Has
anyone ever told you how easy a thing it is to play
the piano? Have you ever had people convey to you
the idea that piano playing involves little skill,
and therefore, does not stand very high, in their
estimation, as an art - that it cannot be classed
with the art of say, painting or sculpture, as an
indication of the possession of brains? Such opinions
only show that anyone holding them has given the subject
little, if any thought. Until we begin to think, very
few people realize what a really complicated thing
it is to play even simple piano music.
We have,
first of all, to read notes on two staffs - bass and
treble. The same sign, placed in the same way is,
for example, G on the bass staff and E on the treble
staff. We must, therefore, always know whether we
are reading bass or treble notes. Various signs of
different shape denote various time lengths which
must be exactly correct when played. Other signs denote
periods of silence (rests) between the tones, also
of exact duration. We must be able to place the right
finger upon the key which each particular note represents,
with the right kind of touch, at the right moment.
We must read not only one note, but chords of three,
four and even ten notes at a time. We must use the
right kind of finger, hand, wrist and arm actions
and play, at the same time, with movements which are
totally different in each hand. We must always keep
in mind the proper key signature and be prepared for
all accidents, and for changing from treble to bass
in either hand or vice versa.
Now
added to all this, we must observe all marks of expression,
shading, phrasing and tempo, use the pedals properly,
and finally interpret the style and spirit of the
piece in such a manner that the composer's ideas will
be carried out.
When
we consider this outline of what a player really has
to do, we can readily see that it is not so easy a
matter to play, even simple music, correctly.
The
writer has among his acquaintances a violinist, a
man about thirty years of age, a fine player on his
instrument, who had held a position in a first class
orchestra for some time, who decided that he would
learn piano playing. After a trial of over a year
he came to the conclusion that he could not learn,
because he could not conquer the difficulty of reading
two different staffs at the same time. Had he begun
the study in early life he, no doubt, would have compassed
his desire like many another has done. This illustration
emphasizes the contention that every musician, be
he violinist, vocalist, or what not, should begin
his musical studies with a certain amount of piano
work. While we may not admire the violinist's lack
of perseverance, it nevertheless shows that reading
from two staffs, at the same time, is a difficulty.
It is
only through constant and plentiful practice that
we finally can conquer all these difficulties. Were
it not that through doing these various acts, one
at a time, over and over again, until they become
fixed habits, we would never succeed in playing at
all, but could only stumble through, making a most
unpleasant and unintelligible jumble of the music.
Even
as it is, it takes practically all of our senses ever
on the alert - sight, touch, hearing, feeling, and
we might almost say taste - to play the piano acceptably.
When we realize all these difficulties it will help
teachers and parents to be a little more patient with
those who are trying to master the difficult but at
the same time most delightful art of piano playing.
This article, written by Conrad Wirtz,
was taken from the May 1923 issue of magazine "Etude
Musical Magazine." This article is featured
at http://www.thepianopages.com,
along with free piano lessons, sheet music, products,
and lots more.
(Source: Goarticles.com)
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