THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANICS OF PIANO TECHNIQUEThe Physiological Mechanics of Piano Technique An experimental studly of the nature of muscular action as used in piano playing, and of the effects thereof upon the piano key and the piano tone By OTTO ORTMANN Research Labor of he Peay Connsitry of Manic Bima: Morslond WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS A counterpart of an earlier study on the Phyvical Basis of ‘Piano Touch and ‘ToneCONTENTS PART I ‘THE PHYSIOLOGICAT, ORGANISM. 1, Mucuasioat Perscims 3 If, Tio: Sxneros 1B TIT, Tie Muscuss 40 TV. Starks as Prorwumés or Mesours 0 V._ Tite Nina ax Chnovarony SYStESS so PART OBNERAL ASPECTS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL MOVEMENT Gromermies oF Puvstococteat Movexst 6 Actox asp Rescnos 2 Acuviry asp Passviry 0 Coonoisatios axo Ixcobentxsr10x 0 Retaxarios iors Wacir-Trassre 14 Yrenicat Ars ovis 49 Lariat Anat ovis? 180 PART OI ‘HR TOVEALFORMS OF PIANO TECHNIQUE Am Laust0 im ‘Treno1o 163 I. Sracearo 136 Etscze-Srn0xe at Seats 21 Anvoct0 262 Misertiasvoc’s Moveansts am Ispivipear Durrsmexcss : Gusena, 201 Isoreapuat Dirrsmesces : Tne HAND ail Tosr-Quasrms 33 Sevier 302 Reso 316, Brauonavny 319 Ison 381s. LIST ‘Types of Levers Aves of Muscular Pull Parallelogrem of Hore ‘Composition of Co planar Foreos Parallelopiped of Forees Parallel Fores Positions of Radius ana Ula (Pate I) Trunk Relaxation ‘i Shoulder Rotation Elbow Flexion Forearm Rotation Wrst Flesion Finger Flexion Horivontal Movements Horizontal Movements at Klbow-joint Hland-positions (Plate 1) Muselen ofthe Chest, Shoulder, and Upper- ‘arm (Plate I) oop Muscles ofthe Furor (Plate 1L) Supeaficil Muslos ofthe Fore-arm (Plate IV) ‘Mules ofthe Hand (Plate V) Diagean of Museulae Tons Conical Movement of Hamer. Action of Finger-nsvenent on Mand Action of Finger movement on Wrist Aetion of Finger moveanent on Elbow ‘Action of Fingce-movemeat on Hand ‘The Doral Interact Muscles Location of Hand Museles Biot of Fingsr-stroke on Adjoining Winger Method for Third-inger Control duriog Stroke uf Second Finger (Pate V1) Instrument for Revonling Contractions uf Finger-oxtensos Plate VII) Active tnd Passive Movements Bites in Mosca Conastion, in and Active Finger. ‘Types of Mureular "Contraction Variations in Speeds with OF ILLUSTRATIONS, facing page ene “Jes poe Jacing page 88 9 page 88 Secing page 2 page 108 » 10 ». a in w LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ‘Two Type of Action ofthe Petorale Major ‘Time. Relationship” between Muscat” ‘Contraction att Koy-movement Page rine Reationihip of Miieular Con ‘tion in Pinger stroke Initia! Masoular Contraction and End of "Fingerstroke Example of Arm wit ‘Time Relationship between Muscular ‘Conteaction and Key-movemont Mocbanicl Art (Plate VitI) Diagrams of Arm-positions Weight-transferin Til Weighttransfer and Intensity Weighttranser and Speed Coordination in Finger-moverent Weight transfor in Pinger repetition Weight transfer in Finger squence Weight transfor in Finger repetition Wet tranefer in Seales Ect of Peroussveness on Weight-ransfer ‘Types of Armstroke et of Peeussivenoss on Arm-drop : Tooodrdination in Armmovement i Mechanical Conetrution of Lateral Arm-tvanser Lateral Arm-movement The Pantograph Method for Recording Lateral Arm-transfer (Plate TX) Repeated