces featured in graded exams over the last decade or so.

Happily these collections include some great in-house pieces and arrangements now unavailable elsewhere. So, might these books play a central role in students learning over the next few years?

Let’s take a closer look.

Lucinda Mackworth-Young: Piano by Ear

Educational Resources

Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews

Lucinda Mackworth-Young’s new book “Piano by Ear” fills a massive gap in the market. Quite simply this is the book that I, and no doubt many other thousands of pianists and teachers, have been waiting for. For years!

I even considered writing something like it myself at one point, back at the time my 1990’s Keyquest tuition books for electronic keyboard were just out. But thank goodness: Lucinda Mackworth-Young has saved us all the effort, and has certainly done a great job of it!

Fiona Whelpton • Recovery from Abuse

The Pianodao Interview

Pianists in Conversation with Andrew Eales

WARNING: The following article discusses and includes accounts of physical and sexual abuse which might trigger distressing memories or thoughts for some readers.

The relationship between music teachers and their students is a particularly important one. At best it can nurture young people’s development both as a person and bring out the best of their talents as a musician. But what happens when boundaries are crossed and rules get broken?

Author Fiona Whelpton has very kindly allowed me to share this interview in which she talks about her own ordeal and the road to recovery …

Developing Gradually

Fermata • Pause and Reflect

Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Reflection by Andrew Eales

This was the first post ever published on Pianodao when the site launched on August 1st, 2015.

Have you noticed that the pace of life isn’t slowing?

That social change and technological innovation are often adding to the stress of your daily life rather than alleviating it?

Sometimes we simply need to slow down. To find calm and purpose.

This is true for all of life – including our piano playing.

The image of a tree growing gradually on a mountainside sums up the natural wisdom of making secure progress, and reaching purposefully towards all the points one must in one’s individual journey.

This image of “Developing Gradually” (I Ching 53) is likely to recur here on the Pianodao site as core wisdom. It underpins the foundation and development of this site, and is the wisdom by which I proceed.

There is so much I would like to share here, but it will take time. The planning is done, and roots are shooting into the ground. Over the next few months and years I hope that many branches will grow.

And I hope that as you join me on this journey, you will be nourished by the fruits of the site.

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