Who has had experience with Liszt Technical Exercises?

Question

Has any pianist used this method? I'm not even sure if I'm doing it right. I want to play the piano better and more efficiently. That's why I'm interested in this method especially since I totally trust Liszt's insights. However, I can't even finish the first book without almost injuring my arms. Maybe I'm not doing it right? Or maybe I should do it very little, slowly and gradually? Any comments will be appreciated.

Answer 1

If you want to hurt yourself, then continue to use this method. These are crazy technical exercises.

Playing Liszt's exercises doesn't make you better or more efficient. Liszt was also a freak, and you have to understand, that he had studied through Czerny and could play all of Czerny's exercises. Can you play all of Czerny's exercises? Well if you can't, that maybe a place to go before doing Liszt. Liszt was a special musician with amazing talents.

I would first learn all scales, chords, and arpeggios while working on Hanon and Schmitt exercises. Then you can take a look at Phillipe or Pischna exercises. But to be honest, all I do now are scales and Hanon as a warm up. As a professional pianist, I have other things to develop technique such as Chopin Etudes or the Liszt Etudes.

Practice slowly, rhythmically, and with a conscious focus on sound and how the fingers are working. One must listen for eveness, and control. Do not practice fast! NEVER PRACTICE FAST! You will never find success. You have to develop your muscles and that takes time.

Answer 2

I have a copy of them and never liked them very much. They didn't seem to prepare you particularly well for anything, much less give you some help with Liszt's own music. Frankly, I thought Hanon was better.

There is some question as to whether Liszt actually wrote the exercises at all which, as I got further into them, I found to be a comforting thought.

Liszt's own method of teaching allegedly relied heavily on him playing to students. Even though he was renowned for his willingness to donate his services to his students, most of them were just there for a lesson or two and what they might have picked up is questionable. The best and brightest of Liszt's students were well beyond learning the things in his technical exercises; their lessons with Liszt were much more likely to have been involved with interpretation, not execution.

If you want to get a Liszt textbook (I know that's not what you asked for but just the same) get the complete Annees de Pelerinage. Its just great material to work through.

Answer 3

I'm a classical guitarist, not a pianist, so I can't comment specifically. But in general, if you are doing any exercise or technique book and it is causing pain, you are best to back away from that.
As musicians, we often forget how athletic we are, and how much stress we put our hands under. Do you stretch your hands before and after playing? You should. Any professional athlete stretches before and after working out, and we should as well. It will help to reduce the strain.