The Taubman Approach to Beethoven Moonlight Sonata 'Presto agitato' | Robert Durso and Ben Laude 

Ben is great in these: ego out of the way, just here like an enthusiastic beginner. Lots to learn from this little clip.

This has to be one of the most valuable piano pedagogy channels on youtube along with Paul Barton, Shijun Wang, and Josh Wright's content.

When my teacher was injured, he discovered the Taubman approach, and I was lucky enough to learn it 23 years ago. When I was injured practicing cello with a terrible prognosis, I fell back on Taubman techniques - rotation, arm weight, minimizing finger power unless necessary. Not only did they help bring me back to cello years later, but I can play this mov’t again, some Liszt and Brahms. I cannot thank Dorothy Taubman enough.

The Taubman work is brilliant. The concepts really need to be part of main stream piano teaching. And Robert Durso gave a heck of a class here.

It is amazing what a sport Ben is here. He's obviously a very accomplished pianist and teacher in his own right, but he's playing the pupil so that we can learn about the Taubman method. How generous he is doing so. Thanks to both of you.

Robert Durso shows the sensitivity of a great teacher.

I went to a Taubman/Golandsky teacher about 15 years ago and while I only took lessons for about a year, I have always wondered why their methods haven't caught on more quickly. It’s logical and focused on creating injury-free playing. Makes me happy to see it get some attention here.

pleeease give us more videos of prof. Durso, the taubman technique has to become more widely known and Durso teaches it so well.

Thank you for letting this be an in-depth conversation and view into more advanced applications of the taubman work. I often get sick of the cursory or surface-level treatment RU-vid videos give. This video reveals the truth and meat of it. I am not surprised Bernstein disagrees with the approach. Ha!

Ben, it is truly an excellent lesson and a line of improvement and knowledge of the piano by mr. Robert Durso, he knows very well how the piano works and the topography of the keyboard and the natural movements of the hand, fingers and body including de pedal that must be acquired. I am a concert pianist trained in Hungary (Franz Liszt Superior School of Music) with the so-called Russian technique, believe me, your worst enemy is yourself, you have super-accelerated thinking that does not give the brain or the body time to "learn" the gestures and your self-audition to improve your technique, I warmly recommend this pianist and pedagogue who is undoubtedly a great professional. I hope you do not misunderstand my words, there is no kind of being aggressive with you or disrespectful. Thanks for reading me.

i love the word "notice" in this .....AND I love how the other guy challenges the idea of practicing in varied rhythms.... great video ....

I am not a pianist, only an enthusiastic piano player. Thank you for sharing. Learned a lot. Eye opening. Only small changes in holding your hand can bring miracles.

I studied Exercise Science at university (Rehabilitation and Movement) and within the field it is so common to look at the biomechanics of sports movement, daily living, and even dance which is incredibly artistic as well as being athletic. But i have been quite surprised to learn that musicians and musicianship are almost completely separated from this field of study. Music playing is as much a sport as it is an artistic expression, like dance or even figure skating. I grew up playing the flute and some piano, and have returned to these beautiful activities later in life. As my mind has been formed to look at movement often in relationship to biomechanics, injury prevention, and efficient movement, i've been frustrated to see that the standard principles of form and technique are usually a one-size-fits-all approach. This should not be the case, even when following the natural laws of body movement regarding piano playing, for example. This video is a wonderful demonstration of how you can maintain those universal laws of movement while still considering the particular build of the student. It also shows the direct relationship of good biomechanics (technique appropriate for the human body) to a beautiful, injury free performance. Well done and thank you for these videos!

Finally! Some sensible and useful instruction on linking musical demands to a physical gesture. More, please!

Love Dorothy and Edna - thank God for all the other amazing pedagogues!

More Taubman stuff please!!!

Damn, I've been on forums that make fun of the Taubman videos on RU-vid, but this really seems like logical and helpful advice. The problem is that not every Taubman teacher is Robert Durso. I'd love to take lessons with someone who could improve my hand coordination using this very logical, integrated system.

As a former towed student it’s so wonderful to see these concepts in this lesson

This is a wonderful video, both on how to teach and how to be a non-defensive student and be open to suggestion.

That’s an very valuable video. The instructions Rob gives are high level piano playing. Simply great and extremely helpful.

Congratulations Mr Durso! I am a concert pianist, well, (I went because I was already retired) and this video posted by you seemed excellent to me, you know very well how the technique works, sorry, the techniques, which requires a good knowledge of the keyboard, of the body , fingers, wrist, arms etc, etc... and good practice for studying. I was based in the Franz Liszt Conservatory of Music in Budapest (Hungary) and I was lucky enough to work with my piano teachers who followed the so-called "Russian" technique, which is very much in line with what you recommend. Thank you very much for reading and congratulations once again.

