One rather controversial topic in the piano world is that of finger exercises: are they helpful? do they cause injuries? can’t you just get technique from the music?
From my experience, while it’s ideal to get all one’s technique from the music itself, yet there are only so many hours in the day to accomplish this. For those of us with limited time, something more efficient is necessary. Done correctly, there is minimal to no risk of injury, but I must emphasize this caveat: done correctly!
Now, there are a myriad of finger exercise collections available by such pianists as Joseffy, Liszt, Tausig, Hanon, Philipp, Cortot, Stamaty, Schmitt, Henselt, Brahms, just to name a few, that it can be difficult for students to determine which are most helpful. Again, we only have so much time.
For my students, I recommend two main works that I use myself and from which I have had the most efficient results. They are the Technical Studies by Josef Pischna and the Essential Finger Exercises by Ernő Dohnányi.
These volumes begin with “held note exercises”, in which certain fingers are held at the bottom of the keys while other fingers articulate. These, I’ve been told, are the main causes of injury (carpal tunnel, etc.) in the piano world, but I believe they are often performed incorrectly and with the wrong goal in mind.
First of all, the held notes should be held down with the weight of the arm, as if the fingers are pillars supporting a roof. The articulating fingers should be played lightly and freely from the knuckle. The wrist should be able to flex at all times and never locked. The idea that these exercises build “strength” is misguided, and often leads the student to excessive tension. The goal should primarily be mental: to gain control of each finger independently.
Beyond these exercises are studies in scales, arpeggios, double-notes, and the like, all indispensable tools in our craft. I recommend students start with 5-10 minutes of such exercises a day, choosing one from a few categories and aiming for variety over time.
Both the Pischna and Dohnányi exercises are available at www.imslp.org (a fantastic resource for musicians). Enjoy!