The central thesis of On Piano Playing is that the piano is a percussion instrument, and the pianist is a machine—albeit an artistic one. Sandor argues that many piano injuries (tendonitis, carpal tunnel) and technical limitations stem from a misunderstanding of how the body moves.
He breaks down piano technique into five fundamental patterns of motion. If you have downloaded the PDF looking for answers, these are the chapters you should pay the most attention to:
Oxford University Press (OUP) has released an official e-book version of On Piano Playing. You can purchase it directly through their website or academic platforms like ProQuest. This is a watermarked PDF but fully searchable and legal.
Before hunting for the PDF, one must understand the author. György Sándor (1912–2005) was a Hungarian pianist and a direct student of Béla Bartók. This lineage is crucial. While other pianists taught abstract "relaxation," Sándor learned from Bartók that piano playing should mimic natural human movements: walking, lifting, and swinging. gyorgy sandor on piano playing pdf work
Sándor survived the turmoil of mid-century Europe, emigrated to the United States, and taught at the University of Michigan and the Juilliard School. His life’s work was to codify a injury-free technique. Unlike Dorothy Taubman (who focused on specific choreography), Sándor focused on five fundamental "basic actions."
Before we discuss the gyorgy sandor on piano playing pdf work, we must understand the author. Gyorgy Sandor (1912–2005) was not merely a piano teacher; he was a direct disciple of Béla Bartók. In fact, Sandor studied with Bartók at the Liszt Academy in Budapest and became the legendary composer’s first authorized interpreter.
Sandor’s unique position gave him insight into 20th-century piano literature that few others possessed. While most piano methods of the early 20th century focused on the Romantic repertoire (Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff), Sandor recognized that modern music – with its percussive clusters, angular leaps, and polytonal dissonance – required a completely new technical approach. This realization led him to write On Piano Playing (first published in 1981 by Schirmer Books, later by Oxford University Press). The central thesis of On Piano Playing is
Summary: This treatise analyzes György Sándor’s pedagogical and artistic approach to piano playing, drawing on his writings, editions, recordings, and reported teaching practice. It examines his technical methods, interpretive aims, keyboard touch, articulation, phrase-structure, use of historical sources (especially for Hungarian and Bartók repertoire), and his legacy as a performer-teacher. Where specific texts or editions are referenced, page or edition details are given so readers can locate primary materials (including available PDFs of his writings and editions when public-domain or publisher-permitted).
Contents
When searching for PDFs: prioritize publisher-authorized digital editions and institutional repositories (university libraries, conservatory archives). Public-domain scans may exist for older editions and should be used only where legally permitted. emigrated to the United States
Concluding note (practical): Adopt Sándor’s core maxim—technique is inseparable from musical purpose. Train motions that directly realize musical aims: clear pulse, efficient motion, controlled tone, and fidelity to score and style.
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