hand to ensure evenness of execution. Liszt adds that this in itself will indicate the
quietness which pervades his style of playing.
Some teachers advise the abolition of scales and arpeggios. This is a profound mistake.
Scale-playing is the best mode of achieving finger control, velocity of movement and
melodic legato. Perhaps the following story will be a consolation to the young student
who finds it difficult to reconcile himself to the practice of scales. On one occasion the
Irish dramatist Edward Martyn told me that he and a companion had made their way to
the Villa d’Este outside Rome, where Liszt was staying as a guest of Cardinal Hohenlohe.
Having discovered the hour at which Liszt usually practised, they crept stealthily to the
window of the room in which they knew him to be at work, and eavesdropped outside.
To their intense disappointment, stay as long as they could, they heard nothing but scales.
Liszt advised his pupils to play staccato passages as a rule with whole-arm. Since whole-
arm action, strange to say, allows a lighter staccato, is more accurate and produces a
crisper result generally.’
Kellermann did not make any discs or rolls.
MAINTENANCE
Pianos need regular maintenance as does any piece of machinery with moving parts. The
hammers of pianos are voiced to compensate for gradual hardening and a piano tuner
does this with a special tool with which he pierces the hammers. Other parts need
periodic regulation. Aged and worn pianos can have parts replaced and can be rebuilt
and reconditioned.
A piano should be kept out of direct sunlight, away from heat, draught and damp, in an
ambient temperature of not more than 20 degrees celsius and a humidity of between 40%
and 75%. Humidity below 40% may cause the piano to dry out, the glue joints to break
and bits to fall off. Humidity above 80% may cause action parts to seize up with sticking
notes and may also cause metal parts to rust and mildew to form.
Wooden finishes on the casework of a piano should be polished with a silicone-free
polish such as one with beeswax. Modern polyester finishes just need a soft cloth to wipe
off any dust and finger marks.
Keys may be wiped with a damp cloth, avoiding ammonia which may harm the casework
and remove the colour from the black keys. Do not allow any moisture to get down
between the keys as they may swell up and stick.
Once ivory becomes yellowed it is very difficult to bring it up to white again as the
discolouration goes through the grain. Some tuners recommend leaving the piano lid
open sometimes to allow light on ivory keys and help prevent them turning yellow.