Abby Whiteside
Encyclopedia
Abby Whiteside was an influential and controversial American piano
teacher. She challenged the finger
-centric approach of much classical piano teaching and instead advocated a holistic attitude in which the arm
and torso
are the conductors of a musical image conceived first in the mind
and soul
.
at the University of South Dakota
. After a period spent teaching at the University of Oregon
, she studied in Germany
with Rudolf Ganz. On returning to the USA and teaching first in Oregon
and then New York
, she slowly developed the ideas for which she became known.
"...the pupils in my studio played or didn't play, and that was that. The talented ones progressed, the others didn't--and I could do nothing about it."
Whiteside praised the natural ability of the child prodigy
and the jazz
pianist, and sought to understand how an untutored technique could be capable of virtuosity
. One of her teaching principles stemming from that view was that piano pieces must be assimilated not so much as muscle memory
, but as an intrinsic memory of musical content.
One of her pedagogical devices to achieve this was to practice works in different keys, or cross-handed, even simultaneously cross-handed in different keys. Then, upon returning to the correct key, hand positions, and tempo, many of the previous problems in technique had been overcome. Another important device—used especially in the correct tempo of the piece, no matter how fast—is what she calls "outlining": skipping notes provided that the basic rhythm and body dynamics of motion were maintained. (Her term "basic rhythm" is explored below.) The pianist uses these techniques to establish the musical content as firmly in the mind as possible, replacing note-to-note technical concentration—and the attendant note-to-note musical attention—with accomplishment of the larger musical phrase.
In "Indispensables of Piano Playing" Whiteside describes a fulcrum
system that a pianist uses for effective playing. She states that the finger
is the fulcrum of the wrist
, the wrist
the fulcrum of the forearm
, the forearm
the fulcrum of the upper arm, the upper arm the fulcrum of the shoulder
, and the shoulder
the fulcrum of the upper body. Whiteside believed all these parts needed to act as one in order to produce good sound and the soul
was the chief operator of this system.
In her view, fingers are almost useless as agents of either direction or force. Although they might be tutored with much patience to achieve a certain level of dexterity, they possess only limited strength and movement. Indeed, the fourth finger in particular possesses very little of either. Instead, Whiteside advocated the use of the humerus
as the principal force for producing a tone at the piano—the shoulder
joint, being simultaneously powerful and subtle, is more than capable of doing all the work of any individual finger, and moreover is capable of maneuvering any finger into the optimum position such that a simple downward arm movement is required to sound a note. Thus "weak" fingers (i.e., the fourth finger
) are not weak if they are driven by the force of the arm, and exercises to develop their "strength" are a waste of time.
More than even the arm, however, Whiteside advocated the concept of a basic rhythm
--a somewhat specialized term in her writings which indicated an innate sense of phrasing present in all but the most unmusical humans. This rhythm informs every action involved in producing a musical phrase, with the torso
, humerus, forearm, wrist
and fingers forming a single mechanism to express it. Thus, trying to create a completely independent finger technique is inhibitive to the unified expression of a musical phrase and only encourages what she called "note-wise procedure"--conceiving music as a sequence of unconnected pitches rather than as a whole.
Whiteside considered the Chopin
Études
to be the exact point at which a finger-based technique broke down—only a technique which used the arm to direct the phrases conceived in the brain
could even approach them. She was utterly dismissive of the exercises of Czerny
and Hanon
, writing:
"Hanon is used for developing independent fingers with equal hitting power. Obviously this cannot be accomplished. Each finger may gain more power, but there will still be inequality in the fingers. Fingers need to be only expert in transmitting the power of the arm."
Whiteside's sense of muscular use is partly along the lines of the Alexander technique
; perhaps the best-known and best-formalized modern school was founded by Dorothy Taubman. (Taubman's method is now being carried forward by the Golandsky Institute
.)
, few teachers have been willing to entirely abandon the concept of finger drilling.
Critics have pointed out that only one of Whiteside's pupils, Robert Helps
, became known as a concert virtuoso
, and even her admirers admit that her case is not helped by the inadequacies of her prose style; it has been described as convoluted, unclear, repetitious and poorly structured.
Nevertheless, testimonials from adult learners who have read her books are widespread. A recurring theme is that the very same Chopin Études on which she based so much of her teaching had been a stumbling-block until her methods were applied. (It might also have some relevance that Chopin himself is reported to have opposed this idea of equalizing the fingers, which was beginning to catch on in his time.)
, and continued to apply her methods. The former taught the noted jazz pianist and educator Barry Harris
, and Rosoff taught the jazz pianists Fred Hersch
and Ethan Iverson
and Barry Harris. Whiteside also tutored two American composers, Morton Gould
and Vivian Fine
.
In the late 1950s, Sophia Rosoff set up the Abby Whiteside Foundation, an organization dedicated to promote her ideas, train teachers and performers and organize recitals by pianists trained in Whiteside's methods.
