Pursuing Artful Movement Science in Music Performance: Single Subject Motor Analysis With Two Elite Pianists

Abstract

Piano performance motor learning research requires more “artful” methodologies if it is to meaningfully address music performance as a corporeal art. To date, research has been sparse and it has typically constrained multiple performance variables in order to isolate specific phenomena. This approach has denied the fundamental ethos of music performance which, for elite performers, is an act of interpretation, not mere reproduction. Piano performances are intentionally manipulated for artistic expression. We documented motor movements in the complex task of performance of the first six measures of Chopin’s “Revolutionary” Etude by two anthropometrically different elite pianists. We then discussed their motor strategy selections as influenced by anthropometry and the composer’s musical directives. To quantify the joint angles of the trunk, shoulders, elbows, and wrists, we used a VICON 3 D motion capture system and biomechanical modeling. A Kistler force plate (1 N, Swiss) quantified center of gravity (COG) shifts. Changes in COG and trunk angles had considerable influence on the distal segments of the upper limbs. The shorter pianist used an anticipatory strategy, employing larger shifts in COG and trunk angles to produce dynamic stability as compensation for a smaller stature. Both pianists took advantage of low inertial left shoulder internal rotation and adduction to accommodate large leaps in the music. For the right arm, motor strategizing was confounded by rests in the music. These two cases illustrated, in principle, that expert pianists’ individualized motor behaviors can be explained as compensatory efforts to accommodate both musical goals and anthropometric constraints. Motor learning among piano students can benefit from systematic attention to motor strategies that consider both of these factors.

An Examination of Trunk and Right-Hand Coordination in Piano Performance: A Case Comparison of Three Pianists

“…Additionally, each pianist was permitted to adjust the piano bench height and position according to personal preference. By employing this kind of observational methodology, where movements are minimally controlled by experimental design ( Anguera et al, 2017 ), unrealistic motor behavior strategies arising from the control of performance parameters were avoided ( Turner et al, 2021a ). To establish timing of motor control, medial/lateral movement for the RH and trunk was analyzed using a global center point for the RH and the C7 marker.…”

“…With regard to the biomechanics of music performance and the ergonomics of interacting with a piano, deliberate practice can be a challenge because (a) most music teachers are not trained in the fundamentals of movement science, and (b) the majority of music biomechanics pedagogy is based in empirical methodologies—the subjective experience of the teacher ( Visentin et al, 2008 ; Shan et al, 2013 ). Since there is a strong reliance on teachers’ abilities to communicate personal perceptions of their own experiences, this model of pedagogy has limitations ( Turner et al, 2021a ). Specifically, learning will tend to include a significant amount of trial-and-error practice.…”

“…To better optimize learning, students of piano need to be provided with motor learning strategies that are grounded in biomechanics and ergonomics. Unfortunately, in existing research, there is sparse discussion of meaningful motor learning strategies devoted to optimizing piano performance ( Turner et al, 2021a ).…”

“…However, it is the product of long-term practicing involving deliberate decision-making and mental planning in the pursuit of specific musical goals ( Bangert et al, 2014 ). From a biomechanical standpoint, utilization of the trunk during coordinated movement provides a more efficient means of executing motor skills ( Turner et al, 2021a ). In sports, the use of proximal musculature to facilitate distal movement is well documented ( Shan and Westerhoff, 2005 ; Zhang and Shan, 2014 ; Zhang et al, 2016 ).…”

“… Pappa et al (2020) reported that adolescent novice pianists exhibited more trunk and hand movement while playing scales at fast tempos compared to more experienced adolescent pianists. By analyzing the timing of shifts in balance during performance of a virtuosic piano composition, Turner et al (2021a) concluded that movement coordination is dependent on timely preparation; when and how a pianist prepares for movement greatly affects performance. These findings support Godoy et al (2010) and Godøy (2013) who identify the importance of movement preparation for musical co-articulation in terms of motor chunking and sound-producing actions.…”