Rating: 
Summary: Not POWER-ful enough....
Review: As a longtime piano player, I find Richard Prokop's approach to be eminently practical. He illustrates that voluntary movements of body parts are the result of the contraction of muscles. In the case of the fingers, these are the flexor and extensor muscles (along with other muscles). However, a previous reviewer's comment that he subscribes to "the finger strength school of piano playing technique" is inaccurate and misses the point. The emphasis is not on finger strength per se, but on the development of the student's abilities by using methods that relate the peculiarities of human anatomy to the development of piano technique. In this sense the book is brilliant.Employing logic and theorems, Mr. Prokop gently but convincingly presents a refreshingly clear case for simple and natural exercises designed, yes, for strengthening the fingers, but much more: How do our fingers naturally work when playing a passage? How and why are the muscles of the wrist, fingers and thumb used, and what techniques are necessary for exercising them? How is muscular development essential to technique? What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of large, medium, and small hands? How does synchronization relate to the development of technique? What is the proper positioning of the elbow and hand? What steps should be taken to avoid injury? How much practice is healthy and how much rest is necessary for optimum development? Is it possible to improve one's piano technique away from the piano? Should pianists drink more water? (Again, from a practical and physiological point of view!) Prokop debunks many of the myths about piano practicing and playing that have plagued and frustrated both students and teachers for generations, by applying reason to experience. He is impressively well prepared in his arguments; backs them up with ample references; and illustrates with extraordinary conciseness the physiology of the hands, wrists and forearms in playing the piano. But most of all, he explains his subject, as only an excellent teacher can, with compelling logic. This book is a gem for those of us studying piano and living in the real world.
Rating: 
Summary: Piano Power Tells It Like It Is
Review: As a longtime piano player, I find Richard Prokop's approach to be eminently practical. He illustrates that voluntary movements of body parts are the result of the contraction of muscles. In the case of the fingers, these are the flexor and extensor muscles (along with other muscles). However, a previous reviewer's comment that he subscribes to "the finger strength school of piano playing technique" is inaccurate and misses the point. The emphasis is not on finger strength per se, but on the development of the student's abilities by using methods that relate the peculiarities of human anatomy to the development of piano technique. In this sense the book is brilliant. Employing logic and theorems, Mr. Prokop gently but convincingly presents a refreshingly clear case for simple and natural exercises designed, yes, for strengthening the fingers, but much more: How do our fingers naturally work when playing a passage? How and why are the muscles of the wrist, fingers and thumb used, and what techniques are necessary for exercising them? How is muscular development essential to technique? What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of large, medium, and small hands? How does synchronization relate to the development of technique? What is the proper positioning of the elbow and hand? What steps should be taken to avoid injury? How much practice is healthy and how much rest is necessary for optimum development? Is it possible to improve one's piano technique away from the piano? Should pianists drink more water? (Again, from a practical and physiological point of view!) Prokop debunks many of the myths about piano practicing and playing that have plagued and frustrated both students and teachers for generations, by applying reason to experience. He is impressively well prepared in his arguments; backs them up with ample references; and illustrates with extraordinary conciseness the physiology of the hands, wrists and forearms in playing the piano. But most of all, he explains his subject, as only an excellent teacher can, with compelling logic. This book is a gem for those of us studying piano and living in the real world.
Rating: 
Summary: Piano Power is the wave of the future for pianists.
Review: Can you sing a song and hear melodies in your head? If so, then there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to transfer these abilities to the piano. Understanding the physical mechanics of the hand and how they relate to the development of facility at the keyboard is essential to making consistent progress at the piano. In the '80's, athletes were reluctant to believe what sports-medicine experts were teaching-that the strengthening of muscles enhances coordination. It was a wake up call for many athletes when Ivan Lendl began to dominate John McEnroe in tennis. McEnroe was a more naturally coordinated athlete than Lendl but could no longer withstand his opponent's machine-like power and endurance. Lendl had begun a strict physical training regimen away from the tennis court. There was also Martina Navratilova who easily dismissed many of her opponents in less than a half-hour because of her newfound physical training regimen. The same situation occurs today among pianists. Many who have spent their entire lives practicing at the piano are reluctant to attribute their physical prowess to the strengthening of muscles over long periods of time. Piano Power (written with the guidance of a physical therapist, occupational therapist and hand surgeon) is the first book in the piano's three-hundred year history to address this fact scientifically, and to present safe and sensible practice methods that can be employed by any pianist at or away from the piano. I hope that you enjoy Piano Power and will benefit from reading it.
