Ask Greg & Liz: PIano Duo Advice
Dear Greg & Liz,
I have heard before that if you practice over 6 hours a day it is unhealthy for your arms and etc. What do y’all think about this?
Trent
Dear Trent,
There is certainly no definitive answer to such a question. Six hours a day should be perfectly reasonable on your arms, provided you’ve built your stamina for lots of practicing, you take plenty of breaks, you use your weight well, and you aren’t suffering from injuries.
The more important question: can you really focus that long? We believe unfocused practice to be a waste of time. Every day millions of practice hours are squandered, the result of wandering minds, external distractions, and hunger pangs. We find that a good night’s rest does more for a pianist’s practice time than additional hours.
Challenge yourself! See if you can find ways to make your practice sessions more efficient. You’ll save time and it’ll protect your arms.
- Greg & Liz
Dear Greg & Liz,
What are some classical 4hand1piano pieces you would recommend to intermediate level pianists?
Dear fellow pianist,
There's a lot of wonderful music out there for intermediate (and for that matter, advanced) pianists. Start by reading through the transcriptions of the Beethoven Symphonies for four hands. They are familiar, not too difficult, and a joy to play. Debussy's Petite Suite is one of our all-time favorites; its melodies are unbearably beautiful. Also, look into the Brahms Waltzes, Children's Games by Bizet, the Poulenc Sonata (for four-hands/one-piano), From the Bohemian Forest by Dvorak, and the perennial favorite: Brahms' Hungarian Dances. Also consider the following transcriptions: Ravel's Pavane pour une infante defunte, Saint-Saens's Dance Macabre (not to be confused with the Anderson & Roe two-piano transcription), Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, the Verdi opera arrangements, and the Bach Brandenburg concertos.
A note about Schubert: we find Schubert's four-hand music to be surprisingly difficult. Much of it sounds readable and simple, but don't let this fool you; it is very awkwardly written for two pianists to play at one piano. In fact, we've seen a number of piano duos resort to using two pianos to perform his music! It's beautiful stuff, so don't let this dissuade you. Just consider yourself warned!
Good luck and remember to have fun!
Greg & Liz
Dear Greg & Liz,
Our four hands of fingers get tangled when playing the "Waltz of the Flowers" from the Nutcracker. Any suggestions??
Muddled in Mahtomedi :)
Dear Muddled,
That's the fun of four-hand playing - tangled fingers, limbs, feet, etc.! We routinely become weak from laughter during our rehearsals!
The element of physical navigation is unique to four hands at one piano, and it is helpful to isolate the issue and practice it separately. When you practice your parts individually, make sure you practice as if the other pianist is there. Drill things like "going over" or "under," "around" or "elbow in," so that you remember everything when you and your partner practice together.
That said, there are a couple tricks you may want to consider:
Try placing two benches in front of the keys at a slight angle to one another so that the pianist make a "V" (facing each other). It gives you more elbow room.
Instead of cramming together the top player's left elbow and the bottom player's right, try elevating or lowering one elbow so that it sits above or below the partner's elbow. Although it is awkward, we find it to be much less technically restricting than playing with an elbow stuck in our side!
In particularly nasty points, consider switching the left and right hand parts of the two pianists. Although it may not make musical sense (and goodness!, you'll have to cross the invisible line many composers insist on drawing down the keyboard), it's frequently easier. When the two pianists cross hands, it forces them to utilize "Trick #2."
Four-hand playing it very similar to dancing - the hands and fingers are like a pair of dancers' feet - it can be just as beautiful to watch as it is to listen!
- Greg & Liz