Piano Pedagogy and Performance

Fanny Waterman's seminal work, "On Piano Teaching and Performing," offers invaluable insights for both aspiring pianists and dedicated educators. Distilling decades of experience, this guide emphasizes a holistic approach to musical development, focusing on the three interconnected pillars: craftsmanship, musicianship, and artistry. This article provides a comprehensive summary and analysis of Waterman's principles, designed for students and teachers seeking to excel in piano pedagogy and performance.

Understanding Piano Pedagogy and Performance: Fanny Waterman's Approach

Dame Fanny Waterman, a legendary figure in piano education, authored "On Piano Teaching and Performing" to share her profound knowledge. First published in 1983 and revised in 2006, the book covers fundamental playing techniques, musicianship, practical advice, and a new chapter on music competitions.

Waterman's philosophy centers on guiding students to explore the artistic essence of a work, striving for their ideal interpretation. She argues that mere technical proficiency without feeling results in a "musical typewriter" sound; true artistry emerges when technique is combined with the study of the meaning behind the notes.

Effective Piano Lesson Formats

Waterman outlines specific lesson structures tailored to different age groups and skill levels, ensuring each session is a "musical injection."

Lesson Structure for Young Beginners

Young beginners typically have lessons of approximately half an hour due to their shorter concentration spans. Key elements include:

• Review and Incentives: Going through the previous week's work, assigning marks, and offering stars (blue for 80%+, gold for 90%+) and prizes for consistent achievement.
• Practice Plan: A detailed daily practice plan with specific musical ideas is written in a notebook.
• Motivation: A short, legible report on concentration and new ideas at the end of each lesson, with a longer summary at term-end, provides motivation.
• Recording: Using a tape recorder or mini-disc helps students identify errors in notes, tempo, rhythm, and dynamics.
• Parental Involvement: Parents are encouraged to be present to supervise home practice and aid the child's progress. Waterman famously states, "I don't choose the pupils, I choose the parents!"
• Ten Musical Commandments: A foundational list of principles, including:

1. Keep your back straight and fingers rounded.
2. Practise regularly every day.
3. Clap rhythms and count beats aloud before playing unfamiliar music.
4. Choose and stick to fingering best suited to your hand.
5. Practise hands separately before hands together.
6. Practise slowly before playing up to speed.
7. Correct mistakes on the spot and repeat correctly several times.
8. Play with a strong pulse before introducing rubato.
9. Follow all composer's markings, differentiating between six dynamic levels (pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff).
10. Listen to every sound and strive for beauty, using the analogy of a "musical post-office."

Lesson Structure for Older Children and Advanced Students

Older children's lessons are usually about one hour. They incorporate:

• Technical Work: Czerny studies and basic exercises.
• Repertoire: One or two pieces from different styles and periods.
• Skills: Sight-reading and aural tests.
• Performance Preparation: Pieces studied in depth for weeks, emphasizing performance readiness. Teachers arrange informal concerts to stimulate and incentivize students. Importance of body language and taking command of the performing situation is stressed.

Advanced students' lessons can last one to two hours or more. They involve:

• Peer Learning: Encouraged to listen to each other's lessons.
• Technical Problem Solving: Focus on technical issues arising during repertoire study, rather than pre-prepared exercises.
• Student Choice: Students bring a piece of their own choice to ensure natural love and affinity, though the teacher may suggest future repertoire for balance.
• Performance from Memory: Students perform the whole piece or movement from memory without interruption, learning to cover mistakes and recover from slips. At home, practice involves stopping, analyzing, correcting, and repeating.
• Memorization: Considered a skill everyone can develop through tactile, photographic, and aural memory. It should come naturally from concentrated study, not forced.
• Reciprocal Exchanges: The teacher follows the score, makes notes, and then works on every detail with the student. They explore passages together, with the teacher demonstrating and the student trying different approaches until an interpretation is clarified.
• Holistic Exploration: Beyond playing, the teacher uses singing, conducting, poetry, or even dance to capture mood and meaning, working towards a unified performance.