Rating: 
Summary: Mixed Bag
Review: Ever the skeptic, I was wary approaching this book, promising its "breakthrough approach" to building piano technique. After thinking about it for months, I finally paid my [money] and ordered the book. Let me begin by qualifying this review: While I have read the book, I admit that not enough time has elapsed for me to work on the prescribed exercises in earnest. Therefore, the elusive breakthrough may indeed lurk around the corner. Also, while I disagree with some of Mr. Prokop's conclusions, I am willing to give his exercises a fair chance. On to the review.
The idea of setting the text up like a quasi-mathematical treatise, with "theorems" proposed and "proven," is indeed interesting. However, Mr. Prokop often does not construct cogent arguments to support his claims, and his "proofs" are anything but, completely devoid of logical rigor. When one's aim is to debunk myths about piano technique, it is indeed sufficient to present what mathematicians call counterexamples, which fly in the face of hypotheses, thereby disproving them. However, when making conjectures which form the crux of one's method (such as Mr. Prokop's claim that the extensor muscles, those responsible primarily for the up-stroke of the fingers, are almost exclusively responsible for well-formed technique), much more care should be given toward their support. The end result is that his system is based on rather unconvincing ideas regarding what is responsible for good technique.
That said, there is indeed some worthwhile material in this book. The system Mr. Prokop uses to test certain fingers to determine their development, or lack thereof, seems sound. A brief discussion on the "illusion of speed" is interesting for what it suggests, as is the premise that sub-standard technique is usually due to "problem fingers" bogging down passages. As for prescribed exercises, there are remarkably few to be found in this volume. The bulk of the notated exercises are essentially scale passages and some interval work, which may be useful, but are much more affordably obtained in an inexpensive Hanon volume.
There are some away-from-the-piano exercises, again focusing on the extensor muscles. I again say that I have not given these an adequate trial, so I cannot attest to their usefulness or uselessness.
In short, had this book been about $15 cheaper, I would consider it a fairly sound purchase. However, for its brevity (just over 100 pages) and relative paucity of new information, I believe its price to be unjustified by its content.
Rating:
Summary: Mixed Bag
Review: Ever the skeptic, I was wary approaching this book, promising its "breakthrough approach" to building piano technique. After thinking about it for months, I finally paid my [money] and ordered the book. Let me begin by qualifying this review: While I have read the book, I admit that not enough time has elapsed for me to work on the prescribed exercises in earnest. Therefore, the elusive breakthrough may indeed lurk around the corner. Also, while I disagree with some of Mr. Prokop's conclusions, I am willing to give his exercises a fair chance. On to the review.
The idea of setting the text up like a quasi-mathematical treatise, with "theorems" proposed and "proven," is indeed interesting. However, Mr. Prokop often does not construct cogent arguments to support his claims, and his "proofs" are anything but, completely devoid of logical rigor. When one's aim is to debunk myths about piano technique, it is indeed sufficient to present what mathematicians call counterexamples, which fly in the face of hypotheses, thereby disproving them. However, when making conjectures which form the crux of one's method (such as Mr. Prokop's claim that the extensor muscles, those responsible primarily for the up-stroke of the fingers, are almost exclusively responsible for well-formed technique), much more care should be given toward their support. The end result is that his system is based on rather unconvincing ideas regarding what is responsible for good technique.
That said, there is indeed some worthwhile material in this book. The system Mr. Prokop uses to test certain fingers to determine their development, or lack thereof, seems sound. A brief discussion on the "illusion of speed" is interesting for what it suggests, as is the premise that sub-standard technique is usually due to "problem fingers" bogging down passages. As for prescribed exercises, there are remarkably few to be found in this volume. The bulk of the notated exercises are essentially scale passages and some interval work, which may be useful, but are much more affordably obtained in an inexpensive Hanon volume.
