SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/4/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 67.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/5/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 49, 56, 68.

49: “Difficulties arising from the scoring of wide-spaced chords written on the treble staff in two similar passages from the ‘Pavane pour une infante défunte’ can impede the flow of the cantabile melody. If the rolled and blocked chords in the left hand include just one more note written on the upper staff, the right hand is then free to play the melody using the consecutive fingering marked in the example.”

55: “In addition, divisi fingering allows the rapid flourish of notes written in small notation to lie conveniently beneath the hands [m. 34]. Without divisi fingering, the extra arm or wrist motion required to play the notes could be detrimental to the fluidity and speed which the passage require.”

68, fn2: "When using this divisi fingering, the pianist must carefully listen for and bring out the proper voice-leading within the harmonic progression."

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/5/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 68.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/5/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 68.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/5/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 68.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/5/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 49, 69.

49: “Difficulties arising from the scoring of wide-spaced chords written on the treble staff in two similar passages from the ‘Pavane pour une infante defunte’ can impede the flow of the cantabile melody. If the rolled and blocked chords in the left hand include just one more note written on the upper staff, the right hand is then free to play the melody using the consecutive fingering marked in the example.”

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/5/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 56, 69.

56: “In addition, divisi fingering allows the rapid flourish of notes written in small notation to lie conveniently beneath the hands. Without divisi fingering, the extra arm or wrist motion required to play the notes could be detrimental to the fluidity and speed which the passage require.”

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/4/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 70.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/6/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 70.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/6/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 70.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/6/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 70.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/6/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 48, 71.

48: “The passage from ‘Jeux d'eau’ shows the left hand playing the second note of a two-note slur written on the upper staff. A small right hand is unable to slur the notes with the index finger and thumb.”

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/6/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 70.

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/6/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 40, 71.

39: “Example 21 further illustrates the advantage of redistributing a single or recurring note in a passage, whereby the momentum is maintained with a more comfortable fingering.”

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/6/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 41, 71.

40: “Rapid leaps from one range of the keyboard to another require extra energy and may interrupt the flow of both the rhythm and the phrasing. However, a pianist can maintain his energy level while increasing his accuracy and musical expression by dividing notes, as shown, in the measures of Example 22. With divisi fingering, the angularity of abrupt motion from one register to another is lessened by allowing the right hand more time to move.”

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/6/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 72.

“I find it easier to control this delicate texture with this hand distribution. Taking select thirty-second notes in the left hand in mm. 5–6 allows just enough time for the right hand to prepare for its melody notes.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published 1/11/2020

SPECIAL COLLECTION | Dorothy Brandwein’s Ravel Fingerings

Published on 4/4/2022 with the author’s permission

First appeared in Dorothy Woster Brandwein, "Divisi Fingering in Selected Passages from Ravel's Solo Piano Works" (DMA diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 1981), 35, 73.

35: “Divisi fingering can diminish interference between hands in many measures that have a complex harmonic texture or figuration. Example 16 shows...which have in common the necessity for a blend of notes at great speed and at very soft dynamic levels.”