There is a book by the same title that is really excellent, it’s got a lot of thoughts on keyboard playing and technique from the letters of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, and students who observed their playing.  It’s a fantastic resource.

There’s only so much you can learn from a book though, and it’s amazing that we live in a time that virtually every recorded video of the great pianists is available for free on the internet.

So let’s have a look at skilled hands at work:

The First in this series, my hero in life:

Michelangeli.

Italian, Ex-Race Car Driver, Gorgeous Piano Sound, Supremely Stylish, Masterful, Exquisite control of color, sonority, nuance and touch.  Notice his ease at the keyboard and complete confidence in his ability.

Chopin Ballade no. 1

Chopin Sonata no. 2, 1st Movement

Debussy. Image, Reflets dans l’Eau.

Scarlatti Recital. Part I.

Beethoven. Sonata op. 111.

Mompou and Chopin.

Older, but wiser. Debussy.