There are some away-from-the-piano exercises, again focusing on the extensor muscles. I again say that I have not given these an adequate trial, so I cannot attest to their usefulness or uselessness.
In short, had this book been about $15 cheaper, I would consider it a fairly sound purchase. However, for its brevity (just over 100 pages) and relative paucity of new information, I believe its price to be unjustified by its content.
Rating:
Summary: Piano Power is Right on the Money
Review: I have been playing the piano for most of my life. Since recently resuming serious piano study, I have been searching for the seemingly elusive secret to improving my good-but-not-great technique. I believe I have found it in the remarkable "Piano Power." Mr. Prokop's explanations of how to achieve better technique are refreshingly simple. His theories make sense, and more importantly, his exercises really work. At first, I was a bit skeptical about his argument that piano technique can be improved by doing certain exercises away from the piano, but after incorporating them into my routine, I am convinced that my technique is improving rapidly. Friends who have recently heard me play have confirmed this, with no "fishing" on my part. For those of you who are already satisfied with your technique, this book would be of little interest. But for we pianists who are still travelling the long road to superior playing, "Piano Power" is indispensible.
Rating:
Summary: Piano Power is a Breakthrough In Many Ways
Review: I have yet to read a book on piano technique that can compare with Piano Power. The author's ideas are innovative, thought-provoking and at times quite revolutionary. Mr. Prokop is to be congratulated for his unique contribution to the field of piano pedagogy. For the purpose of clarification, there are 106 pages in Piano Power with 14 pages of exercises for strengthening the extensor muscles of the fingers and wrist. (Mr. Prokop demonstrates clearly that these muscles are in the forearm and not in the fingers). There are also pictures throughout the book that serve as apt complements to the text. I scanned Piano Power from cover to cover several times and was unable to find the statement, "Every clean downstroke of a finger is preceded by a preparatory upstroke," alluded to by another reviewer. A more observant reader--after carefully reading Theorem I on p.10, and footnote #2 on page 93--would realize that this statement could not possibly come form the author. This book is very detailed and requires slow and repeated readings in order to fully grasp its meaning and content.
Rating:
Summary: Piano Power is a Breakthrough In Many Ways
Review: I have yet to read a book on piano technique that can compare with Piano Power. The author's ideas are innovative, thought-provoking and at times quite revolutionary. Mr. Prokop is to be congratulated for his unique contribution to the field of piano pedagogy. For the purpose of clarification, there are 106 pages in Piano Power with 14 pages of exercises for strengthening the extensor muscles of the fingers and wrist. (Mr. Prokop demonstrates clearly that these muscles are in the forearm and not in the fingers). There are also pictures throughout the book that serve as apt complements to the text. I scanned Piano Power from cover to cover several times and was unable to find the statement, "Every clean downstroke of a finger is preceded by a preparatory upstroke," alluded to by another reviewer. A more observant reader--after carefully reading Theorem I on p.10, and footnote #2 on page 93--would realize that this statement could not possibly come form the author. This book is very detailed and requires slow and repeated readings in order to fully grasp its meaning and content.
Rating:
Summary: The systematic way to technical ease & facility at the piano
Review: It's everything I could have hoped for, a logical exposition of the simple tasks necessary to strengthen the ability to play the piano. A nice, well-outlined, relentlessly simple and logical look at the problem of technical development at the piano. Theories should be tested by how well they predict or provide a game plan to create or recreate a phenomena. Piano Power is a tribute to this view of theories. The author is content to have his theories live or die, by whether they work. In art, this is very rare.
Rating:
Summary: Great book to teach and strengthen piano technique.
Review: Prokop has laid out the principles of great piano technique in a way that teachers frequently fail to do, either because they do it naturally themselves and don't know how to teach it, or because they lack technique in their own playing. Regardless, it's an essential part of a pianists practice and should be paid close attention to. -Thanks Rick!
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