Behind Ten Equally Strong Fingers Dr Therese Milanovic Abstract ...

12th Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference Proceedings Dr Therese Milanovic Page 1 of 19

Behind Ten Equally Strong Fingers

Dr Therese Milanovic

Abstract

To overcome the different finger lengths and capabilities is a basic premise of pianistic training. We are promised that if we diligently practice our scales, Dozen a Day and Hanon, we will develop 10 equally strong fingers. Yet in my experience as a Taubman practitioner, primarily retraining injured pianists and assisting performers reach greater skill, beginner and high-level pianists alike complain of weak and unreliable fingers, not to mention tension. This presentation addresses what can inhibit experiencing ten equally strong fingers through the lens of the Taubman Approach and includes practical demonstrations, video-clips and take-home solutions to be implemented immediately.

Background

From the earliest years of tuition, a basic premise of pianistic training is to create the

feeling of equality amongst our ten fingers, despite their different lengths and functions.

From childhood, we are promised that if we carefully practice our Hanon, Dozen a Day,

Phillippe, or Cooke exercises, we will develop a virtuoso technique, and ten equally

strong fingers. Yet one of the starting points for Dorothy Taubman's research was noting

that many adults diligently performed these exercises for decades without a resultant

fine technique, yet child virtuosi could achieve great facility without this training. From

my perspective as a Taubman practitioner, now primarily working in retraining injured

pianists and helping aspiring performers achieve greater skill, I find even high-level

performers commonly complain that they experience weakness and insecurity in certain

fingers, not to mention tension and discomfort.

This paper offers a brief outline of the specific movements and physical patterns that can

impede the experience of ten equally strong fingers. Common pedagogical practices

addressing the complaint of weak fingers are presented, before introducing some

diagnoses and solutions through the lens of the Taubman Approach.

The language is that used by pianists in piano lessons: we speak of ten fingers, not eight

fingers and two thumbs; we discuss fingering, not thumbing or digiting a passage. The

information presented is informed by more than ten years of my Taubman studies,

observing and learning from the leading exponents of this technique, my doctoral

research and now also the practice-based research within my own teaching practice.

Taubman Approach

At this point, it is critical to acknowledge Dorothy Taubman (1917-2013) and her

protégé, my teacher, Edna Golandsky. (Figure 1)


Figure 1: Dorothy Taubman (left) and Edna Golandsky (right)

The Taubman Approach was developed over five decades by Brooklyn-based pedagogue

Dorothy Taubman. It is not a method, but rather

a comprehensive approach to piano technique that allows for an ordered and rational

means of solving technical problems. Not only has this approach produced virtuoso

pianists, it has also achieved an extraordinary success rate curing injured pianists, most of

whom are performing again. (Golandsky 1999, p. 3)

Initially, Taubman’s motivation was to uncover the secrets of virtuoso technique to assist

gifted pianists in realising their potential. She queried the ‘frightening number’ of pianists

in pain, including amateurs, who practised relatively little (Dyer 1995, p. 21; Del Pico-

Taylor and Tammam 2005, p. 47). Taubman questioned how child prodigies can

intuitively play virtuoso repertoire with tiny hands, and why these gifts are often lost in

the ‘transition from intuitive to conscious playing’ in adulthood (from Arrau, quoted in

Dubal 1997, p. 3). She investigated her own ‘natural’ playing and those around her and

examined traditional pedagogical dogmas through studying anatomy, physiology,

physics, and the piano’s construction (Berkowitz 1998, pp. 8-9; Mark 2003, p. 4).

Taubman (1984, p. 151) also studied Otto Ortmann’s groundbreaking scientific analysis

of piano technique.

The fundamental principle of the Taubman Approach maintains that the ‘…fingers, hand

and arm always operate as a synchronised unit, with each part doing what it does best’

(Golandsky 1999, p. 3). Apart from developing brilliance and ease in playing, the

Taubman Approach offers tools to understand and teach full artistic expression, helping

pianists to reach their highest potential as performing artists (Golandsky Institute,

2011).


Seating

The first step in establishing Taubman principles is determining the seat height. While to

do so in detail is a lecture in itself, those are interested may refer to Mary Moran’s video

lesson, ‘Pedagogy Clinic: The First Lesson’ (2012).

In Figure 2 (Moran 2008), it can be seen that the child’s forearms are parallel to the

floor, her elbow roughly at the surface of the white keys. She is neither too far, nor too

close to the keyboard and can access the entire range easily.

