From a lecture given in Berlin, January 2023
Born in Montreal in 1955 Alan Fraser studied piano but also delved into composition, cello, classical singing and had several stints as a pop musician. Alan’s main pianistic influence was the pioneering research of Phil Cohen who studied alongside Ronald Turini, Andre Laplante and Janina Fialkowska with Yvonne Hubert, who had been Cortot‘s assistant in Paris. Alan spent several years with Cohen after an apprenticeship with two former Cohen students, Alan Belkin and Lauretta Milkman.
A quick review of the weighted piano technique from Alan
Finger action came before arm weight piano school
And by doing so, have the pianist feel better when they play
Alan is taking ideas from Feldenkrais and applying it to piano technique
Pianists are very good about curling their fingers but is that the movement we actually want?
Respect the skeletal structure and function
The music is flowing, so should your body
As well as understand musical structure and go constantly go through musical decisions
Let's face it, the thumb is not like the other four fingers on your hand
Scales to the inside
The opposition of the thumb should integrate into the actions of the hand
It looks that way but is it?
There is always a tendency to mess it up
When these muscles "stand up", you have the real power in your hand
Work the muscles, don't just relax the hand
Drop weight or stand up?
