The Art of Finger Dexterity, Op. 740 No. 37

8.11 Build even speed in a finger study

Study Czerny’s Op. 740 No. 37 from The Art of Finger Dexterity, in D minor, headed “Clearness in great Strength”. The left hand runs in triplet figures under the right hand’s chords and octaves: keep every note of the running figures even and clear, give the chords strength from the arm rather than the fingers, and raise the tempo in small steps only when the figures stay even. This is the level’s second study, beside MacDowell’s Improvisation.

Ideas

• Scale and arpeggio mechanics
• Playing without tension

Theory cards

• Scales and arpeggios under the hand
• Staying free of tension

Technique

• D harmonic minor scale, hands separately, 2 octaves