Figure 2: Seating at the piano (Moran 2008, p. 7)

Unfortunately, the benches supplied at even our tertiary institutions can be far from

ideal, as the pictures detail in Figure 3 and Figure 4. In some instances, students are

believed to have ‘adult responsibility’ and to make an ‘adult choice’ whether to practice

on the benches available, even when no adjustable benches are offered.

Figure 3: One non-adjustable bench supplied for two grand pianos

Figure 4: Available benches: two broken adjustable benches, one non-adjustable bench


Feet

In addition to the seat height, it is important that the feet are resting down, along with resting down on the seat, and fingers resting lightly on the keys (see Figure 2). If the feet cannot reach the floor, a pedal extender or alternative is required. Unlike the student shown earlier, children (and adults) may wriggle and not fully rest down (see Figure5). It is worth checking that the feet have a stable place to rest as in Figure 6.

Figure 5: Feet not resting down Figure 6: Feet resting down Pre-playing

Before beginning to play, we also need to check the torso. In Figure 7 on the left, Lucy

was caught, guilty, in a slouched position. She quickly adjusted, as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 7: Student is slouched


Figure 8: Student is balanced backwards

While she is now sitting ‘straight’, Lucy’s weight is balanced backwards, and is not in a

place to support her playing fingers the piano, demonstrated in Figure 9 (Mark 2003).

With balanced sitting, the weight and centre of balance shifts forward, enabling the

playing fingers to feel perfectly balanced on the keys.

Figure 9: Back-oriented versus Balanced sitting (Mark 2003, p. 49)

In the Taubman Approach, the torso responds to the demands of the moving hands,

constantly moving in tiny amounts. While the fingers, hand and forearm comprise the


playing mechanism, the torso has to be there to support the playing fingers to facilitate

maximum comfort and control of tone production.

In my experience, two common extremes cause problems. First, the torso may be

‘upright’, but is static, and does not adjust. The associated complaint is general

insecurity; leaps are often inaccurate. These pianists feel particularly uncomfortable in

the extreme registers, or playing across the body (see Figure 10).

Figure 10: Torso does not adjust with the hands

The second common problem is that the torso is far from the playing hands, usually

while the pianist is playing ‘expressively’. Rather, we need to feel that the torso feels

strongly connected to the finger, hand and forearm unit, as shown below in Figure 11.

Figure 11: Torso adjusted to support the playing fingers

Often, problems are already evident before playing begins. Some pianists move their

hands to the keyboard with such a heavy relaxation that the keys are unintentionally

depressed before a sound is made, or conversely pull their weight away from the

keyboard, with the experience of ‘holding up’.


Others are taught to have ‘poise’ at the piano, with the elbows held out (see Figure 12).

In the case of the student below, maintaining the elbows away from the body, in

combination with leaning the torso back from the instrument caused injury, with pain in

his shoulder, neck, and upper back. In the image on the right, he has corrected his pre-

playing posture, with the elbows in a more neutral position (see Figure 13).

Fig 12: Holding out elbows Fig 13: Elbows neutral to begin

Unfortunately, I have worked with many pianists who have suffered as the result of ill-

informed dogmas regarding the torso. Some teachers believe that the forearms may

never touch the body, even when crossing the hands across the midline or playing at the

extreme registers. Another dogma is that the forearms must always be equidistant from

the torso. A more extreme version of holding out the elbows is the belief that the arms

should be positioned away from the torso to avoid looking like a ‘penguin’. Rather,

Taubman students learn how the forearm’s relationship to the torso varies depending on

the context, with the elbows neither held out, nor collapsed inwards towards the torso.

Alignment

As mentioned previously, the finger hand and forearm are the ‘playing mechanism’ in the

Taubman Approach. The upper arm resonates and responds, but does not initiate

motion. The torso continually responds as needed. There is often confusion about what

‘alignment’ means, and can be misinterpreted as the forearm ‘lining up’ behind the

playing finger. The photograph in Figure 14 (Dybvig 2007) illustrates the alignment

when playing a single note, with the finger, hand and forearm in the same relationship

as when hanging freely by one’s side.


Figure 14: Natural alignment (Dybvig 2007, 10)

As can be seen above, there are no straight lines in nature. Yet confusion arises with the

notion of lining up the forearm behind the playing finger, as shown in Figure 15 (Sándor

1981).In Taubman terms, this pulls the hand away from the forearm, which is called a

‘twist’, and in Taubman’s experience, is one of the main causes of tendinitis.

Figure 15: Aligning the forearm with the playing finger (Sándor 1981, 55).