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
teacher. She challenged the finger
Finger
A finger is a limb of the human body and a type of digit, an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates....
-centric approach of much classical piano teaching and instead advocated a holistic attitude in which the arm
Arm
In human anatomy, the arm is the part of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow joints. In other animals, the term arm can also be used for analogous structures, such as one of the paired forelimbs of a four-legged animal or the arms of cephalopods...
and torso
Torso
Trunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies from which extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.-Major organs:...
are the conductors of a musical image conceived first in the mind
Mind
The concept of mind is understood in many different ways by many different traditions, ranging from panpsychism and animism to traditional and organized religious views, as well as secular and materialist philosophies. Most agree that minds are constituted by conscious experience and intelligent...
and soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
.
Life
Whiteside majored in musicMusic
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
at the University of South Dakota
University of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota ', the state’s oldest university, was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, USD is home to South Dakota's only medical school and law school. USD is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and its current...
. After a period spent teaching at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
, she studied in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with Rudolf Ganz. On returning to the USA and teaching first in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and then New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, she slowly developed the ideas for which she became known.
Ideas
The catalyst for the development of Whiteside's philosophy was the realisation that, as she wrote,"...the pupils in my studio played or didn't play, and that was that. The talented ones progressed, the others didn't--and I could do nothing about it."
Whiteside praised the natural ability of the child prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
and the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist, and sought to understand how an untutored technique could be capable of virtuosity
Virtuosity
Virtuosity is a 1995 techno-thriller film directed by Brett Leonard. The movie tells the story of a virtual villain's successful attempt to escape into the "real world". SID 6.7, the villain program portrayed by Russell Crowe, is eventually transplanted into an android body and escapes...
. One of her teaching principles stemming from that view was that piano pieces must be assimilated not so much as muscle memory
Muscle memory
Muscle memory has been used synonymously with motor learning, which is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to...
, but as an intrinsic memory of musical content.
One of her pedagogical devices to achieve this was to practice works in different keys, or cross-handed, even simultaneously cross-handed in different keys. Then, upon returning to the correct key, hand positions, and tempo, many of the previous problems in technique had been overcome. Another important device—used especially in the correct tempo of the piece, no matter how fast—is what she calls "outlining": skipping notes provided that the basic rhythm and body dynamics of motion were maintained. (Her term "basic rhythm" is explored below.) The pianist uses these techniques to establish the musical content as firmly in the mind as possible, replacing note-to-note technical concentration—and the attendant note-to-note musical attention—with accomplishment of the larger musical phrase.
In "Indispensables of Piano Playing" Whiteside describes a fulcrum
Fulcrum
Fulcrum is the support about which a lever pivots. It may also refer to:* Fulcrum , part of a percussionist's grip* MiG-29 Fulcrum, a Soviet fighter aircraftIn fiction:...
system that a pianist uses for effective playing. She states that the finger
Finger
A finger is a limb of the human body and a type of digit, an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates....
is the fulcrum of the wrist
Wrist
In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand;...
, the wrist
Wrist
In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand;...
the fulcrum of the forearm
Forearm
-See also:*Forearm flexors*Forearm muscles...
, the forearm
Forearm
-See also:*Forearm flexors*Forearm muscles...
the fulcrum of the upper arm, the upper arm the fulcrum of the shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
, and the shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
the fulcrum of the upper body. Whiteside believed all these parts needed to act as one in order to produce good sound and the soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
was the chief operator of this system.
In her view, fingers are almost useless as agents of either direction or force. Although they might be tutored with much patience to achieve a certain level of dexterity, they possess only limited strength and movement. Indeed, the fourth finger in particular possesses very little of either. Instead, Whiteside advocated the use of the humerus
Humerus
The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow....
as the principal force for producing a tone at the piano—the shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
joint, being simultaneously powerful and subtle, is more than capable of doing all the work of any individual finger, and moreover is capable of maneuvering any finger into the optimum position such that a simple downward arm movement is required to sound a note. Thus "weak" fingers (i.e., the fourth finger
Ring finger
The ring finger is the fourth digit of the human hand, and the second most ulnar finger, located between the middle finger and the little finger. It is also called digitus medicinalis, the fourth finger, digitus annularis, digitus quartus, or digitus IV in anatomy.- Etymology :According to László A...
) are not weak if they are driven by the force of the arm, and exercises to develop their "strength" are a waste of time.
More than even the arm, however, Whiteside advocated the concept of a basic rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
--a somewhat specialized term in her writings which indicated an innate sense of phrasing present in all but the most unmusical humans. This rhythm informs every action involved in producing a musical phrase, with the torso
Torso
Trunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies from which extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.-Major organs:...
, humerus, forearm, wrist
Wrist
In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand;...
and fingers forming a single mechanism to express it. Thus, trying to create a completely independent finger technique is inhibitive to the unified expression of a musical phrase and only encourages what she called "note-wise procedure"--conceiving music as a sequence of unconnected pitches rather than as a whole.
