Relaxation Studies in the Muscular Discriminations Required for Touch, Agility, and Expression in Pianoforte Playing By Tobias Matthay Contents Part I--The Chief Muscular Tests and other Permanent Daily Studies -Set I-Freeing or "Balancing" exercises -Set II-The "Aiming" exercises -Set III-The "Throw-off" exercises -Set IV-Rotation exercises Part II--Preparatory Exercises -Set V-For the study of Hand-release -Set VI-For the study of Fore-arm release -Set VII-For the study of Upper-arm release -Set VIII-For the study of Shoulder-release -Set IX-For the study of Fore-arm action, in conjunction with Upper-arm inaction Part III--Special Exercises -Set X-For the study of Finger-action and its cessation -Set XI-For Hand-action and its cessation -Set XII-For the further study of Fore-arm action -Set XIII-Agility Training Exercises -Set XIV-For the study of Hand-force elimination -Set XV-For the study of Octave-playing -Set XVI-For the study of Finger-individualization -Set XVII-For the study of horizontal freedom of thumb and hand -Set XVIII-For attuning Finger, Hand and Arm vibrations -Set XIX-For the study of tonal individualization between the fingers -Set XX-For some subsidiary actions -Set XXI-For the study of Pedalling Preface At last I am able to offer my readers the exercise-material for the study, retention and direct teaching of the muscular expertnesses required in Piano Technique, as promised in my **Act of Touch" and **First Principles of Piano-playing." Here I must once again insist that no special exercises are required in making use of those teachings. My * 'Method" - of teaching - does not consist in the use of any special exercises, nor even of mere explanation of and attention to ''rules." It consists in giving properly selected pieces of actual music, to the student, and while making clear to him the interpretative requirements of such actual music, it consists in showing him at the same time how to conquer the difficulties of its performance - the technical and interpretative difficulties therein met with. Studies and Exercises are then given to serve as concentrated material for the study of the difficulties found to be barring the way, the nature of which difficulties having been previously fully explained to the student. I do not approve of any "method" which separates the study of Execution from the study of Music. The two things, although quite distinct, should nevertheless be always studied conjointly as far as possible. Since we must acquire such habits that our musical sense will in the end serve to prompt the requisite technique, it is necessary that we... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Windham Press is committed to bringing the lost cultural heritage of ages past into the 21st century through high-quality reproductions of original, classic printed works at affordable prices. This book has been carefully crafted to utilize the original images of antique books rather than error-prone OCR text. This also preserves the work of the original typesetters of these classics, unknown craftsmen who laid out the text, often by hand, of each and every page you will read. Their subtle art involving judgment and interaction with the text is in many ways superior and more human than the mechanical methods utilized today, and gave each book a unique, hand-crafted feel in its text that connected the reader organically to the art of bindery and book-making. We think these benefits are worth the occasional imperfection resulting from the age of these books at the time of scanning, and their vintage feel provides a connection to the past that goes beyond the mere words of the text.