How to Cross Hands

Welcome to virtualsheetmusic.com. I'm your host Robert Estrin with a special show today, how to approach crossed hands playing the piano. Why would anybody want to cross their hands on the piano anyway? Is it just for show? We're going to cover all of that today, and the example we're using is the first moment of the famous Beethoven, so that out of the Pathetique Sonata in C minor. Now, so why would you ever want to cross your hands? Why would a composer have you do that? I mean, you've got the keys here couldn't you just re-divide them? Well, the fact of the matter is sometimes, it really does make sense. As you can see, I'm going to demonstrate by playing the middle section that has this to cross section parts of this sonata, the first movement, in the exposition and again, the recapitulation. I'm going to play the first one, the exposition, and you'll see why it makes sense, how one hand just stays there playing. Well, the other hand goes back and forth. And then, I'll show you how to approach it so you can get nice fluidity in your playing, not just in this Beethoven Sonata, but any time you have quick cross hands playing in any music.

Just beautiful writing, isn't it? So, you can see the logic behind it. Having the hands crossover so would keep that left hand constant with the chords, and the right hand... It almost sounds like three hands, doesn't it? The duet between the top and the bottom. So, the secret to being able to get from one part and cross the hands, and be able to control it beautifully, and get the dynamics you want, is being prepared ahead of time. That's right. So, as soon as you do the crossed hands, you get over not just the first key, but all the keys you're going to play, and you not only get over those notes, but you get over in a completely relaxed manner. So, here is how to practice it. You start off and you stop just after the point of the crossed hands, but you don't play those notes. You just hang over them with nice relaxed hand over all the keys. Watch.

You noticed how I'm over the three notes here, and the four notes here, I should say, and I'm ready to play them, but I don't play them at first. Instead, I'm just over them, very relaxed, ready for them. That way, I can use the minimal amount of finger motion to get those notes to speak gently, and with beauty, without any tension. Watch again.

I'm ready to go. And then, once you get comfortable with that and you're over all the notes, not just the first note, but all the notes. You're over all of them, play them and then go on to the next time where it crosses back over the left hand. Watch. So, here's how to practice the next section. And, here, my right hand is now over these notes. Once you're comfortable with that, you have those notes and continue on to the next crossed hands. Before you know it, the whole section has come together. This gives you the possibility of playing with a lightness, and a beauty, and control. And, the other thing is you'll be ready for the notes. So, you won't have awkward rhythm with delays in getting there too late, you'll have control, and it will be beautiful. And, you can use this will all your crossed hand playing where you have to cross quickly.

Thanks so much for joining me. Robert Estrin here at virtualsheetmusic.com.

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