A Modern Physiological Approach to Piano Technique in Historical Context
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ABSTRACT Title of Document: SUMIKO MIKIMOTO’S PIANO METHOD: A MODERN PHYSIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO PIANO TECHNIQUE IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT Yoshinori Hosaka, Doctor of Musical Arts, 2009 Directed By: Professor Bradford Gowen, School of Music The purpose of this dissertation is to introduce Sumiko Mikimoto’s piano method, The Correct Piano Technique (2004), which represents a modern approach to piano technique based on physiological and neurological study. The author places Mikimoto’s method within a historical context, and shows how it offers a unique approach to piano playing with its anatomical–based awareness of localized muscle structures. Mikimoto not only describes different hand types, along with their accompanying strengths and weaknesses, but also presents a comprehensive picture of the development of piano technique through numerous exercises that are arranged incrementally. In addition to her various exercises, Mikimoto patented a finger–board in 1980 that helps the pianist stretch tendons and trains the small muscles of the hand and fingers. The strength of this method lies in its ability to address a broad range of technical challenges faced at many different levels from the beginner up through the advanced level pianist, as well as to help prevent tension–related injury. Broadly speaking, the historical context of piano technique shows a gradually increasing awareness of the body. Since the turn of the twentieth century and continuing up to the present day, the fields of physiology, neurology, and wellness have informed the teachings of many pedagogues such as Tobias Matthay, Otto Ortmann, George Kochevitsky, Gyorgy Sandor, and Seymour Bernstein. In this stream of studies of piano techniques and methods, Mikimoto’s method may be viewed as an extension of the work of Otto Ortmann (who conducted extensive scientific studies on physiological mechanics of piano technique) and George Kochevitsky (who incorporated an understanding of the neurology of motor skills into his teaching). With the growing obsession with technique, there has been an increase in injuries among pianists. Tension is at the root of many injuries, and injury prevention has been a growing topic since 1980s. Mikimoto’s careful analysis of students’ physical characteristics (including the different shapes of fingers, wrist, hands, arms, and their tendons) provides insight into some of the causes of weakness and tension. It possible to use her analysis to find the root of some injuries, aid in rehabilitation, and perhaps prevent them from happening to future students. SUMIKO MIKIMOTO’S PIANO METHOD: A MODERN PHYSIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO PIANO TECHNIQUE IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT by Yoshinori Hosaka Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts 2009 Advisory Committee Professor Bradford Gowen Professor Santiago Rodriguez Professor Rita Sloan Professor Gerald Fischbach Professor Alcine Wiltz © Copyright by Yoshinori Hosaka 2009 AKNOWLEGEMENTS This paper would not have been possible without the thoughtful help of many people; I am deeply appreciative of the contributions and support that I have received. First, I want to express my thanks to Professor Bradford Gowen, whose advice has guided me along in this process. Ms. Futaba Niekawa, a wonderful pianist, introduced me to Ms. Sumiko Mikimoto and facilitated my meeting with her and her assistants, Professor Adachi, and Ms. Takako Tsumura. Professor Mark Salfi and Dr. James Yesinowsky provided expert editing skills that proved invaluable in the final stages of my writing. Dr. Jane Hsu offered me consistent support and aid with scanning pictures from video into the dissertation. I want to recognize Dr. David Kosutic for his ever present help with nearly every aspect of the paper, from discussion to proofreading of numerous editions, to sharing ideas about the technique, and offering support during the process. Thank you to all my students–I gleaned many insights from teaching them over these many years as we practiced and thought about technique. The inspiration for this paper grew out of Ms. Mikimoto’s Method. I want to thank her for her hospitality in meeting with me and allowing me to observe her teaching. Finally, I am grateful to my committee members for their insightful comments and practical help: Professors Bradford Gowen, Santiago Rodriguez, Rita Sloan, Alcine Wiltz, and Gerald Fischbach. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………… ii List of Table ……………………………………………………………………………...iii List of Figures …………………………………………………………………………….vi List of Music Examples ………………………………………………………………….. x Chapter I: Introduction ……………………………………………………………... 