Good evening teachers. Could anyone recommend a good finger exercise book other that Hanon. I have been using Hanon for the past three years, (I am considered an intermediate to late intermediate student), and am currently searching for something slightly different, and less linear. My instructor has been looking for a Czerny book, (not the school of velocity), which is quite melodic, but she cannot remember the name and so far, to no avail. I told her that "I got connections" and will have some suggested books. (My instructor is currently battling breast cancer so we are on limited study at the moment. Fortunately her treatments have been successful and is currently on the way to a successful ending). Any suggestions on any interesting study books will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all.
Wayne

Perhaps she's thinking of the Czerny "The Art of Finger Dexterity," which i believe to be Op. 740. I know that collection to be extremely popular and fairly melodic. Not that Czerny ever gets particularly melodic...

Additionally, I've found Liszt's collection of technical exercises to be superb, although they're far from melodic - even less so than Hanon, at times.

Czerny is quite popular in Asia. Usually they start with Op.599, then Op.849, then Op.299 and finally Op.740. You can go to music store to take a look at those books and decide which book is for your level.

Op.599　Practical Method for Beginners
Op.849　30 New Studies in Techniques
Op.299　The School of Velocity
Op.740　The Art of Finger Dexterity

FWIW, all those listed except Op. 849 are at IMSLP. There are some titles I've never heard of, too, like "Grandes Etudes de Salon" and even a "School of Fugue Playing" (!).

http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Czerny%2C_Carl

Steven

Try the technical studies of French pianist/pedagogue Isidor Philipp. His finger exercises are better than Hanon or Czerny. You can find his books via SheetmusicPlus.com

Or Brahms!

But is this really what you want? Are you looking for "finger exercises" (my mind is envisioning push-ups, pull-ups, stretches, etc.)? Or are you looking for etudes which will help you solve various pianistic problems, which of course, in the end, use your fingers?

You might look at Bertini, Heller, et al. Then you can enjoy wonderfully melodic etudes, while solving these various problems in your playing.

Good luck.

I don't use Czerny for my students.

You might enjoy MacDowell's Op. 39 etudes. Heller and Moszkowski wrote some awesome etudes, too. MUCH MUCH more interesting than Czerny.

And when you're done with MacDowell, Heller, and Moszkowski, you'll be ready for Chopin Op. 10 and Op. 25!! Who needs Czerny?