YouTube has an amazing wealth of piano videos. It occurred to me to create a thread where I post some of them and we start talking about how these wizards are doing what they are doing.
To get the ball rolling, check this out:
It's Martha Argerich playing the Scarlatti Toccata in D minor, K.141. The first thing that strikes me is the tremendous vivacity and elan of her performance. It's witty, her fingers fly like the wind - she simultaneously charms and amazes you.
The next thing that strikes me is her pronounced metacarpal-phalangeal arch - it is really obvious that the strength of her tremendous agility is reflected in her really wise use of her innate hand structure. The other remarkable aspect of her physical relation to the piano is the large muscular bulk of her forearm. It widens out as it approaches the elbow much as a cobra's body widens as it approaches its head. And baby, believe me, that ain't fat, it's pure muscle!
I remember my teacher, Laurie Milkman had similar forearms - they were obviously built to do the job, or developed in order to do it...
Somehow this confirms a suspicion I have always had about cautionary words advising one to minimize the use of the superficial and deep flexors, to curve rather than curl, to use gravity as the main source of energy, etc. All the things you need to do to avoid injury. Somehow when you look at this, it is plain to see that something else altogether is going on here! Her fingers fly, and it's her muscles that are moving them! She doesn't have to worry about hurting herself because her pianistic machine WORKS AS IT SHOULD, at top capacity. It's like a car - when it is well-tuned, it doesn't break but runs well. All parts function as they should, and no parts grind against any others. No parts fail to do their part of the job, thus no other parts are over-stressed.
And her actual muscular strength plays a big part in that. Yes, she uses her structure well, and yes, doubtless she is suitably relaxed - but that's not the end of it!
Any thoughts on this? For or against?
AFF
PS By the way, I have now transplanted this thread over to its new home, in the video discussion group category...
