Falsedo Method?

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

What do you call badly taught Salzedo method? I have seen students who play with what could only be called a caricature of it. They have their wrists pushed all the way in, their elbows pointing out and every muscle and sinew, as a result, is completely taut/tight/tense. It is frustrating when teachers who don’t really know what they are teaching do not seek out more instruction. What can you do, though. It’s not regulated who teaches what.

I sometimes wonder about other methods, like massage or yoga where teachers have to be certified to say they teach a specific method. I will just say that I don’t agree with any method that requires tensed/taut/tight muscles-the three T’s. Even though I do have to tell students, “elbows up!”, it’s not THAT up, not to poke someone with. Everything has to be movable.

Similarly, I saw a student elsewhere who played with every single finger curved inward as much as possible, which I never saw a Grandjany pupil do. Would that be “Grandfakery”?

Let me conclude by saying that I believe harp study does not end with a diploma. It goes on for as long as necessary, or for as long as is helpful. After my finishing my Master’s, I more-or-less continued weekly lessons, then bi-weekly, then monthly, as it seemed to take longer and longer to have my material ready for Miss Lawrence, so I gradually eased out of regular lessons. I think that worked fairly well. We never could agree on or find another teacher suitable for polishing me off, so it was actually up to me to teach myself in the long haul.

[unknown-user]

Hi,Saul.I was wondering about harp teachers that didn’t learn with Salzedo or Miss Lawrence directly.I understand your point,some people play resembling (excuse me,please)a clothe-hanger (my former teacher was a fine harpist and she feels good doing this way,so ok,no big deal)but Salzedo/Lawrence method is

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Yes, there is some disparity, depending on which master you studied with, and it may increase with generations to come. We are fortunate to have some video footage of Miss Lawrence playing and demonstrating, and it would be a worthy project to film several players for comparison or documentation. The biggest problem might be said to come with those who studied a short time, perhaps four years, and felt they were done because they got their degree. On the other hand,

[unknown-user]

Saul,

I would love to attend your next festival!

[unknown-user]

I love your thread here, Saul. Classic.

A piano professor created an interesting solution to the question of continuing study once you reach a level where there isn’t someone with more technical expertise. He created a professional piano class where the local professors would meet once a month and play for each other, responding and critiquing. They were peers with the common ideal of maintaining their art with the utmost integrity. If the environment is not unduly competitive with non-artistc agendas, then this type of dynamic can foster continued growth by its merits of peer review.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Yes, but can you gather a group of harpists in the same room and have them all come out intact? I have always dreamed of that sort of thing. If we all lived in the same neighborhood. Wouldn’t it be neat to have a lounge for harpists, where we could do that?

[vince-pierce]

What an interesting thread…

I play with my arms totally horizontal, but I make sure to carry the weight of my arms with my shoulder muscles, so my arms

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