Mastering Craftsmanship: The Art of Piano Technique

Craftsmanship, or technique, is fundamental and must develop hand-in-hand with musicality.

Fingering: "Made to Measure"

Waterman stresses that fingering must be "made to measure" for each individual's hand, rather than blindly accepting printed suggestions. Teachers should help students understand variations in hand size and shape.

Tone Production and Tonal Colours

Achieving varied and beautiful tone is crucial. Considerations include:

• Active Listening: Pianists must learn to listen to the quality of every sound produced, recognizing the desired tone. The teacher demonstrates the range of possibilities.
• Controlling Key Descent Speed: The character and volume of sound depend on the speed at which the key descends. From a "thinnest thread of sound" by slow descent to a "full, strong sonority" by swift impact, the pianist controls the tonal palette. Waterman uses analogies like a rubber ball and beginner pieces ("Lullaby," "March") to illustrate this.
• Finger Position: Rounded fingertips produce a brighter sound for passage-work, while flatter fingers (using the fleshy cushion) create a fuller tone.
• Wrist Flexibility: A stiff wrist is "enemy number one," producing hard tone. A flexible wrist acts as a shock-absorber, transmitting arm weight smoothly and providing elastic support to fingers.
• Pedalling: The sustaining pedal, called "the soul of the piano" by Chopin, prolongs sound, enriches harmonics, and colors tone. Its use is subtle, involving controlling depression and release timing. "Syncopated" pedalling creates legato, but must be coordinated carefully to avoid blurring. The Una Corda (soft pedal) should not be a substitute for soft touch.

Developing Dexterity: Exercises and Techniques

• See-Saw Movement: Practicing two connected notes with even power, transferring weight, keeping the arm relaxed and shoulder down. This develops finger strength and evenness.
• Passage-Work and Scales: All fingers should be placed in the middle of each key. Special attention is given to the weaker 4th finger. Scales should be practiced legato, with arched knuckles and minimal finger/arm movement. Schumann's 4th finger issues are a cautionary tale.
• Thumb Exercises: The thumb's unique power and pivoting ability are exploited. Exercises involve holding the elbow to prevent sideways arm jutting.
• Breaking Up: Since few pieces contain full scales, practicing fragments (note-by-note, beat-by-beat) is crucial. Quick passages should be thought of as "slow melodies played fast," encouraging singing them slowly.
• Dynamic Grading: Students must learn to grade tone from pp to ff, and play slowly/quickly, legato/staccato.
• Trills: Must consist of two separate notes. Practicing the see-saw exercise, varying fingering and dynamics, and using a metronome helps. Singing notes reveals melodic content.
• Octave Technique: Important for thickening bass or adding treble brilliance. Practicing with 5th finger alone, then thumb alone, helps accuracy. Stretching exercises are vital for those with small hands.
• Skips: Involve moving the whole arm quickly just above the keys, arriving "before you're due." Brainpower is key to improvement.

How to Make the Piano Sing

This most difficult problem can be addressed by:

1. Intentional Overlapping: Holding a note fractionally longer than its written value, overlapping with the next. This creates a smooth, cantabile tone, similar to string instrument vibrato.
2. Adjusting Balance: Differentiated timing and subtle finger pressure (e.g., slightly straightening the melody finger to arrive a micro-second earlier) to bring out melody or specific voices in contrapuntal music.
3. Using the Sustaining Pedal: As discussed above, the pedal enriches sound and creates legato effects when expertly controlled.

Cultivating Musicianship: Beyond the Notes

Musicianship involves becoming a "musical detective," understanding the composer's intentions and the "shorthand of musical notation."

Deciphering the Composer's Clues

• Musical Integrity: Understanding and memorizing all composer's markings (title, tempo, key, dynamics, phrase marks, accents, silences). Ignoring them is a "musical crime."
• Interpreting Shorthand: Understanding that terms like adagio or allegro are flexible. Dynamics like piano mean a "carrying sound" like a great singer, not just soft.
• Piano as an Orchestra: Imagining the piano as an orchestra helps with tonal colors (low register like double bass, high like violin) and polyphonic clarity (each part as an instrumental line).