1 Chapter II: A Brief History of Piano Technique..……………………………………. 6 Finger Technique...………………………………………………………………. 8 Arm Weight and Relaxation..……………………….………............................... 19 Scientific and Physical Approaches....................................................................... 27 Psychological Approaches...…………………………………………………….. 36 Current Teaching and Awareness of Physical Limitations and Injuries..……...... 38 Chapter III: The Mikimoto Method: Description and Unique Features ……………... 43 Mikimoto’s Beliefs on Piano Technique...….………………………………....... 43 Nervous System ..……………………………………………………….. 49 Relaxation and Minimum Contraction..…………………………….……52 Tone Production and Weight Transfer...………………………………… 53 Location of Bones and Muscles ……………...…………………………. 55 Description of Mikimoto’s Exercises...…………………………………………. 59 Finger Exercises ………………………………………………………… 59 Developing Awareness of Finger Independence...……………… 59 Developing Fast Individual Finger Movement......……………… 62 Increasing “Instantaneous Power” of Finger Movement...…….... 63 Developing Alternating Two–finger Movements……………….. 65 Stabilizing the Finger Joint...……………………………………. 66 Stabilizing and Strengthening of the Fifth finger...……………... 71 Importance of Recognizing the Strength of Finger Joints.....….... 77 Mikimoto’s Finger–board.......................................................................... 78 Low–peg Finger Exercises on the Finger–board …………...…... 79 Finger exercises and Over–use of Large Muscles..…...….81 Detecting Excessive Tension in the Wrist and Elbow…... 83 Finding Weight Transfer Using the Finger–board………. 85 Training Individual Fingers...…………………………… 87 Training Alternating Fingers……………………..………92 Producing Uniform Piano or Pianissimo Sounds..……… 93 Stretch and Jump–over Exercise...…………………….………… 95 Additional Stretch Exercises for Tight Tendons……...…. 99 Summary of the Finger–board………………………….……….101 iii Position of the Hands and Fingers..………………………….………….102 Developing Finger Agility with Combination Finger Movement on the piano..………….... 104 Developing Larger (supportive) Muscles……………………………… 109 The Forearm Exercises................................................................ 109 The Wrist Exercises …………………………………………… 111 The Upper Arm and Back Muscle Exercises….……………….. 112 Exercises for Coordinated Movement…………………………. 115 Training for Specific Physical Conditions …………………………….. 118 Importance of Children’s Training…………………………….. 118 Extension and Restraint Reaction……………………… 118 Guidance of Octave Playing …………………………………... 121 Increasing the Speed of the Finger and Fifth finger in Octave Movement….………………………...124 Additional Exercises for the Playing Chords...………… 129 Expanding the Reach of the Small Hand………………. 131 Summary of Mikimoto’s Physical Approach to Piano Playing……….……….. 134 Chapter IV: A Comparison of Mikimoto’s Approach with Some Other Methods….. 137 Kochevitsky and Mikimoto’s Awareness of the Pyramidal and Extrapyramidal Nervous System………………... 138 The Role of Proprioceptive Sensations in Kochevitsky, Mikimoto, and Other Methods……………………………………………………... 140 Relaxation……………………………………………………………… 146 Finger Independence…………………………………………………… 152 Finger Dexterity……………………………………………...………… 155 Fingers Strength………………………………………………………... 156 Chapter V: Applications to Students ……………………………………………..... 160 Mikimoto’s Findings Observed Seen in Specific Students..……160 Excessive Finger Tension…………………………….... 160 Excessive First Finger (Thumb) Tension………………. 162 Results from Mikimoto’s Exercises……………………. 163 Finger–board Exercises....…………………………..….. 163 Dexterity Exercises ……………………………...…...... 164 Wrist, Arm and Shoulder Exercises ……...……………. 165 Chapter VI: Role of Piano Technique in Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation ……. 168 Two Types of Common Injuries…………………………......… 169 Treatments and Rehabilitation for Injury: A Personal Account 172 Background of Problem ……………………………….. 172 Rehabilitation Centers …………………………………. 173 Rolfing………………………………………………… 174 Alexander Technique ………………………………….. 174 Preventive Measures for Piano Injuries………………………... 177 iv Chapter VII: Conclusion …………………………………………………………….. 181 Bibliography ……………………………………………………………………………184 v LIST OF FIGURES 2. 1 Chiroplast by Johann Bernhard Logier ………………………………………….13 2. 2 Brotherhood Technicon …………………………………………………………14 3. 1 Finger Stretch ……………………………………………………………………48 3. 2 Scale Experimentation ………………………………………………………….. 54 3. 3 Bone Structure from the Shoulder to the Fingers ……………………………… 56 3. 4 Shoulder and Back Muscles ……………………………………………………. 58 3. 5 Upper Arm Muscles …………………………………………………………….. 58 3. 6 Forearm Muscles ………………………………………………………………... 59 3. 7 Exercise to Lift Finger without Wrist Tension …………………………………. 61 3. 8 Exercise for Increasing Speed of Finger Movement …………………………….62