Naturally, one’s alignment changes when playing larger intervals, and in different

registers of the piano. There is a wide vocabulary of how alignment can be expressed, an

understanding of which can be developed through experiencing the many different

combinations in the repertoire under the guidance of an experienced Taubman teacher.

Dropping onto single notes

Some beginner books encourage the playing finger to be supported by the thumb for

‘strength’. Yet this artificial situation does not exist in the repertoire. As soon as the

playing finger is correctly aligned and supported by the forearm, even a small child can

identify each finger as feeling powerful and strong (See Figure 16).

Figure 16: Supporting the third finger with the thumb (Kreader et al, 1996, p.7)

After establishing the seating position and alignment, the following issues are common in

dropping to single notes, contributing to the playing finger feeling unsupported:

- The finger pulls in at the tip upon contacting the key.

- There is a collapse of the knuckles and / or wrist upon playing.

- The finger makes contact then slides along the key.

- The key comes up despite the finger maintaining contact. This is a symptom of

the finger not feeling supported, as the release of the forearm weight keeps the

key down, not the finger alone.

- Pushing or squeezing on the keybed, which can often force the wrist too high.

- The non-playing fingers are neither heavy and relaxed, nor holding up, but are in

a ‘condition to move’.


- Five finger position. As shown below in Figure 17, the hand is already stretched

and open, particularly in a small child’s hand. The playing finger will feel weak

when other fingers are stretched away. Ironically, independence is experienced

when the playing finger feels the support of the other fingers close by, with the

alignment of the hand and forearm, as in Figure 18.

Figure 17: Hand in five-finger position Figure 18: Natural hand position

Holding the ladybird toy featured in Figure 19 is a current craze in assisting students to

create a natural hand position. While it brings the hand closer to a natural position than

imagining holding an orange, grapefruit, or golfball, as I have heard in my professional

practice, most hands still have to open to hold the ladybird. To find the hand’s natural

position, simply return the hand and arm by the side, and bring the hand to the

keyboard while maintaining this relationship.

Figure 19: Ladybird hold


Releasing fingers

Another common issue inhibiting the experience of ten equally strong fingers is failing to

release the non-playing fingers into their natural position. For example, in Figure 20

below, the second finger is curled while the thumb is playing, corrected in Figure 21 to

the right.

Figure 20: 1 playing, 2 not released Figure 21: 2-5 released correctly

Similarly, in Figure 22 below, the third finger is not released in front of the second

finger, its correct position when released fully (see Figure 23). This creates considerable

tension in the third and fourth fingers, and also insecurity in the second finger.

Figure 23: Fingers released correctly

Figure 22: 2 playing, 3 and 4 not released


Stretching

Stretching the fingers away from each other using the abductor muscles is understood

by Taubman practitioners to be a cause of fatigue, tension and playing-related injuries,

demonstrated in Figure 24 below.

Similarly, in Figure 25 above, the thumb is stretched away from the rest of the fingers.

In this case, the second finger felt insecure as a result, consequently tightening at the

nail joint in an attempt to regain stability, and gripping onto the keybed, causing more

tension.

Collapses

In the Taubman Approach, a collapse is considered a break in the alignment of the

finger, hand and forearm unit. This can be any fulcrum, including the wrist, main bridge

or knuckles, main joint, the nail joint, or the elbow, which can also collapse in towards

the torso. Every fulcrum needs to be intact, without being held artificially into position.

To avoid collapses, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers need to have three knuckles present

(main bridge, main knuckle and nail joint), and the thumb two knuckles. Interestingly,

Taubman found that collapses were linked to back pain, and subsequently diagnosed the

cause of Edna Golandsky’s back pain within minutes of their first lesson. When a fulcrum

is not functioning correctly, the playing finger feels insecure, and other parts such as the

back muscles step into play in an attempt to assist the playing finger.

Figure 24: Stretch between 4th-5th fingers

Figure 25: Stretching and twisting


In Figure 26 below, the collapsed thumb is immediately apparent, creating immediate

weakness and fatigue, particularly in broken octave or alberti bass passages, in which

the thumb plays every second note. Comparatively, Figure 27 shows a corrected

collapsed thumb.

Figure 26: Collapsed thumb Figure 27: A corrected collapsed thumb

In more open positions such as larger intervals and octaves, the knuckles will look flatter

but still need to be present. In Figure 28 below, the 3rd finger is collapsed, which the

student identified as feeling weak. When this was corrected, the student felt balanced on

every finger, and the chord immediately felt strong and comfortable (see Figure 29).

