Improve Your Piano Playing with Leschetizky Piano Technique: A Practical and Effective Method (PDF Download)

Leschetizky Piano Technique: What Is It and How to Learn It

If you are a piano enthusiast who wants to improve your playing skills and achieve a higher level of musical expression, you might have heard of the Leschetizky piano technique. But what exactly is it and how can you learn it? In this article, we will explore the history, principles, benefits, challenges, and legacy of this renowned method of piano playing that has influenced generations of pianists.

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The Principles of Leschetizky Piano Technique

The Leschetizky piano technique is named after Theodor Leschetizky (1830-1915), a Polish-Austrian pianist, composer, and teacher who was one of the most influential figures in piano pedagogy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He taught hundreds of students at his private studio in Vienna and at the Vienna Conservatory, many of whom became famous pianists themselves.

Leschetizky did not have a rigid or fixed system of teaching piano technique. Rather, he tailored his instruction to each student's individual needs and abilities. He believed that every pianist should develop their own personal style and expression based on their musical taste and temperament. However, he also emphasized some fundamental principles that he considered essential for fine and correct piano playing. These principles include:

Touch

Leschetizky taught his students how to produce a singing tone and a variety of touches on the keyboard. He believed that the quality of the sound depends largely on the way the fingers touch the keys. He instructed his students to use a relaxed and natural hand position, to keep the wrist flexible and responsive, to avoid unnecessary tension and stiffness, and to control the weight and speed of the finger movement. He also encouraged his students to experiment with different types of touch, such as legato, staccato, portato, tenuto, etc., depending on the character and mood of the music.

Tone

Leschetizky emphasized the importance of tone quality and expression in piano playing. He believed that the pianist should be able to convey the musical meaning and emotion of the piece through the sound. He instructed his students to listen carefully to their own playing, to pay attention to the dynamics, phrasing, articulation, and nuance of the music, and to use the pedal judiciously and sensitively. He also encouraged his students to sing or hum along with their playing, to imagine the sound of different instruments or voices, and to imitate them on the piano.

Finger Exercises

Leschetizky used a variety of finger exercises to develop strength, agility, independence, and coordination of the fingers. He believed that these exercises are necessary to prepare the fingers for playing more complex and demanding pieces. However, he also warned his students not to overdo them or practice them mechanically. He advised his students to practice them with musicality and expression, to vary the tempo, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation, and to focus on the quality rather than the quantity of practice.

Some of the finger exercises that Leschetizky used include:

• The five-finger exercise: This is a simple exercise that involves playing a five-note scale (C-D-E-F-G) with each hand separately or together, using different fingerings, keys, modes, rhythms, articulations, and dynamics.

• The trill exercise: This is an exercise that involves playing a trill (a rapid alternation of two adjacent notes) with each finger pair (1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5) in both hands separately or together, using different keys, rhythms, dynamics, and accents.

• The chord exercise: This is an exercise that involves playing a chord (a combination of three or more notes) with each hand separately or together, using different keys, inversions, positions, rhythms, dynamics, and voicings.

Scales

Leschetizky taught his students how to practice scales in different keys, modes, rhythms, articulations, and dynamics. He believed that scales are essential for developing finger dexterity, accuracy, speed, smoothness, and evenness. He instructed his students to practice scales with both hands separately or together, using different fingerings (such as 12341234 or 12312345), positions (such as parallel or contrary motion), octaves (such as one octave or two octaves), patterns (such as ascending or descending), and variations (such as chromatic or harmonic).

Chords

Leschetizky instructed his students how to play chords with accuracy, clarity, and musicality. He believed that chords are important for building harmony awareness, chord recognition, 71b2f0854b