An Octave Exercise – Jeffrey Biegel

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The prolific concert artist and sought-after teacher Jeffrey Biegel demonstrates the octave exercises devised by his former Juilliard teacher, the late Adele Marcus.

Carrying on the legacy of Marcus’s teacher, the luminary 20th-century pianist Josef Lhévinne, Biegel tailors the exercises to his own technique and shows you how to do the same. Do the exercises work? Take a look at Biegel’s scintillating octaves and see for yourself.

1:44 Wrist exercise
4:15 Shape of the hand
5:58 Add-on technique
7:43 Posture

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[christopherczajasager]

Jeffery was born to play octaves.He gave me an effortless accompaniment in the two piano form of Samuel Barber's Piano Concerto 20 years ago in Southhampton, L.I. New York.

[alfieong]

Believe me, this video just so magical, just follow what he does, your octave getting much better suddenly! Really thanks to Mr biegel!

[Mambadile]

Thanks so much being researching on staccato octaves...this is the best and most clear advice ive found.

[MrInterestingthings]

Magnificent tutelage here ! Wow!!! Just the little bit he said about Adele Marcus and the rounding circular octaves in EM section of Chopin Polonaise (formed an image in my body-mind ) already I can do that repeating passage ! Wow . Teaching is everything but it is also words, experience, mind -image, relaxation, open hand . This did more for me than entire books read alone . Westwood's book on mastering Chopin etudes working with torso, breathing, arm as extension of entire body and reinforcement also miracles of explanation and tutoring . Now to liszt Hungarian No.9 . Argerich's Funerailles and elsewhere seems she was born knowing this it seems !

[dibaldgyfm]

Wow I am blown backwards from the kindness and openness of this nice musician! I want to practice more now ❤

[zuzicka]

The best tips for octaves I have ever heard! I am so thankful for you.

[andykennedy]

Thank you very much for the advice, have spent 5 minutes practicing the wrist movements and it’s already made a big difference x

[RolandHuettmann]

A superb lesson. Thank you ))). I will follow. I am working on the fast octaves in Schubert's Erlkönig rendered for solo piano by Liszt. I do not know if I will ever achieve the necessary speed and relaxness and stamina, but without exercising, it will never be. It blows me away when watching Yuya Wang playing it.

[WyattLite-n-inn]

I’m a drummer and this is very much like the modeler technique.. Thos is brilliant

[ricever]

I admired how you played the endless left hand octaves pattern without getting tired on Keith Emerson's Piano Concerto . Thank you for the valuable information, I'll try it on the Chopin Revolutionary etude op 10 no 12. Hi from Veronica

[arthurkrieck]

Thanks, Jeff! i’ve been wondering how to make octaves easier. This seems to be the key!

[RelaxingPianoCovers]

That’s a great exercise . Thanks for sharing ♥️🙏👍

[familysounds]

3 4 5 on the sharp top note! Yes! Thanks

[scottderrick]

Great suggestions and video. Thank you!

[HollyFayHolverson]

Fantastic video. Someone in a major metropolitan area would pay $200 (or more/ for that info. Great systematic approach to playing octaves. I have good fast fingers but I often develope tightness in my forearms when playing octave passages for any length of time. Anyone who plays will tell you that if you get that tightness in the forearms, you're done. It wipes out the finite digital control needed to play fast passages.

[jcharwag]

So very helpful, and clearly communicated. Thanks for posting!

[MarxistischerMillionaer]

Could anyone explain why 3rd 4 th and 5th finger together on one key while playing black note octaves?

[jairobaena]

No entiendo él idioma pero la música es el idioma universal que agilidad

[pianoatthirty]

Thank God for Dorothy Taubman and Edna Golandsky.

[jesemepardens]

I can't take him seriously after watching him play PDQ Bach concerto 🤣