Talking Fingers: An Interview Study of Pianists' Views on Fingering

Seven professional pianists were interviewed to gather their views on various aspects of piano fingering. The issues covered included technical considerations, the influence of interpretation and composers' markings on fingering, the effects of different Performance circumstances, and the role of teachers in determining fingering strategies. An analysis of the participants' responses revealed both a considerable amount of common ground in their attitudes to these matters, and some strikingly different attitudes. Five primary themes emerged: i) while Standard fingerings form the basis for these performers' strategies, a greater use of Standard fingerings in sight-read as opposed to rehearsed or memorised performance was predicted by the participants; ii) those performers with a deeper involvement in, and earlier exposure to, contemporary music considered themselves to have a less Standard approach to fingering; iii) physical considerations not only represent constraints on fingering, but also offer opportunities to employ positively pleasurable fingerings which may be highly idiosyncratic; iv) while interpretation is universally regarded as the primary determinant of finger choice, attitudes range from a refusal to contemplate a fingering until musical matters have been resolved to the belief that a Single best fingering can be found onto which interpretative choices are mapped; v) the participants appear to have good declarative knowledge of the more abstract and Strategic aspects of their approach to fingering, and essentially procedural knowledge of what they do in any particular circumstance, as found in previous research on motor skill.