This question comes from a viewer named Diane. This is a very interesting question and yes, there is an answer to it; although it’s not quite what you might expect.
Throughout my development on the piano, I had the opportunity to study with some phenomenal pianists. My father Morton Estrin was my teacher in my formative years of study. Unlike me, my father has enormous hands! Later I studied with John Ogden who also was a very large man with tremendous hands. I also had the opportunity to study with some sensational women pianists: Constance Keene and Ruth Slenczynska – each of them had smaller hands and probably weighed less than a hundred pounds. These are definitely extremely different body types and as you’d imagine, their approaches to playing and teaching are very different.
When it comes down to it, the difference between men and women playing piano relies less on their gender and more on their physical stature and makeup. Now there are always exceptions to this; I am a great example. Not only do I have small hands but my thumb does not go totally straight – this means I have a pretty small reach. This is something I have had to overcome throughout my entire career. Just as someone having larger fingers and hands might have a tougher time playing between the black keys – there are pros and cons to hand size.
So how do men and women approach the piano? For argument’s sake, let’s say that men will tend to have larger hands and arms, while women will tend to have smaller hands and arms. Men will typically be able to play larger chords almost effortlessly just utilizing their forearms. I remember how Ruth Slenczynska would use her entire arms to produce an incredibly large sound!
When I studied with my father I was at a natural disadvantage. His hands are massive and are able to play chords without any problems – he has incredible reach. I have smaller hands and I would try and twist and contort them to produce the same effect as my father. As I began studying with women who have smaller hands I was able to learn a lot of valuable techniques for playing with smaller hands. I have actually produced a video on this topic: Are my hands too small to play the piano?
But this isn’t just a case of men and women. You really should watch some great pianists perform on youtube and watch the different techniques they employ. Each pianist will face his or her own challenges when it comes to their physical makeup and it’s very interesting to explore different approaches to the keyboard.
What’s most important is that you must learn what works for you. Don’t be afraid to employ different techniques when it comes to playing the piano and developing as a musician. We are all built differently and there are techniques for every hand and arm type imaginable.
Thanks again for joining me, Robert Estrin: Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
7 thoughts on “Do Men and Women Play Piano Differently?”
I have personally found females, especially in Latin Jazz don’t play as “aggressively” let’s say. I am still waiting for a female to play like Chick Corea does or Michel Camilo. (Especially with rhythmic left hand comping) Or show the power of a Horowitz. Horowtiz plays double and triple fortes without showing any arm lift. His fingers are so strong and I show the Austrian concert when he was very old and feeble but still played with full expression to my students.
Not to mention the obvious. A piece written to play 11 notes at the same time could only physically be played by a man. (think about it)
Am I being misogynistic? I don’t think so. I have many instances to prove it. Same reason you don’t see really any women in “aggressive” rock bands aka speed metal, heavy metal,etc.
Here a couple of women who may make you feel differently about this subject:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhInwkq4nAw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdH1hSWGFGU
Oy. I have small hands and big fingers that won’t fit between the sharps and flats.
I’ve heard of some demonstrations that were done many decades ago where the listeners had to guess whether the pianist behind an opaque curtain was a man or a woman. The point was that both can play the same music, and there isn’t really any reliable way to tell without seeing the player.
— J.S.
As usual, Robert, such interesting segments and tit bits. I was taught, and was comfortable with, an economy of movement approach to piano playing. And when I used to watch other pianists (especially female) raising and lowering their hands on the keys so gracefully, I often thought that I must have missed a crucial lesson in piano playing.
How do you manage to hit a nail on the head so often!
So why didn’t someone think of making smaller and larger keys?, or maybe 3 sizes. An XXL shirt is a dress for a petite woman, if she can keep in on at all. LOL
Actually, this is a very interesting question – the answer is that they HAVE done this.
Steinway made a piano with a more slender keyboard for the pianist Josef Hofmann back in the early 20th Century, and Hamburg Steinway still offer a piano with a smaller keyboard. How do I know this? In the 1990s and early 2000s, there were four Steinway Ds in the conservatoire I studied in. Three of them had the standard keyboard, but one of them had just ever so slightly smaller keys. It’s barely noticeable in normal playing, but it does facilitate larger stretches. I have very large hands, but there were many students there – particularly in the junior academy and some very small handed seniors – who couldn’t manage the standard keyboard of the concert grands.
I believe that the Pleyel piano that Chopin played also had smaller keys.