A Tutorial by

E mma Leiuman

The Art of
Piano Technique
Workbook for Professional Pianists
Second Edition

Published by Emma Leiuman Singapore, Singapore

2014
1

Dedicated to all seeking piano students and teachers

2014 Emma Leiuman
PianoWell is a registered trademark.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publisher.
Published by Emma Leiuman, Singapore, Singapore.

This Workbook presents the analysis of 7 musical pieces. A student may use it as a
supplemental material for Textbook to better understand how to analyze position
change, full phrasing and form in the score.

Web: www.artofpianotechnique.com
E-mail: emma@artofpianotechnique.com

Contents
The Plan of Piece Analysis, Learning and Rehearsing ---------- 4
L. Beethoven. Fur Elise ------------------------------------------ 6
F. Schubert. Musical Moment ----------------------------------- 26
F. Schubert. Serenade ------------------------------------------- 38
R. Schumann. Dreams ------------------------------------------ 54
A. Lyadov. Prelude ----------------------------------------------- 62
A. Lyadov. Musical Snuffbox ----------------------------------- 78
C. Debussy. The Little Negro ----------------------------------- 98

The Plan of Piece Analysis, Learning and Rehearsing

Analysis

1. Mark fingering and position changes in the piece.

2. Imagine each hand in timbre with movement.
3. Play the piece with each hand using the correct technique and correct fingering.
4. Imagine both hands in timbre with movement.
5. Play the piece with both hands using the correct technique and correct fingering.
6. Play the piece with both hands with intonation and weight and articulations. Gather weight before
playing. Play the piece with intonation and weight from this moment on.
7. Listen attentively to harmonies of the piece.
8. Imagine both hands in timbre and harmony with movement.
9. Play the piece with both hands in timbre and harmony with movement intonating with weight each
interval and articulation.
10. Imagine both hands in timbre, harmony and dynamics with movement.
11. Play the piece with both hands in timbre, harmony and dynamics with movement.
12. Imagine both hands in timbre, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement.
13. Play the piece with both hands in timbre, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement.
14. Imagine both hands in sound texture with movement.
15. Play the piece with both hands in sound texture with movement and pedal. Play the piece with pedal
from this moment on. Pedal is marked in the Do-it-yourself Analysis section.
16. Imagine both hands in sound texture and harmony with movement.
17. Play the piece with both hands in sound texture and harmony with movement.
18. Imagine both hands in sound texture, harmony and dynamics with movement.
19. Play the piece with both hands in sound texture, harmony and dynamics with movement.
20. Imagine both hands in sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement.
21. Play the piece with both hands in sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement.
Play the piece in sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement from this moment on.
22. Play the piece with both hands (or with each hand first if needed) with musical speech.
23. Analyze phrasing in the piece limits and types of motifs, phrases and sentences.
24. Play the piece with both hands (or with each hand first) with musical speech and motifs.
25. Play the piece with both hands (or with each hand first) with musical speech and phrases.
26. Play the piece with both hands (or with each hand first) with musical speech and sentences.
27. Tune in to emotional image of the piece. Play the piece with both hands with phrasing (or without
phrasing first) feeling how you express emotional image of the piece through musical speech.
28. Analyze form in the piece dramaturgic content of sentences.
29. Play the piece with both hands with phrasing feeling how you express image and form of the piece
through musical speech.
30. Analyze meter - the unit of pulse in the piece. Feel the internal pulsation while internally singing the
piece. Play the piece with both hands with phrasing feeling how you express emotional image, form and
meter of the piece through musical speech. Play only in slow tempo at this stage.
31. Play the piece with both hands with phrasing feeling how you express emotional image, form and
meter by the means of artistry through musical speech.
Always mark fingering, position change and pedal in the score.

Learning MEMs and Movements

Learning MEMs: play the piece by sentences (then by 2 sentences, 4, 8, etc.):

5 times in slow tempo;
5 times in moderate tempo;
5 times in fast tempo.
Learning movements: play the piece by sentences (then by 2 sentences, 4, 8, etc.) with each hand and
then with both hands:
5 times in slow tempo;
5 times in moderate tempo;
5 times in fast tempo.