Figure 28: 3rd finger collapsed Figure 29: Knuckles intact


Figure 30: Collapsed nail joints Figure 31: Collapsed nail joints

Although the 5th finger is depressing the key, this is difficult to identify in Figure 30 on

the left. Due to the 5th finger’s collapsed nail joint, the 3rd and 4th fingers attempted to

assist by releasing a heavy weight onto the keyboard, with a resultant collapse of the

nail joints. The weakness experienced in the 5th finger is also due to the thumb being

stretched away, which is also depressing an unnecessary key due to a mistiming of the

forearm’s weight. Similarly, in Figure 31 on the right, although the 5th finger is meant to

be playing, the collapse in both the 2nd and 3rd fingers is creating insecurity in the 5th

finger, with the non-playing fingers gripping and depressing unwanted keys.

Wrist

The wrist is another fulcrum that needs to be maintained. Although the height will vary,

increasing with larger intervals, holding the wrist lower than level is considered a break

in alignment. In my experience, a low wrist is often associated with expressive playing

and tone control, despite tone being determined by the speed of key descent,

independent of wrist height.

In Figure 32, Lucy complained of her 5th finger feeling weak. Her 4th finger was

separated away from the 5th, and her wrist was low. After re-establishing the alignment

with the wrist level and fingers close together, the 5th finger felt strong again (See Figure

33).

Figure 33: Wrist height corrected, 4th closer

Figure 32: Low wrist, 4th finger also separated


4th Finger

The 4th finger often is regarded as the ‘weak’ finger, due to its restricted ability to lift, as

it is connected by tendons to the third and fifth fingers. Yet a number of exercises focus

on developing the 4th finger’s range of movement and the finger ‘muscles’, keeping all

fingers on keys, lifting one at a time. While certainly the 4th finger is limited in how high

it can raise, it can drop from the main knuckle just as freely as the other fingers,

creating strength and security. Ironically, through connecting the finger to the hand and

forearm, rather than separating the playing finger from the others, every finger feels

strong and supported. In some beginner tutors, these independence exercises are

presented as fun games (see Figure 34).

Figure 34: Alfred’s Independence exercise (Palmer et. al. 1993, p. 24)

Yet as Taubman and Golandsky found, and I have also experienced in my studio, these

and similar exercises promoting isolated finger movement are one strongly embedded in

techniques incurring dystonia, as per Schumann’s experience (see Figure 35).

Figure 35: Stylised image of Schumann’s dystonic hand (Altenmüller 2006, p. 261)


When playing a key, non-playing fingers may either touch keys lightly or be slightly

above, but not pulling away, as in Figure 36 and Figure 37, (corrected in Figure 38).

5th Finger

Finally, the 5th finger attracts many complaints that it is ‘weak’. Interestingly, in addition

to the issues already outlined, the ‘weakness’ is often caused by incoordinate movement

in the other fingers. Below in Figure 39, the 5th finger felt weak because the thumb was

pulled away, which was instantly corrected when the hand was again experienced as a

unit (see Figure 40).

Figure 36: Isolated movement, non-playing fingers pulling up.

Figure 37: Isolated movement, non-playing fingers pulling up.

Figure 38: All fingers facing down; finger, hand and arm unity re-established

Figure 40: 5th finger feels strong – thumb close

Figure 39: ‘Weak’ 5th finger – thumb pulling away


Similarly, in Figure 41 the wrist is low, the thumb is pulling off the keyboard, and the

2nd, 3rd and 4th finger are stretched away from the 5th. It is no surprise that the student

complained of a weak 5th finger. Adjusting the wrist height, and keeping the 2nd, 3rd, 4th

and 5th fingers together immediately helped the 5th finger feel just as strong as the other

fingers (See Figure 42).

Figure 41: Another ‘weak’ 5th finger Figure 42: ‘Strong’ 5th finger Finally, some pianists feel insecure when playing the 5th finger on a black key. Common

reports are that the finger feels ‘perched’, or that the black key feels too ‘skinny’. If

there is no problem playing the 5th finger on a white key, or the 5th finger in itself, the

pianist can be instructed to allow feel a little more contact of the 5th finger on the key,

alleviating the perception of narrowness.

Conclusion

While the Taubman Approach is experiential learning, and is best understood through working with a certified Taubman teacher, it is hoped that this paper has offered some insights into why fingers can be perceived as weak. After establishing the correct bench height and alignment, one can check that the fingers are not stretched and/or collapsed, and relationship of the released fingers maintained. Having read this paper, and learned about the issues that can create the sensation of weakness, unreliability, tension and discomfort, what do you now observe in both your own and your students’ playing that may be contributing to these problems?


