BOOK TONISATION CONTENTS AUTHOR COURSES AND CONCERTS BUY Shostakowich Preludes opus 34
The Golden Fingers Technique
The ART of PASSAGEWORK
 
What is PASSAGEWORK?
In general, passagework is about everything what has a connection to scales and arpeggios in music. In the immense piano repertoire, it appears though in endless form of diversity.
Passagework can be found in piano music from Bach and Scarlatti, from Beethoven to Mozart, in Romantic music and 20th century music till the present. Though connected to speed of fingers, and therefore associated with a virtuoso aspect of playing,
passagework serves multiple musical functions in a virtuoso and non-virtuoso context.
 
Learning the Art of passagework in The Golden Fingers Technique teaches you the basics for a superb professional piano technique.
 
What is the ART OF PASSAGEWORK?
Learning passagework demands first of all the ability to play notes rapidly and even.
But this is only a part of mastering passagework!!!
 
Learning to play RAPIDLY and EVEN
 
To excel at playing the piano on a concert level, it is necessary to be able to play rapidly and even, while at the same time using fine dynamic nuances.
It means to be able to combine well-developed finger motor technique with sensitive touch.
This is what The Golden Fingers Technique is about.
 
…and with FINE DYNAMIC NUANCES
 
Unfortunately, the basic education of learning passagework can go wrong already at this primary aspect of developing finger motor technique. Not to speak about the integration of speed and touch refinement! It is in the classroom, right at the beginning of learning these techniques where it can easily go wrong.
 
Discipline of finger - i.e. the exactness of touch -, and the fine touché - i.e. your expression of touch through arm and fingers -, should be learned right at the beginning of any passagework practice.
 
PROBLEMS with Passagework
 
On one hand, technique can be unclear and therefore stressed. Lack of discipline and efficiency are common complications when performing passagework.
• On the other hand, speed and evenness can be on a superb level by itself, but the passagework would still sound like a robot, lacking any kind of musical intention.
 
These problems can stay unseen and then cause your playing never to reach the ultimate level of freedom in touch and expression in playing.
 
How to reach INNER FREEDOM in Playing
 
The execution of passagework gives it all away!!! It uncovers first of all the elementary control, or the lack of control over touch. It shows exactly how free you are on the physical level.
 
 
1. PASSAGEWORK without refined TOUCH AND SOUND makes passagework meaningless.
2. Learning TOUCH AND SOUND without applying it in PASSAGEWORK makes expression incomplete.
 
 
The Golden Fingers Technique will develop your awareness of the quality of your passagework and how to improve it for the benefit of your general level of playing.
When it doesn’t function well enough in passagework, you can be sure that on other levels of playing and technique it is not mastered as well!!! Though on a superficial level your playing might look okay.
 
Passagework:
Necessary skill for PROFESSIONAL PIANISTS
 
Practicing the Art of Passagework by including finer touch and sound qualities in playing passagework therefore is connected to higher level of piano technique and it form important steps to develop refined touch qualities and sound production in general.
That starts with elementary and down to earth work.
 
First knowledge, then the rest...
 
Imagine playing rapidly and at the same time having full control over sound and dynamics. That might sound simple, but in reality it is a true art and a desirable and necessary skill for all professional pianists. Conscious learning is the only way to be able to reach
refinement of sound and touch.
 
Basic and Advanced
 
The Golden Fingers Technique, The art of Passagework is about learning passagework in a professional way. It teaches you to play passagework rapidly and even. At the same time you develop refinement of touch and sound. That makes passagework an artful skill.
 
Read more...
 
Order The Golden Fingers Technique. The art of Passagework
 
 
 
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Lecture by Jeroen Riemsdijk at EPTA on 7 febr 2010 Utrecht Conservatorium
'About the technique of playing the piano'
 
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