That moment when Ben discovered that his fingers are a part of his hand. Bravo!

This lesson blew my mind as I discovered it after starting to learn this about a week ago, and struggling to do the opening without a ton of tension and fatigue. Thank you for this

Both teachers are exceptional! Thank you both. Very valuable

Great lessons from each participant. Wonderful, priceless (literally free), and vast information!

Amazing video ...loved every minute of it. Thankyou very much for sharing.

Wow, what an excellent lesson and what an amazing teacher! I enjoyed every second and it inspired me to reconnect with both my body and my piano.

It’s 10 years I’ve been using the Taubman approach after 30 years of finger lifting, stretching and complete absence of direction. I must say it’s a pity this technique doesn’t get the attention it deserves. After even 10 years, I still have to remind myself that there is a whole arm there to aid in my playing! If only this technique had been taught to me right from the beginning!

So great to hear these thoughts expressed outloud!

An excellent analysis and approach. I shall be experimenting with some of this advice tomorrow on this same piece.

I found this enormously helpful. Thank you

What an amazing and helpful discussion! Mille et une remerciemments!

Fascinating! Absolutely fascinating!!!

Wonderful . Just wonderful . Thank you so much

Can't believe these guys are talking about playing the piano the way I think about it. Never knew that I was not alone in thinking this.

Perfect lesson. Probably worth 3 times as much as would have been asked for (knowing this is a free lesson).

Such an intellectual lesson!

Awesome as usual !!

Thaaaaaanks!!! my fingers are back to my hands, after trying these excellent suggestions!

Amazing to watch.

Throwing the thumb in during practice is what helps me to keep a faster transition in between. Having said that I’m still only about 70% speed but this is super valuable info! Thank you both.

Tonebase thank you for upploading this amazing lessons 🤩 Keep them coming 🤗

This is such a valuable video on piano pedagogy! Would be interesting to have Taubman tutors here in my country.

MORE OF THIS!

Great stuff indeed!

Amazing! Thank you

Great lesson

I don’t even play and this was a very interesting video. It makes me look so much different at those that do play.

more of these!!! every week!

Fascinating.

THIS IS GREAT!!!

Very informative!

Brilliant. Thx gents

Great video

This is both fascinating and inspiring. I'm pulling out the keyboard and learning Presto Agitato! Been wanting to for a while... should be an interesting endeavor, as a highly novice, few finger, key picker! Lol. But i don't care if I don't play any other piece in my life, as long as i can play Presto Agitato like Valentina Lisitsa! Here we go!

Thank you kindly🤍

The first time I have heard professionals get enthusiastic about the Moonlight Sonata

Haha, 11 days ago I responded to a video of yours recommending a commenter to check out the Taubman approach because it has helped me tremendously in a very short time. Coincidence? Anyhow, I'm very glad it's finally getting some love and attention because it's misunderstood (and underrepresented) everywhere! And the way you approach piano technique and Taubman in this video is an especially clear one

Wonderful

Thank you

Wow mind blown!!!!!

I love this. So many things to learn.

Brilliant

"Bob! My fingers are part of my hand!?" LOL @15:00 I choked on water!

Muito bom! 🎹👏🏽

Very interesting.

This was the best video of the Taubman technique I've seen so far. All the others have such a poor camera angle that I have no idea what the fingers etc. are doing. I wish all the videos were like this. The other thing is, these techniques seem so easy, why are they not the norm? Or are they and I missed something. Are all piano students being taught this way now and the these videos are only from older students who had poor habits ingrained?

I like this.

Dear colleagues, my deepest admiration for the brilliance of your playing and the means you express that results in brilliance and speed. But as your admirers, the very opening does nothing to answer the question because neither of you considered what I believe is requisite number one for studying music, and that is what is it's feeling and are we following the compoer's requirements. You see the final movement is marked piano. Your approaches can never arrive at piano unless you discuss major changes in the muscular condition of the arms and body plus other choreographic adjustments. Remember, there are no muscles in the fingers of our hands. There are only tendons and ligaments. Seymour Bernstein.

I'm glad to hear Tonebase finally get a good piano sound in one of their videos. I'd recommend using this recording session as a template to improve your ongoing videos. I enjoyed the Mok class on Ravel's Pavane but the piano recording sound is terrible.