The Essence of Melody and Rhythm

• Melody and Meaning: A melody is like a sentence; not every word is equally important. Emphasis alters meaning. Notes must flow "like oil," and punctuation (phrasing) must be observed. Musical climaxes drive the narrative forward.
• Music as a Journey in Time: Performers must conceptualize music as a journey with a known destination, ensuring continuity between sections (e.g., subjects, development, recapitulation) and avoiding "seams."
• Rhythm and Pulse: A metronome can set speed, but "relentless, metronomic observance" destroys "living rhythm." Matthay advised, "rhythm should be bent but never broken." Slight accelerandos and ritardandos must have purpose.
• Dangers of 'Instant' Learning: Blindly imitating recordings without in-depth score study leads to a "hotch-potch of ideas." Beethoven emphasized exact performance of his written intentions.
• Rhythmic Patterns: Awareness of basic pulse and rhythmic patterns is vital. Common traps include inaccurate dotted rhythms (e.g., Schubert's 'Wanderer' Fantasy, Tchaikovsky's Mazurka) and hurrying in quick passages. "Make haste slowly" is the advice for difficult sections.
• Pianist's Three Roles: A musician fulfills three roles:

1. The Performer: Plays phrases.
2. The Listener: Recalls sounds and silences.
3. The Critic: Assesses and analyzes the playing.

Repertoire Selection

• Beginners: Fortunate to have simple pieces by great composers (Handel, Bach's Anna Magdalena Notebook, Mozart, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Bartók, Kabalevsky, Shostakovich).
• Advanced Students: Must study Baroque masterworks (Bach's 'Forty-Eight,' Scarlatti Sonatas) for counterpoint and technical challenges. Familiarity with Classical (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven), Romantic (Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms), Impressionist (Fauré, Debussy, Ravel), and 20th-century composers (Bartók, Messiaen, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich) is essential. Knowledge of other genres (opera, string quartets, symphonies) enhances understanding of piano works.

The Culmination: Artistry and Performance

Artistry is an innate quality that cannot be taught but only stimulated. It is the "elusive, almost magical quality" that makes a listener truly listen.

Stimulating Artistry

• Emotional Palette: Great performers convey a wide range of emotions and moods (charm, tragedy, humor, passion, mystery, joy, etc.).
• Spontaneity and Courage: Performance requires continuity, courage, and heightened concentration. An audience provides vital inspiration and spontaneity.
• Holistic Development: Aspiring performers should develop a wide appreciation of the arts, listen to live performances, study folk songs, participate in chamber music, accompany singers, sing in a choir, and absorb the sounds and sights of everyday life (birdsong, train rhythms, waves, silence).
• Qualities for Great Performers: Inclination, imagination, application, concentration, determination, perspiration, inspiration, leading to appreciation and adulation.

Giving a Recital: Practical Advice

Before the Date:

• Open a file for correspondence and engagement details.
• Inquire about hall size, acoustics, piano condition, fee, program length, and audience type.
• Choose a program to "woo your audience," including light-hearted pieces and encores.
• Send required information promptly (program, bio, photo).
• Time the program and individual pieces accurately.
• Book sufficient rehearsal time in the hall.
• Organize a page-turner if needed.
• Plan travel carefully, allowing for delays and recovery.
• Check dress requirements.
• Prepare a checklist (concert file, contract, handkerchiefs, nail-file, spare spectacles, flask, gloves/hand warmer).
• Get an early night.

On the Day:

• Be punctual for rehearsal and performance.
• Avoid panic: never keep anyone waiting or leave things to the last minute.
• Show courtesy to all helpers, especially the conductor.
• Never use drugs or alcohol for nerves; learn to live with them.
• Do not alter usual pre-concert eating habits.
• Do not change the program except for compelling reasons.
• Rehearse all items to familiarize yourself with the instrument and acoustics.
• Practice "key" passages slowly in the Artist's Room to keep hands supple.
• Never leave valuables unattended.

