d groups of notes used in music; they do not know what must be
done with triplets, dotted notes and so on. Thus you see technic
includes a multitude of things; it is a very wide subject."

HAND POSITION

The first principle a piano teacher shows his pupil is that of hand
position. It has been my effort to secure a definite expression on this
point from various artists. Most of them agree that an arched position
with rounded finger joints is the correct one. It was Paderewski who
said, "Show me how the player holds his hands at the piano, and I will
tell you what kind of player he is"--showing the Polish pianist
considers hand position of prime importance.

"I hold the hand arched and very firm,"--Ernest Schelling.

"The hand takes an arched position, the finger-tips forming a curve on
the keys, the middle finger being placed a little farther in on the key
than is natural for the first and fifth."--Katharine Goodson.

"The hand is formed on the keys in its five-finger position, with arched
knuckles."--Ethel Leginska.

"The hand is formed in an arched position, with curved fingers, and
solidified."--Carl Roeder.

"The hand, in normal playing position, must stand up in well arched
form, with fingers well rounded."--Thuel Burnham.

"I first establish an arched hand position, with firm fingers."--Edwin
Hughes.

"I teach arched hand position."--Alexander Lambert.

"One must first secure an arched hand, with steady first joints of the
fingers."--Eleanor Spencer.

"The first thing to do for a pupil is to see that the hand is in correct
position; the knuckles will be somewhat elevated and the fingers
properly rounded."--Bloomfield Zeisler.

"A pupil must first form the arch of the hand and secure firm finger
joints. I form the hand away from the piano, at a table."--Agnes Morgan.

Leschetizky teaches arched hand position, with rounded fingers, and all
who have come under his instruction advocate this form. It is the
accepted position for passage playing. A few pianists, notably Alfred
Cortot and Tina Lerner, play their passage work with flat fingers, but
this, in Miss Lerner's case, is doubtless caused by the small size of
the hand.

It is clear from the above quotations, and from many other opinions
which could be cited, that the authorities agree the hand should be well
arched, the end of the finger coming in contact with the key;
furthermore there should be no weakness nor giving in at the nail
joint.

F