Johannes Brahms: Pianist and Pedagogue by Joon Purswell Dr. Pursmelt, with degrees from California State, University of Wesconsin, and University of fowa, has uaughs ot the Univer sities of Tdaho and Washington. Currently she teaches piano ‘and performs in the Seatile area. Brahms Studies: Key 10 His Piano Works—Part | 100 many years ago, as 2 seventeen-year old college freshman, { was introduced to the Brahms 51 Exercises, Upon erriving for my first lesson, I was told to purchase them a the local music store and learn No. 4 for repertoire class the next week. This [d, upon which I was given the sequence of exercises the class would learn, memorize, and analyze for the next four years. Such was my introduction to the $1 Exer- cies. Mr. Erlendson bad us lesen ll $1, ot rather 87, if one counts all the variations. From that day on, the Brahms Exer cises became part of my pimistic vocabulary, and even now Tean play and analyze any one of them. ‘Since at that time Iwas a docile, uncomplaining piano sta: dent, [obediently leamed the exercises, figuring out where 10 stretch, relax, use Pingers independently, and I'm convinced these exercises did more for my technique than any others Ihave studied since (with the possible exception of Josefty’s chord studies). And they were fun, besides. They used harmonic pro- _ecsions that were pleasing, and which I recognized later in the solo piano works; and the traneposition exercises rally ave me practice in that skill. I vividly remember studying exercise [5B my second work of school, I had never heard of secondary dominants before, and analyzing them in this exercise intro- ‘duced me to theoretical concepts we didn't even approach in theory class unt much later. Several years later { decided ¢o find out just why Brahms ‘wrote the exercises and what place they held in his musical out- Dut. In doing s0, came across many incereting Facts about his teaching and performance. Too late for his 10th anniver. ‘ary, it might stil be edifying to pianists to know more about Brabrns as a pedagogue and « performer Brahms wrote the $7 Exercises around 1890, and they were published in 1893. This was evidently a time when he was con solidating his ideas on technique, since during this period he ‘wrote no other solo piano music. Brahms probably got the idea for them from his revision of Czetny’s Klavlerschule for Clara ‘Schumann. He had also been teaching at this time, and ideas from his lessons, no doubt, appear in the exercises. They were ‘sent to his publisher, Simrock; withthe recommendation that “the title page... must be very beautiful and loud in color. {Ihave in mind that all possible instruments of torture should be represented, from the thumbscrew to the Tron Maider ‘echaps come anatomical designs as well, and allin lovely blood red and fiery gold.” (Written jokingly, of course, but [ remembered this quote vividly while struggling with No. 19, “the bbonecrusher.") ‘The exercises are an extension of a series of studies published in 1879. These comprise re-workings of several pieces, and were writen specifically for Clara Schumann, There are sx studles: (1) isan arrangement of the Chopin Etude Op. 25/2, in which ‘the riper runs become thirds and sixth; 2) is an arrangement Of the finale of the Bach G Minor Violin Sonata in two ver- ‘ions, ane with emphasis on right hand, one with left (3) Ron- do in C Major afer Weber, and (4) mpromptu afer Schubert Copyright ©2013 ProCues ILC, All rights reserved Copyright© Mucic Tachors Natenal Atociafon. ‘demand an excellent left-hand technique, for they transpose the rapid scale passages in each t0 the left hand. (5) isa study for ‘the left hand based on Bach's D Minor Chaconne, Brahme was ‘especially fond of this study and felt that only by use of the left hand alone could a pianist experience the piece a: a violinist ‘would: ‘the similar kind of difficulty, the sor: of technique, the acpeggio work, all combine tomaake me fel ikea vielinis." No. 6is a transcription of a gavotte from Gluck's Peride ed! Bina, notatedon thre staves, Ths study and the Chaconne were introduced by Clara Schumann on her concerts of 1855-56, and were performed by her many times in Europe and the British Isles. The large studies are full-fledged concert pieces, and would not be out of place on a concert program today. The $1 Exer- cises, however, are abstract bits, 16 to 42 measures long, cach ‘one dealing with particular technical skill. If studied carefully, ‘the studeat cannot help but develop hand extension, loose wrist, dependence of fingers, transference of hand weight, plus a bealthy dose of transposition and chythnic skis. Legato play- ing is emphasized, ass the holding of notes, whichis excelent preparation not only for Brahms, but for other contrapuntal works as well must emphasize, having only moderately sized hand, that ‘huge hands are not necessary forthe exercics, rather a flexible ‘wrist and independent fingers. Also, and very important, although Brahms may hold dowa certain fingers, he never writes ‘an exercise which holds al the fingers down and then raises one (F two, expecially the fourth. He uses only patterns which will aciually be found in compositions. A Tew of my Cavorite exercises follow, with suggestions for Dractice: (1 a—f—scale passages in varying rhythms. You will find the rhythms geting easier as the note values get «maller— eg., S against 4 and 7 against 6 are much easier to play than the 4 against 3 rhythm hich begins the series, Practice hands alone until the rhythm i¢ absolutely secure, then play hands together. Play the beats, don’t try to fit all the notes together. Brahms suggests transposition. (9 “slorified Hanon” exercise using the wadltional ‘Hanon patie in broken octaves. Excelent for developing 2¢- curacy and flexible wrist. (=the antithesis of No. 5. An exercise for contraction of the hand. 7a and 7b continue in the tame manner. (Gab)—I often give this exercise Fist, as it develops the bridge of the hand and extension of the fingers. I have my students play very slowly hands alone, carefully reaching for each note ‘and making cure the hand weight is dteetly over each finger. Lateral cotatioa ofthe wrist will automatically come into play. Practice this exercise both legato and staccato. ‘@a)—ateral rotation isthe clue to this exercise also. Students a first are dismayed atthe reac until hey fined there is no legato reach over an octave, If the thumb notes are not held longer than sixteenths and the hand swings out freely, an illusion of| legato will be maintained. (@9)—a due as to how Brahms worked on the Paganini Varia ton Book 11/11. This procedure can be applied to any number of octave passages (48-48)—an exercite for contrapuntal lines, Can be very helpful in playing Bach, and the direction to carry on in transposition gives excellent practice. (Continued on page 16) ‘THE AMERICAN MUBIC TEACHER