Whiteside considered the Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
Études
Études (Chopin)
The Études by Frédéric Chopin are three sets of solo studies for the piano, There are twenty-seven overall, comprising two separate collections of twelve, numbered Opus 10 and 25, and a set of three without opus number.-Composition:...
to be the exact point at which a finger-based technique broke down—only a technique which used the arm to direct the phrases conceived in the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
could even approach them. She was utterly dismissive of the exercises of Czerny
Carl Czerny
Carl Czerny was an Austrian pianist, composer and teacher. He is best remembered today for his books of études for the piano. Czerny's music was profoundly influenced by his teachers, Muzio Clementi, Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Antonio Salieri and Ludwig van Beethoven.-Early life:Carl Czerny was born...
and Hanon
Charles-Louis Hanon
Charles-Louis Hanon was a French piano pedagogue and composer. He is best known for his work The Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises, which has become the most widely used set of exercises in modern piano teaching....
, writing:
"Hanon is used for developing independent fingers with equal hitting power. Obviously this cannot be accomplished. Each finger may gain more power, but there will still be inequality in the fingers. Fingers need to be only expert in transmitting the power of the arm."
Whiteside's sense of muscular use is partly along the lines of the Alexander technique
Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique teaches the ability to improve physical postural habits, particularly those that have become ingrained and conditioned responses...
; perhaps the best-known and best-formalized modern school was founded by Dorothy Taubman. (Taubman's method is now being carried forward by the Golandsky Institute
Golandsky Institute
The Golandsky Institute is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the Taubman Approach to piano playing. Led by Edna Golandsky, Artistic Director, the Institute holds an annual seminar at Princeton University and hosts symposia and master classes worldwide...
.)
Criticism
In spite of the remarkable results Whiteside achieved with her own pupils (many of whom were far from promising when beginning lessons with her), her ideas are still not widely accepted. A technique based on independence of the fingers continues to be widely taught; although the notion is now widespread that an effective arm technique is essential to fluent playing and avoiding repetitive strain injuryRepetitive strain injury
Repetitive strain injury is an injury of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by...
, few teachers have been willing to entirely abandon the concept of finger drilling.
Critics have pointed out that only one of Whiteside's pupils, Robert Helps
Robert Helps
Robert Helps was an American pianist and composer....
, became known as a concert virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
, and even her admirers admit that her case is not helped by the inadequacies of her prose style; it has been described as convoluted, unclear, repetitious and poorly structured.
Nevertheless, testimonials from adult learners who have read her books are widespread. A recurring theme is that the very same Chopin Études on which she based so much of her teaching had been a stumbling-block until her methods were applied. (It might also have some relevance that Chopin himself is reported to have opposed this idea of equalizing the fingers, which was beginning to catch on in his time.)
Legacy
In addition to Robert Helps, two of Whiteside's pupils became noted teachers in their own right, Joseph Prostakoff and Sophia RosoffSophia Rosoff
Sophia Rosoff is an American pianist and educator, and a founder of the Abby Whiteside Foundation.She was a co-editor of the reprinted collection of Abby Whiteside's writings, along with Joseph Prostakoff....
, and continued to apply her methods. The former taught the noted jazz pianist and educator Barry Harris
Barry Harris
Barry Doyle Harris is an American bebop jazz pianist and educator.-Biography:Harris left Detroit for New York City in 1960...
, and Rosoff taught the jazz pianists Fred Hersch
Fred Hersch
Fred Hersch is a contemporary American jazz pianist who has become a consistent and highly demanded performer on the international jazz scene....
and Ethan Iverson
Ethan Iverson
Ethan Iverson is a pianist, composer, and critic best known for his work in the postmodern jazz trio The Bad Plus, with bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King....
and Barry Harris. Whiteside also tutored two American composers, Morton Gould
Morton Gould
Morton Gould was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist.Born in Richmond Hill, New York, Gould was recognized early as a child prodigy with abilities in improvisation and composition. His first composition was published at age six...
and Vivian Fine
Vivian Fine
Vivian Fine was an American composer.Over her 70 year career, Vivian Fine became one of America’s most important composers. She wrote virtually without a break for 68 years, producing over 140 works...
.
In the late 1950s, Sophia Rosoff set up the Abby Whiteside Foundation, an organization dedicated to promote her ideas, train teachers and performers and organize recitals by pianists trained in Whiteside's methods.
Works
- Whiteside, Abby, 2003. Abby Whiteside on Piano Playing: Indispensables of Piano Playing, Mastering the Chopin Etudes and Other Essays. Joseph Prostakoff, Sophia Rosoff, eds. Amadeus Press, Portland. [Indispensables orig. pub. posthumously, 1955; Mastering orig. pub. posthumously, 1969]. ISBN 978-1-57467-020-2.