List of References Altenmüller, E 2006, ‘The end of song? Robert Schumann’s Focal Dystonia’, in E Altenmüller, M Wiesendanger & J Kesselring (eds), Music, motor control and the brain, Oxford University Press, Oxford, p. 261.

Arrau in Dubal, D. 1997. Reflections from the keyboard: The world of the concert pianist, New York, Schirmer, p. 3.

Berkowitz, B 1998, ‘Taubman’s way, naturally: An interview with Dorothy Taubman’, Clavier, pp. 8-12.

Del Pico-Taylor, M & Tammam, S 2005, ‘The wisdom of Dorothy Taubman’, Clavier. p 47.

Dybvig, T 2007, ‘Moving Naturally’ Clavier, p. 10.

Dyer, R 1995, ‘Dorothy Taubman teaches piano without pain’, Boston Globe, p. 21.

Golandsky, E, 1999, ‘Introductory lecture: Concepts, principles and philosophy of the Taubman Approach’ MTNA conference 2012, held Los Angeles, California, p. 3.

Golandsky Institute 2011, Golandsky Institute website, viewed 28 October 2011, <http://www.golandskyinstitute.org/>.

Kreader, B, Kern, F, Kevern, P & Rejino, M 1996. ‘Hal Leonard student piano library: Piano lessons book 1’, in A Wester (ed.), WI: Hal Leonard, Milwaukee, p. 7.

Mark, T 2003. What every pianist needs to know about the body: A manual for players of keyboard instruments: piano, organ, digital keyboard, harpsichord, clavichord, GIA Publications, Chicago, p. 49.

Moran, M 2008, ‘Basic alignment and rotation, Book 1: Teacher Edition’ in E Golandsky (ed.), Beginning Piano Lessons in the Taubman Approach. Golandsky Institute, New York, p. 7.

Moran, M 2012, Golandsky Institute – Pedagogy Clinic: The First Lesson, online video, viewed 20 October 2013, <https://www.golandskyinstitute.org/store/product/pedagogy-clinic-the-first-lesson1>.

Palmer, WA, Manus, M & Lethco, AV 1993, Prep course for the young beginner: Lesson book level A, Alfred. Van Nuys, California, p. 24.

Sándor, G 1981, On Piano Playing: Motion, Sound and Expression, Schirmer Books, New York, p. 55.

Taubman, D. 1984, ‘A teacher’s perspective on musicians’ injuries’, in F.L Roehmann & F.R Wilson (eds), The Biology of Music Making Conference, St Louis: MMB Music, Denver, Colorado, p. 151.


About the Author:

Therese Milanovic is in demand as both performer and pedagogue. In 2009, Therese completed her Taubman teacher training with the Golandsky Institute in New York City, the subject of her completed PhD. She reached Associate level certification with the Golandsky Institute in 2012, became Associate Faculty in 2014, and is currently the only certified Taubman Instructor in Australia. Therese regularly travels to the US to attend the Golandsky Institute Summer Symposium to continue her Taubman training, in addition to working frequently with her teachers Edna Golandsky and John Bloomfield via Skype. Earlier in 2014, Therese was thrilled to organize John Bloomfield’s first visit to Australia to conduct private lessons and a weekend workshop, which attracted participants from across Australia, and brought her colleague violinist Sophie Till and the Taubman/ Golandsky Approach to Strings to Australia for the first time in May with similar success and acclaim. Therese has presented numerous workshops on the Taubman Approach to piano technique for Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU), the Music Teachers’ Association of Queensland (MTAQ) and was an Invited Speaker at the Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference (2011). Teaching the Taubman Approach is the focus of her teaching at QCGU and privately, attracting students from interstate, as well as regional and international students via Skype. The students in her studio include beginners, high-level and professional pianists, and those looking for answers to issues of fatigue, tension, pain and injury at the instrument. She has performed with Brisbane-based Topology since 2009, including recordings for ABC, collaborations with the Brodsky String Quartet, superstar drummer Grant Collins, Brisbane Festival, Queensland Music Festival, national tours, performances in Indonesia, Singapore, and touring the Netherlands and Belgium with the Kransky Sisters. Previously, Therese was a founding member of Collusion, with whom she toured nationally with Musica Viva Country Wide, Musica Viva in Schools, and released their debut CD “In Depth” with Move Records. Therese loves performing chamber music with fellow kindred spirits, and bringing both traditional and lesser known repertoire to the stage. Recently she performed at the Australian Piano Duo Festival, and made her USA debut with Sophie Till in 2015.

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