[CAUT] excessive pedaling?

[Fred Sturm]

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On 3/18/05 11:21 AM, "Jeff Olson" <jlolson@cal.net> wrote:

> Exactly.  It seems that most if not all the list members seem to view hea=
vy
> use of the "dua" corda pedal as a priori justified, apparently because so=
me
> pianists do that (again, I haven't observed concert or highly skilled pia=
nists
> doing what Wim described), or because it allegedly allows an added range =
of
> timbre (presumably one that couldn't be duplicated by mere expressive
> playing).
> =20
> I'd like to propose that apparently radical notion that if this pedal
> disappeared tomorrow, expressiveness in piano performance would not only =
not
> decline, it would, if anything, improve.  You have, basically, an infinit=
e
> dynamic range from applying different degrees of force to a key alone, wi=
thout
> what is, essentially, a special-effect pedal.  Yes, some pianists may use=
 it,
> but that doesn't demonstrate its utility; it may simply confirm that peop=
le
> will use a function that's available, especially if it can serve as a cru=
tch.
> =20

Hi Jeff,
    I used to share that view, as an aspiring pianist. And it is probably
true that there are many pianists who =B3use it as a crutch=B2 because they
haven=B9t developed the finger control necessary to produce fine gradations o=
f
tone.
    But my initial prejudice against use of una corda was based on my own
experience, which did not include playing on pianos that had been prepared
to what I now consider to be standard concert readiness. IOW, they weren=B9t
una corda voiced. Most of the time, a full shift would put the two strings
in hammer grooves. Or on the edge of hammer grooves (even worse).
    Artistic use of a well voiced una corda can be a revelation. It is
definitely a part of my repertoire as a pianist today. I can play quite wel=
l
without one, but I sure wouldn=B9t do so if I had a choice.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico



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