Oetave Leaps (Piste IX) Asjrometry of Lateral Arnvtranfer Pantogreph Record of Mixed. Figures in Tateral Artmovement (Plate TX) Fleet of Intensity on Lateral Arm movement (Plate X) Biect of Intensity on Lateral Arm: ‘moverent (Plat XI) Effet of Tatensty on Height of Curve (Plate XI) Eiet of Speed on Lateral Arme-transfer lle of Tempo on the Form of Later] “Armtraasfe (Plate XI) Soi pe mae Jocag page a Socieg pase ps fing pe "7. Pantograph Records of Lateral Arm: ‘ranser (Plate XU) User of Crescendo and Riterd on Lateral “Armvtransfor (Plate XID) 109 no no a m1 19 1a 1 1 19 136 13t 130 140 ML 12 ir Ma 5, 153 155 1st 161 165 168 168 165 166 168 16 1st 185 168 169 1606. 10. 1 2 Es 1 6 n is. 2. SL s 88. a iat LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Elect of Crescendo on Lateral Arm ‘ansfr (Piste X11) Hand:movement’ in Mixed Figure (Plate XIV} : Hand-movement in Crescendo (Plate XIV) facing page ‘Notation of Cresendoin Octave Paseage pane Displacement of Carve. through Accent (Pete XIV} facing ye oree Action in Key-zelease pute ‘Muscular Contraction in Arm-movenent : Force Action in Keyelease : Wrstmovement 30 Arteato Wrist movemtat sa Arnel 3 Wrstmovement in Key zlese : ‘Weight transfer in Trento ; Diagram of Forearm Rottion in Penola : Photograph of Distonie Osteve Tremolo ‘Showing Forearm Rotation (Plate XX) facing page carve “of “Wingeraction. in Rore-armn Rotation in Fremalo (Plate XV}. : ‘Trinvlo Figure Showing Neod for Fins: ‘Type of Tremolo Figures Bitce ot Grenendovon Distonic tave “Treolo Pate XV) eect of Extrene Tones on Tomo Accents et of Extreme Tones on Tromoo Accants Independence of Key-asent and Finger-ascent Wrist movement i Hondtacnta Writ jerk and Key spat. ‘Wrst movement and Rey-pesune Hand end Forearm Muses n Socata Hand-position Useful in Teaching. Mend teats (Plate V1). Let of Keybesrd Range on Forearm Rotation ‘Types of Rapping utulor Actin in Socata Muscular Astion in Staeto ‘rm Baas Trato Bnation Simultaneous Contraction of Antagoiss in Vivato. i Character of Mosul Contraction ia Velo. ‘Tetanie Character of ger-taca!a ‘Anges of Moselor Dull nana ‘Types of Finger-stcke ‘Hatand Carved Fingers ‘Added Contraction Hequited in Curved Fingers Volar Flexor Contraction in Pll Aemdrop ee acing page ee age facing pone % 185 193 199 19 an 212 215 ais 20 21 mA LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IS. ect of Naitjoit sition on Key-depresion «page {o9, Eet of Hinge position on Key resistance : Ito. Method of Reconing Rey-novements and "Fngermovemente (Bate XVI) 111, Dingran of Types of Finger movement jes of Fingers 113. Bike of Bereusivenees in Ringer ILL et of Intent om Finger take : IIB, Bet of Boger stroke on Aem-novement 5 Lin. Bet of Bngerstroke on Adjoining Fngst LIT, Bet of Playing-oit on Bingen stoke ; 118: Reatonship ietwoen Resemuvensnt and ingerstoke beets of Relaxation and Rigty on Winger stoke [fet of Bigersteoke on Ton-quality Fife of Fngrsteoke un Tone-guality Bice of Figersttoke om Tune-qualit Filet of Tempo on Pinger stroke Movensent of Third. Bogor im Ascend Sd Descending Seale (Plate XVII) fring pay 23, Thumb-movement in Rapid Sele (Pinte XVII) . 