Learning Difficult Fragments

Separately play a difficult fragment 5 times with each hand and then 5 times with both hands:
in slow tempo;
in moderate tempo;
in fast tempo.
Play a difficult fragment within its context 5 times with each hand and then 5 times with both hands:
in slow tempo;
in moderate tempo;
in fast tempo.
Play the whole piece in order to reveal new difficult fragments.

Preventing Overplaying the Piece. Creativity

Play the piece 11 times paying attention to:

sound texture with movement;
sound texture and harmony with movement;
sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement;
sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement, and musical speech;
sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement, musical speech and phrasing;
sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement, musical speech, phrasing and imageinspiration;
sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement, musical speech, phrasing, imageinspiration and form;
sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement, musical speech, phrasing, imageinspiration, form and meter;
sound texture, harmony, dynamics and balance with movement, musical speech, phrasing, artistry,
image-inspiration, form and meter.

Rehearsing

While maintaining self-control and artistry, play the piece several times to:
1. Toys.
2. A well-wishing listener.
3. Several listeners.
4. On different instruments.
5. In different halls.

Fur Elise

Do-it-yourself Analysis
Poco moto

una corda
1.

2.

dim.

1.

(legato)

2.

trochaic motif inside the motif

3
3

dim.

poco rit.

10

Fur Elise

Fingering, Position Change

2.

2
1

m.s.

dim.

1.

11

5
4

4
5

1. 2

1 3 5-1

1/5

2.

2/1

2/5 1/2/5

3/1

2 1

(legato)

5
1

5/4/2

5/3

2/1

12

2/1

4/2

4/2

2/1

3
3

5
5

13

1/3

2/5

2/4

1/2/3

1/3

4/1

3/1

1/4

1/5

1/4

5/1

3/2

2/5

1/4

2/4

1/2/3

1/2/4

1/2/3

2/5

1/2/4

4/2/1
5

14

2/1

5
1

3
3

4
2

dim.

15

Fur Elise
Phrasing

1.

2.

dim.

16

1.

(legato)

17

2.

18

3
3

19

dim.

20

Fur Elise
Form, Meter

Poco moto
beginning
development

1.

intensification
2.

culmination

rising to culmination
conclusion

dim.

21

beginning
1.

2.

(legato)

development

rising to culmination

22

culmination

conclusion

beginning

23

development

3
3

24

rising to culmination

culmination

conclusion

dim.

poco rit.

25

Musical Moment
Do-it-yourself Analysis

Allegro moderato

/iambic motif inside the motif

26

27

trochaic motif inside the motif

dim.

dim.

28

Musical Moment
Fingering, Position Change

1/4

5
2 3

3
1/3

2/1

5
2

1/2/5

29

3/5

5
2/4/5

2/1

5
3

2/5

1/4

30

1/3/5

dim.

5
4

1/5

dim.

2/1

31

Musical Moment
Phrasing

in motifs intonate small authors motifs shown in the Do-it-yourself Analysis section

32

33

dim.

dim.

34

Musical Moment
Form, Meter

Allegro moderato
beginning
development

introduction

intensification
rising to culmination

35

culmination
conclusion

rising to culmination

36

culmination

dim.

conclusion

dim.

37

Serenade

Do-it-yourself Analysis

Moderato

espressivo

sempre staccato

38

espressivo

non legato

rall.

39

leggiero

smorzando
3

3
3

40

3
3

poco a poco rall.

molto dim.

espressivo

rall.