On the Platform:

• Try to achieve rapport with the audience quickly (a natural smile helps).
• Walk on steadily, walk off swiftly; check for awkward access.
• Check stool height and stability.
• Take your time; wait for silence before starting.
• Avoid fidgeting, snorting, or pulling faces.
• Conceal memory slips and "vamp" to recover; never stop and apologize.

After the Recital:

• Be diplomatic; do not express disappointment with the piano or audience reaction.
• Be courteous; write thank-you notes for hospitality.
• Do not be depressed by bad reviews; they are just one opinion.
• Keep working and remain optimistic; do not rest on laurels.

Piano Competitions: Local, National, and International

Competitions are a significant part of the musical journey, starting young.

Local Competitions: Early Development

• Elements for Success: A gifted child, involved parents, and a skilled, devoted teacher.
• Benefits: Incentivizes extra effort, allows parents to gauge standards, and enhances teacher reputation.
• Teacher's Role: Examine syllabuses for stimulating music, choose classes with experienced adjudicators (focus on remarks, not just marks), avoid sending multiple students to the same class to prevent jealousy, encourage participation, and ensure students understand the piece's title/character (e.g., playing a march like a lullaby is a common adjudicating frustration).
• Preparation: Students should perform pieces under performance conditions for fellow students, parents, and friends to build confidence and continuity, learning to cover slips.

National Competitions: Higher Stakes

• Young winners of local competitions may be lauded as "geniuses," but national competitions present a "rarer air" and higher standards.
• Repertoire: More challenging, often requiring a recital of masterpieces.
• Focus: Craftsmanship, musicianship, and artistry become infinitely more important.

International Competitions: The Professional Gateway

Admission to an international competition (e.g., "the Leeds") is the first hurdle. Juries seek:

• Musical Integrity: In-depth reading and comprehension of the score, adherence to composer's instructions.
• Artistry: Rhythmic vitality, subtly varied rubato, passion, fine sonority, ability to make the piano sing, and the "indefinable quality called magic, imagination or inspiration."
• Unpredictable Factors: Juries cannot predict a winner's future ability to cope with:

1. Personal fortunes/misfortunes (love, marriage, divorce).
2. Adverse criticism.
3. Nerves.
4. Reliance on intensive teacher preparation.
5. Ability to absorb new repertoire while traveling.
6. Jet lag and the challenges of a touring life.

• Stamina: Essential for success, given the demanding format (e.g., three solo rounds of 30, 55, and 75 minutes, plus a concerto final).
• The "Real Life" Competition: Winning opens doors, but the true competition begins afterward, comparing the artist to all great pianists past and present.
• Alternatives? Waterman argues that competitions are a better route to professional life than the "bad old days" of privilege or expensive, uncertain self-promotion.

FAQ: Common Questions on Piano Pedagogy and Performance

What are the three essential aspects of musical training according to Fanny Waterman?

Fanny Waterman identifies craftsmanship (technique), musicianship, and artistry as the three paramount aspects. She stresses that they are interconnected and develop synergistically.

How does Fanny Waterman suggest approaching fingering for piano pieces?

Waterman advocates for "made to measure" fingering, tailored to the individual pianist's hand. She encourages students to work with their teacher to find the most comfortable and sonically effective fingering, rather than strictly following printed suggestions.

What is the importance of listening in piano performance?

Listening is crucial for tone production. Waterman emphasizes that pianists must actively listen to the quality of every sound they produce, recognizing the desired tone and constantly assessing if the actual sound matches their intention. This internal listening allows them to "cajole that sound out of even an indifferent instrument."

How does Fanny Waterman define "artistry" in piano playing?

Artistry, for Waterman, is an innate, elusive, and almost magical quality that cannot be taught but only stimulated. It is what compels a listener to be captivated by a performance, transcending mere technical accuracy to convey profound emotion and meaning.

Why does Fanny Waterman recommend studying other musical genres for pianists?

Studying other genres like Mozart's operas (for his Piano Concertos), Haydn's String Quartets (for his Sonatas), and Beethoven's Symphonies (for his Sonatas and Concertos) helps pianists understand compositional style, thematic development, and orchestral textures, enriching their piano interpretations.