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Brandwein's Ravel Fingerings
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Composers All Composers Addinsell Albéniz Arditi Argento Bach Barber Bartók Beethoven Ben-Haim Bizet Bonds Boulanger Brahms Carter Chopin Copland Danielpour Debussy Donaudy Fauré Franck Gershwin Ginastera Granados Grieg Hahn Handel Haydn Hopekirk Ives Janáček Kaprávolá Liszt Martinu Mendelssohn Mozart Obradors Poulenc Price Prokofiev Rachmaninoff Ravel Rodrigo Rossini Saint-Saëns Sancan Schubert Schulhoff R. Schumann Scriabin Shostakovich Sisco Strauss Tchaikovsky Tosti Vaughan Williams Vine Weber Wolf ContributorsTechnical Categories Special Collections Brandwein's Ravel Fingerings Submit Ideas About How It Works Who We Are Search
Piano Tricks
fingerings reimagined
BRAHMS | Five Songs, Op. 106: IV. Meine Lieder
 

“Taking these notes in the helps make the bass line more legato.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 3/17/2020

 
Art SongMichael ClarkAugust 8, 2019Johannes Brahms, Five Songs (Op. 106), Michael Clark, art song, redistributionComment
BRAHMS | Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 108: I. 59–61
 

“It’s unwieldy to keep these two lines legato with the left hand alone. The right hand can intervene.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 7, 2019Johannes Brahms, Violin Sonata (Op. 108), Michael Clark, redistribution, improve legato
BRAHMS | Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 108: I. mm. 72–83
 
Piano fingerings for Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, by Johannes Brahms
Piano fingerings for Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, by Johannes Brahms

“This hand distribution helps reduce the number of position shifts to as few as possible.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 7, 2019Johannes Brahms, Violin Sonata (Op. 108), Michael Clark, hand crossing, redistribution, reduce position shifts, facilitate leap
BRAHMS | Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 108: I. 90–92
 
Piano fingerings for Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, by Johannes Brahms

“Taking the last note of the tenor line in the right hand frees the left hand for a smooth transition to its next position.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 7, 2019Johannes Brahms, Violin Sonata (Op. 108), Michael Clark, facilitate leap, redistribution
BRAHMS | Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 108: I. 208–13
 
Piano fingerings for Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, by Johannes Brahms

“This distribution divides the triplets more evenly between the hands, eliminating finger crossing where possible.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 7, 2019Johannes Brahms, Violin Sonata (Op. 108), Michael Clark, avoid finger crossing, wide arpeggio, redistribution
BRAHMS | Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 108: III. 17–24
 
Piano fingerings for Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, by Johannes Brahms

“Taking one additional note in the right hand gives just enough time for a more secure left-hand leap.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 7, 2019Johannes Brahms, Violin Sonata (Op. 108), Michael Clark, facilitate leap, redistribution
BRAHMS | Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 108: III. 113–19
 
Piano fingerings for Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, by Johannes Brahms

“This redistribution is designed to achieve maximum legato.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 7, 2019Johannes Brahms, Violin Sonata (Op. 108), Share Middle Voice Between Hands, Michael Clark, double notes, improve legato, redistribution
BRAHMS | Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 108: IV. mm. 176–78
 
Piano fingerings for Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, by Johannes Brahms

“Taking the A as an octave with the right hand gives the left hand more time to shift to its new position.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/8/2022

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 7, 2019Johannes Brahms, Violin Sonata (Op. 108), Michael Clark, facilitate leap, redistributionComment
BRAHMS | Sonata in D Minor for Piano and Violin, Op. 108: IV. 182–86
 
Piano fingerings for Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108, by Johannes Brahms

“Taking some of the bottom notes of the treble staff into the left hand allows the right hand to remain in a more compact position.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 7, 2019Johannes Brahms, Violin Sonata (Op. 108), Michael Clark, avoid stretch, redistribution
BRAHMS | Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, No. 2: mm. 72–73
 
Piano fingerings for Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, No. 2, by Johannes Brahms

