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Piano Mastery - Talks with Master Pianists and Teachers by Harriette Brower
page 9 of 211 (04%)
instance, accenting every third note, thus enabling each finger in turn
to make the accent impulse: this will secure evenness of touch. Double
passages, such as double thirds and sixths, should be divided and each
half practised separately, with legato touch. Octaves should be
practised with loose wrists and staccato touch. As a preparatory study
practise with thumb alone. The thumb must always be kept curved, with
joints well rounded out; it should touch the keys with its tip, so as to
keep it on a level with the other fingers. Paderewski is very particular
about this point.

"It is difficult to speak of Paderewski's manner of teaching expression,
for here the ideas differ with each composer and with every composition.
As to tonal color, he requires all possible variety in tone production.
He likes strong contrasts, which are brought out, not only by variety of
touch but by skilful use of the pedals.

"My lessons with Paderewski were somewhat irregular. We worked together
whenever he came to Paris. Sometimes I did not see him for several
months, and then he would be in Paris for a number of weeks; at such
seasons we worked together very often. Frequently these lessons, which
were given in my cousin's house, began very late in the evening--around
ten o'clock--and lasted till midnight, or even till one in the morning.

"Paderewski the teacher is as remarkable as Paderewski the pianist. He
is very painstaking; his remarks are clear and incisive: he often
illustrates by playing the passage in question, or the whole
composition. He takes infinite trouble to work out each detail and bring
it to perfection. He is very patient and sweet tempered, though he can
occasionally be a little sarcastic. He often grows very enthusiastic
over his teaching, and quite forgets the lapse of time. In general,
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