#moretaubman

Many thanks for this great lesson 🙂 Is there any chance you might do a video about Peter Feuchtwanger?

I really need to learn this….

Excellent, excellent, excellent! I mean, if I’m going to be up all night from insomnia anyway, might as well become a better pianist while I’m at it. Subscribing.

🤔And why I have never heard any great pianists ever mention things like this in the masterclass? Do they assume that we all have the supreme techniques that can be adjusted fluently like the winking eyes. 😉 And wow!!! Your sound has changed!!! Congratulations!!🎉🎊

I don't play piano yet, but this video taught me that my fingers are part of my hand .

Wow!

Checkpoints! Yes

Would LOVE a tutorial on how to connect the last measures of the exposition back to the beginning. Two awkward jumps in a row that only a rubato seems to make possible

I started to practice this masterpiece 🎉❤ so happy to watch the progress how can i improve the allegro version.

Lifesaver,,,thank you. Is their more video of the last movement on the website?

Golden calf classical music

Even after so much telling the shirt guy still had a right crooked hand. He needs to make it parallel to the keyboard (as according to Taubman) but he doesn't. For 10 years, I played the piano and organ like everyone else then I played as taught by Taubman and also discovered the keyboard by myself more and more. Now, I am quite at the top at playing piano.

Great insights on technique, definitely need more of this in lessons. My only gripe is the opening, it’s too loud! Should be piano.. with the pedal only used on the sforzando hits!!

Can you do a video when you show Tubman approach to the tempest sonata 1° mov?

WOW, talk about almost instant improvement! No offense to Ben, but when he started it was something of a hot mess. He caught on very quickly and the result was striking. Such a valuable lesson, I think that I will go learn the piece myself…

Good videos.. I'd like the idea of Ben who I think studied in Juliard ? ...can still learn ...and we all can.. Pick up all the good things.. I had one very good teacher but it was difficult to change the way I played.. But surprisingly some classical aspects are seen in my non classical playing.

Boy this durso guy is pretty good...

Robert Durso is a guru.

Interesting stuff. But I was hoping to get input on how to do the octave trill (the f+ in bar 32, b# in bar 127), ideally without pedal, and holding the thumb down. This is my big blindspot in this sonata. Nevertheless, this was interesting and entertaining, and I hope to see more videos like this!

Please show to descend in Chopin first etude .Ascending is easy if arm and body move laterally .

Absolutely great.

Excellent teaching showing that hand position fingerling etc is extremely important mu lke chopin op10 no1

Revisiting this piece this past week. Envy the speed and understand the emphasis here is on technique but, musically, all is lost if the dynamics are forte to fortissimo. It's actually a good deal more challenging technically to play this opening (and subsequent repetitions) piano, so that the chords crash in rather than being a continuation/crescendo. Even the repetitions begin with an fp. It works just about right when the total sound energy of the whole race up the keyboard is just equaled in the explosion of the two chords - great power that was submerged suddenly emerges. And there are other places where dynamic restraint is necessary or the essence is lost.

I am so greatful for the internet. We are all getting free lessons that would cost someone thousands of dollars before.

Very interesting to witness the process of learning. I learned a technique incorporating Taubman with that of Carl Roeder (based on his Liberation and Deliberation). My most rate-limiting step these days is finding fingering that I deem natural in the hand. No editions seem to have what I like.

My ukrainian teacher taught me the same, but she definitely wasn't familiar with the Taubman approach. Seems like it's just a natural way of playing.

These videos are mostly watched by ADULTS-NON-BEGINNERS! It is NOT easy for someone who's been on a piano journey for over 10 years TO GO BACK TO SQUAR ONE and start correcting things. As I've been struggling with CHOPIN'S WATERFALL I can now easily see WHY this has been the case. But THAT AWARENESS in and of itself DOES NOT result in an OVERALL CORRECTION of all the wrongs in my approach to this monster challenge: OLD HABITS DIE HARD, they say. And so I will do my very best to try to incorporate some of your suggestions which indeed happen to be VERY REVEALING(concentrate on finger 3 instead of finger 5; go UP till finger 3 and then DOWN after finger 3). But boy o boy: it's gonna be real hard to correct other mistakes already GRAINED IN.......I'll leave it there.....Thanks Anyway!!

To BEN? The student... I get it. I understand how your break it down.. Mentally see it, slowly see it, shape of it. I get it because this is how I learn a new piece. Everyone learns differently .. it is the outcome after all. 🙂. In addition your teacher has added value & correction... But you have already figured out the mechanics so any further help .. adds polish.

Wow...I just learned a lifetime of technique in 15 mins....