Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface: Grigory Kogan: His Life and Times
- Acknowledgments
- Busoni as Pianist
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Busoni's childhood and youth, 1866–88
- Chapter 2 Finland and Moscow, 1889–94
- Chapter 3 Berlin: Busoni's emergence as a great pianist
- Chapter 4 Busoni's technique: Piano orchestration, tone production
- Chapter 5 Busoni's repertoire: An anti-Romantic approach
- Chapter 6 Busoni's interpretation of Beethoven, Liszt, and Chopin
- Chapter 7 Busoni's interpretations. Textural liberties
- Chapter 8 Busoni's interpretations of Bach. Articulation
- Chapter 9 Rhythm and dynamics
- Chapter 10 Busoni's recording of the Liszt's Rigoletto Paraphrase
- Chapter 11 Technical phrasing
- Chapter 12 Technical variants
- Chapter 13 Fingering, pedal
- Chapter 14 Compositions, transcriptions, editions, teaching, writings
- Chapter 15 Busoni's esthetics
- Chapter 16 Busoni's esthetics, continued
- Chapter 17 World War I. Operas
- Chapter 18 Busoni's final years, 1918–24
- Conclusion
- Annotated Discography
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Translator's Bibliography
- Index
- Miscellaneous Endmatter
Chapter 11 - Technical phrasing
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 September 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface: Grigory Kogan: His Life and Times
- Acknowledgments
- Busoni as Pianist
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Busoni's childhood and youth, 1866–88
- Chapter 2 Finland and Moscow, 1889–94
- Chapter 3 Berlin: Busoni's emergence as a great pianist
- Chapter 4 Busoni's technique: Piano orchestration, tone production
- Chapter 5 Busoni's repertoire: An anti-Romantic approach
- Chapter 6 Busoni's interpretation of Beethoven, Liszt, and Chopin
- Chapter 7 Busoni's interpretations. Textural liberties
- Chapter 8 Busoni's interpretations of Bach. Articulation
- Chapter 9 Rhythm and dynamics
- Chapter 10 Busoni's recording of the Liszt's Rigoletto Paraphrase
- Chapter 11 Technical phrasing
- Chapter 12 Technical variants
- Chapter 13 Fingering, pedal
- Chapter 14 Compositions, transcriptions, editions, teaching, writings
- Chapter 15 Busoni's esthetics
- Chapter 16 Busoni's esthetics, continued
- Chapter 17 World War I. Operas
- Chapter 18 Busoni's final years, 1918–24
- Conclusion
- Annotated Discography
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Translator's Bibliography
- Index
- Miscellaneous Endmatter
Summary
As we have already seen, while Busoni's interpretations ignited important arguments, his technique was unanimously acknowledged to be unique in the pianistic world. Therefore, familiarity with his views on this aspect of pianism, his recommendations regarding devices and methods of technical work are of great interest.
Busoni considered technique not the preeminent, but a very significant aspect of piano playing. In his article “On the Requirements Necessary for a Pianist” and in his review of Galston's Work Book he wrote:
No, technique is not and never will be the Alpha and Omega of piano-playing, any more than it is with any other art. Nevertheless, I certainly preach to my pupils: “provide yourselves with technique, and thoroughly, too … a great pianist must first of all be a great technician …”; “desiring to rise above virtuosity, it is necessary first to possess it… .” They say “thank Heaven, he is not a virtuoso.” They should say: “he is not only a virtuoso, he is more than one.”
However, Busoni understands technique differently than it is understood “in the piano classes of all Europe.” “… Technique, which, of course, forms only a part of the pianistic art, consists not only of fingers, wrist, strength and endurance,” he writes in “On the Requirements Necessary for a Pianist,” “Technique in the higher sense of the word is concentrated in the mind, it is composed of geometry—an estimation of distance—and wise co-ordination. Even that, however, is only a beginning, for touch also belongs to true technique as does very particularly the use of the pedals.”
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- Information
- Busoni as Pianist , pp. 55 - 59Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2010