smorzando

41

Serenade

Fingering. Position Change

1/2

2/4

1/2

2/4

1/2

3
4/2

2/1

5/2

5/3

5 1/4
2/3

2/1

4/2

1/4

4/2

2/1

5/3/2 3/2/1

5/2

4/2

2/1

2/1

1/5

1/4

2/3

3/5 3

2/4

5/3/2
2

42

4/2

2/1

2/4

4/2

3/2

1/4

1/3

3/5

5/4/2

1/3

3/2

2/4

2/5

1/3 1/4

3/2

1/4

2/5

4/1

4/2

4/2

4/2

1/4

1/3

1/2

4/2

2/1

1/4 2/3
3
3 5

1
3/2

1/4

3/4

2/4

3/4

5/3/2

1/3

2/4

3/4

1/4

4/2

43

2/1

2/4

3/4

3/2

1/2

5/4/1 3
2

1/2

2
3

3
2

2/4

3/5

1/4 2/3

3
2

1/4

3
1

5/3/2

2/1

4/2

1/5

1/4

2/3

3/5

2/3

2/3

2/4

1
3

4
3

2/5

1/2/4 3

1/4

3
3

2/3

1/3

3
5/3/2

44

2/3

3
1

3
5

5/1

molto dim.
3/2

4/2

1/3

1/2/4

3/2

3/2

3/4

2/4

3/2

4/2

1/4

4/2

2/4

3/4

4/2

2/4

3/2

3/2

45

2/3

2/1

3/5

5/3

1/2 2/3

3/2 2/1

3/5

5/3

1/2

3/2

2/4

3/4

Serenade
Phrasing

46

47

3
3

48

3
3

molto dim.

49

Serenade
Form, Meter

Moderato
introduction

beginning
3

espressivo

50

development

intensification

espressivo

rall.

51

rising to culmination

smorzando

3
3

culmination

52

3
3

deviation

poco a poco rall.

molto dim.

conclusion

espressivo

rall.

smorzando

53

Dreams

Do-it-yourself Analysis

=80

m.s.

m.d.

a tempo

ritard.

54

a tempo

ritard.

ritard.

55

Dreams

Fingering, Position Change

1/3

2/4

4/1

3/5

4
3

1/1

2/1

3/1
2

2/5

1/4

2/5

1/4

3
4/1

3/1

3/1

4/2

1/4

1/2

5/2

5/3

2/4

1/4

1/2

5/2
1

5/2

56

4/1

1/5

1/4

3
2/1

5/2

1/3

1/2

3/5

1/3

2/4

5/2

1/4

3/5

2/1

3/1

1/3

2/4

2/3

1/2/3 2/4

2
1

4/1

4/1

2/1

3
5/2

5/3

4/1

2/1

57

Dreams
Phrasing

in motifs intonate small authors motifs shown in the Do-it-yourself Analysis section

58

59

Dreams
Form, Meter

Andante
beginning
development

rising to culmination

ritard.

a tempo

60

culmination

ritard.
a tempo

ritard.

61

Prelude

Do-it-yourself Analysis

Moderato

62

63

iambic motif inside the motif

rit.

a tempo

64

65

Prelude

Fingering, Position Change

3
1

66

3
2

2/5

5/2

2/5

4/1

4/1

5/2

5 4
5

5/2

1/3

1/2/3

1/4

1/2

1/3/5

1/2/5

5/2/1

1
2

67

2/1

5
3

1
2

68

3/5

3/5

4/1

5/2

4/1

5/2

2/4

1/3

5/2

4
3

5
3

5/2/1

1/2

3/5

1/5

m.s.
5/2

69

1/4

Prelude
Phrasing

70

71

72

m.s.

73

Prelude

Form, Meter
Moderato
beginning

introduction

development

74

75

rising to culmination

rit.

a tempo

culmination

rit.

a tempo

76

77

Musical Snuffbox
Do-it-yourself Analysis

Automaticamente
=80

sempre staccato

1.

2.

78

79

80

81

82

Musical Snuffbox
Fingering, Position Change

sempre staccato
2

1.
3

2.
2
5

83

2
3

3/2

2
2

5/4/1

2/1

5/4/1

4/5

4
1

5/3

84

3
3

1
2

2
1

1
3/2/1

5
1

2/1
1

2-3

2/1
2

85

2
4

5/4

4
1

2
1

86

87

Musical Snuffbox
Phrasing

sempre staccato

88

89

90

91

92

Musical Snuffbox
Form, Meter

=80. Pulsation by quavers

beginning

introduction

development

sempre staccato

rising to culmination

93

culmination

beginning

94

development

95

deviation

rising to culmination

culmination

96

conclusion

97

The Little Negro

Do-it-yourself Analysis

Allegro giusto

marcato

dim.

dim.

cresc. molto

Un peu retenu

a tempo

98

rit.

cresc.

a tempo

dim.