“Stretching to the ninth might be uncomfortable for some. Taking the G-sharp in the right hand relieves the stretch and allows a legato connection.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Solo PianoMichael ClarkAugust 4, 2019Johannes Brahms, Klavierstücke (Op. 118), Michael Clark, avoid stretch, redistribution, improve legato
BRAHMS | Intermezzo in E-flat Minor, Op. 118, No. 6: mm. 7–8
 
Piano fingerings for Intermezzo in E-flat Minor, Op. 118, No. 6, by Johannes Brahms

“When possible, it’s nice to reduce the stretch in the left hand by grabbing the top note in the right.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Solo PianoMichael ClarkAugust 4, 2019Johannes Brahms, Klavierstücke (Op. 118), Michael Clark, avoid stretch, redistribution, wide accompaniment pattern
BRAHMS | Intermezzo in E-flat Minor, Op. 118, No. 6: mm. 63–66
 
Piano fingerings for Intermezzo in E-flat Minor, Op. 118, No. 6, by Johannes Brahms

“When possible, it’s nice to reduce the stretch in the left hand by grabbing the top note in the right.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Solo PianoMichael ClarkAugust 4, 2019Johannes Brahms, Klavierstücke (Op. 118), Michael Clark, avoid stretch, redistribution, wide accompaniment pattern
BRAHMS | Intermezzo in E-flat Minor, Op. 118, No. 6: mm. 71–74
 
Piano fingerings for Intermezzo in E-flat Minor, Op. 118, No. 6, by Johannes Brahms

“The top notes of this widely spaced accompaniment can be incorporated into the right hand.”

Submitted by Michael Clark with thanks to Jennifer Hayghe

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Solo PianoMichael ClarkAugust 4, 2019Johannes Brahms, Klavierstücke (Op. 118), Michael Clark, avoid stretch, redistribution, wide accompaniment pattern
BRAHMS | Sonata in F Minor for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1: I. 1–4
 
Piano fingerings for Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1, by Johannes Brahms

“Dividing these octaves between the hands facilitates legato without excessive pedal.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 2, 2019Johannes Brahms, Clarinet Sonata in F Minor (Op. 120/1), Michael Clark, split 3-voice octaves, redistribution, improve legato
BRAHMS | Sonata in F Minor for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1: I. 29–35
 

Original:

Piano fingerings for Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1, by Johannes Brahms

Suggested performance:

Piano fingerings for Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1, by Johannes Brahms

“I prefer to avoid thumbs crossing when possible. Exchanging the inner notes eliminates the crowding.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 2, 2019Johannes Brahms, Clarinet Sonata in F Minor (Op. 120/1), Michael Clark, redistribution, avoid crowding
BRAHMS | Sonata in F Minor for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1: I. 112–14
 

Original:

Piano fingerings for Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1, by Johannes Brahms

Suggested performance:

Piano fingerings for Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1, by Johannes Brahms

Submitted by Michael Lenahan

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 2, 2019Johannes Brahms, Clarinet Sonata in F Minor (Op. 120/1), Michael Lenahan, avoid crowding, double notes, facilitate leap, redistribution
BRAHMS | Sonata in F Minor for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1: I. 233–36
 
Piano fingerings for Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1, by Johannes Brahms

“After the left-hand thumb plays the F feels like a natural place to switch to the right hand.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 2, 2019Johannes Brahms, Clarinet Sonata in F Minor (Op. 120/1), Michael Clark, redistribution
BRAHMS | Sonata in F Minor for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1: II. 49–52
 
Piano fingerings for Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1, by Johannes Brahms

“This redistribution allows the tied notes to be held without crossing over the thumb or finger substitutions.”

Submitted by Michael Clark

Published on 1/1/2020

 
Chamber MusicMichael ClarkAugust 2, 2019Johannes Brahms, Clarinet Sonata in F Minor (Op. 120/1), Michael Clark, hand crossing, redistribution, facilitate tie, avoid finger crossing
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