16, Preparation of Bivrmoveneat in Salo ‘Plate XV} 12, Handemovement in Ascending” Sele (Pate X13) : fontemovemnent in owen Sevle ‘Piste X13) : 128, Handemovemet in Rapid Ascending snd sing ge me ‘Descending Seale (Plate X3) a tn, Thanb-movement in Ascending "Seale (late XX) 7 1. Octave Diatonie Seales page 152. EMeet of Tange on Lateral Armetransfor (Plate XX) focng pge anit movement in Hensy Portanento tne Efert of Tempo on Hand-movemont : 3. Relationship Between Weit- and‘ ovement it Arperio 158, Hondomovement in Tepid Arpaio oe ate XAT) facing pone 157, Handemorement in a api Arpensio wo te) : 4, Handmovement in Arpegsio. without Passingunder the thumb” (late xin : 199, pee tnosemena mie 286 266 2st 259x LIST OF 14a, Mandamoveneat in (Phe St 111, Mondemorement in i 1, Handearemant in Sh 148, Ths and Segoddnger Movers ‘pao (rate SI) : 114, Thuinte and Second-inger Movements in "tg (Pte ARE) M5. Mand-movement. in Slow” Arpegzio ‘ele S21) 14s, Bios of Intent on Wagers An THF Blof Figen pon Handsnosemets ‘hie A) 100,191 Hest of Fallbard on Forward Arse Dts XXV1) aliwardy showing Fingertip Contacts (Gata XXVH) atl, shying geri, ntact (Gnloged Sete) Pate XV) 152, kee of Hingeing nd. Armee upod Stooohness of "Movement (Plate SNvIID 159, 154. Ineardinated” Movements XXIX) 15, 156. Chromatic Ustaves (Bate 320) 139, lnooorlaated Octave Plate 3308) Ton, Coudiaaed Octaves (Plate EX), 16F, Ineoorinated ates Anmeabit. (Pate xxx) 15s, Arn Rotation (Pale X2CX1) 1bn, Complexity ot -Ammemoveneat “(Pte xi) a 10, Hand-moveront in Cadena” of Go iat Chant Polonaise (Plate XX Mand:movement. i Cadensa of Liszt = “Tarsntla (Pate XXXII) 102, armigpes sowing» Weight-vriatons (Ginte XXXIN) 169, Mand-pston determined by Distorted Toms 104. Vasions in Finger abdtion on account of Sine of Hand wan ua, Typen of Hand-postions ate acing pine We, The Physogcal Natunl. Hand postion atthe Keyboard (Bate XXX¥) a ILLUSTRATION: Rapid Arpeggion (Plate (Pate cing page ‘Arpnsio Aepeio vio. pane fring page (Plate page oar 270 a0 mm m m1 ae 28 a8 2s 231 22 at bes 286 200 0 202 298 a aa 3a 1, U0. tat hie 15, LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Handsypes a Hypostesion’ of ‘the Najoints (Pato ue SXxY) facing page 4 ones of the Wrst, showing Diferenacs in Avtiulating Surfaces (Pate xxv se Wrist Region (Pate XV) ba Range of Jointarislation "(Plats Sexxtin ou Various Typet of Hyperextension (Double: jointadnes) (Plate XXXVI) ou Range of. Movement Determined Ly Skeltal Struct in” Bogeroncs (Pate XXXVI) facing page 325 stron Hyporestension in’ the ‘Hand: Tenge of tho itt Finger (Plata XXXVI) ew BB Xomy ofthe Hand nuckdes “(Pato XXXTX) 26 Hyporlexion in Nal ont of Index Fingse (Pato XXXIX) 36 all Exteosion with Non-rosnded| Bone: ends Plate XXXIX). 338 Diflerenees in Articulation tetween Hand- ‘knee and Finger joint (Plate XD) on Mandéatleton (Pate XL) con oa Lateral View of Hand-knuckle (Plate X14 3 Hand-skdloton, Narrow Hand, Long “Finger (Plate XL) as Limitation of Range By Boneformation (Piste XLth 320 . Limitation of Abetion by Tisnee (Pate Lt 320 Dingoam "of Mechanical Principle in ‘Double ointedoess pe 390 Dvigeree a, Sita estate, farous " Panstic Winger postions (ste XE} am focing ye 308 Skeltal Hand-position (late XLAV) 333 “Moscalar Hand poston (Plate XLIV) 538 Anstonal"Dierences in” Fingertips (@iate XI) st Dingiam of Force-aviatons in Tono-qualien page 38 Dyaamogeaph for Toe-quality: Sparking 339 wool Contection in Tonequaity: Speckiog 38 Dyamograph for Tone-quleys Velety 310 ; cep 3a