99

dim.

a tempo

cresc. molto

100

cresc.

rit.

a tempo

dim.

dim.

cresc. molto

101

The Little Negro

Fingering, Position Change

5/1

3/1

5/1

5/1

3/1

marcato
4

2/4

3/1

dim.
4/2

3/1

5/3

3/1

5/1

2/1

4/2

3/1

5/1

dim.

cresc. molto

4
1

2/1

3/1
3

102

1/4

3/1

3/5

2-4

5/3

cresc.
1
4

3
4

dim.

103

dim.

cresc. molto
2/1

104

3/1

cresc.

dim.

dim.

1/2

cresc. molto
5/3

105

The Little Negro

Phrasing

in motifs intonate small authors motifs shown in the Do-it-yourself Analysis section

dim.

dim.

106

cresc. molto

cresc.

dim.

107

dim.

cresc. molto

108
179

cresc.

dim.

dim.

cresc. molto

109

The Little Negro

Form, Meter

Allegro. Pulsation by quavers

beginning

rhythmically

dim.

dim.

cresc. molto

Un peu retenu
deviation

development

a tempo

110

cresc.

rit.

intensification

a tempo

dim.

111

dim.

a tempo

cresc. molto

rising to culmination

112

cresc.

rit.

culmination

a tempo

dim.

dim.

cresc. molto

113

A Tutorial by

E mma Leiuman

The Art of
Piano Technique
Workbook for Professional Pianists
Second Edition

Published by Emma Leiuman Singapore, Singapore

2014
114

EmmaLeiuman,theauthorofthesystem,isatalented
pianistandteacher,MoscowStateConservatorygraduate,
prizewinnerofinternationalcompetitions.

I started music training at 5 as the majority of professional pianists. In the beginning of my studies I
had an incorrect hand position and sound production. So when I started learning difficult pieces, I couldnt
manage them. I felt that I couldnt completely open up in my performance. The energy was accumulating
and it grew to muscular and psychological tension. All of my pleasure from music disappeared and fear
appeared instead. Fear not to play beautifully, but with a harsh sound, fear to be less technical than my
classmates. My competitions and tours stopped bringing me any pleasure, joy and contentment.
At 14 I began to intuitively search for things that could give me a greater comfort while playing.
Some of my teachers were giving me ideas that inspired me to create my own method my own system
of correct sound production and piece analysis. Despite of high level of my teachers, none of them could
answer questions that accumulated within me. I found the answers only due to the fact that I developed
each remark of my teachers, found something new in it for myself and checked by the following lessons.
Then I wrote down things that I had found and comprised it into my system. This is how my knowledge
about the first several musical means of expression started to appear.
Now the biggest joy for me is to see how my system helps other pianists who struggle with the same
problems. To see how a student opens up and gets pleasure and joy from playing. And that is what I
aspired for earlier in the course.

The system was under development

for 10+ years. Its based on the
authors performance experience,
studies with 20+ teachers and
professors and lessons with her
students.
Thanks to the PianoWell system appearance, each pianist who has a desire to become a true
professional now has an opportunity to realize his dream. By mastering the skills of correct sound
production, developing all types of musical ear, mastering all musical means of expression in full measure
and mastering the correct piece analysis and learning, the pianist finally advances to a long-awaited
and qualitatively new level of performance. He becomes a true musician, true professional, competent
performer and smart interpreter.
While learning the system, a pianist masters virtuosic technique, independent and efficient studying,
free and confident playing on stage. The system also successfully solves all problems related to an incorrect
hand position and sound production that cause arm strain, harm, playing-related injuries and ailments.
This system is designed for those pianists who consider the Truth to be most important in playing, who can
work smart and accomplish each step with patience and love.
The website www.artofpianotechnique.com is a true educational resource for pianists and teachers.
Here youll find information on professional piano education, such as online video course and available
study materials.

Published by Emma Leiuman Singapore, Singapore

2014

115