Hanon · The Virtuoso Pianist · Part III
Hanon Exercise No. 48 Detached thirds and sixths from the wrist
Exercise 48 of 60 from Hanon’s The Virtuoso Pianist, newly engraved from the 1900 Schirmer edition. A wrist study: repeated thirds and runs of thirds, every one struck with a fresh lift of the wrist, then the same in sixths. Press Play to hear it on a real piano, set the speed anywhere from Hanon’s 40 up to his 84, hear one hand at a time or switch on the metronome, and click any note to start from there.
As printed in Hanon’s book
Wrist - exercise.
Detached Thirds and Sixths.
(M.M. ♩ = 40 to 84)
Lift the wrists well after each stroke, holding the arms perfectly quiet; the wrist should be supple, and the fingers firm without stiffness. Practise the first four measures until an easy wrist-movement is obtained; then take up the rest of the exercise.
Detached Sixths
Same remarks as for the thirds.
Click any note to hear from there. Space plays and pauses.
Quick facts
- Book
- C. L. Hanon, The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises, Part III
- Trains
- A wrist study: repeated thirds and runs of thirds, every one struck with a fresh lift of the wrist, then the same in sixths.
- Key
- C major
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Length
- 25 bars in 2 sections
- Hanon’s speed
- 40 to 84 crotchet beats a minute
- Source
- G. Schirmer edition, 1900; English text by Theodore Baker
- Copyright
- Public domain. This engraving is free to print, copy and share.
Questions and answers
How fast should Hanon No. 48 be played?
Hanon marks it 40 to 84, in crotchet beats a minute: start at 40 and raise the speed a little at a time, only once every note is even, until you reach 84. The speed slider above the music covers that range.
What is Hanon exercise No. 48 for?
A wrist study: repeated thirds and runs of thirds, every one struck with a fresh lift of the wrist, then the same in sixths. It is in Part III (virtuoso exercises).
Can I print or download Hanon No. 48?
Yes. Use Download the PDF at the top of this page for a print-ready A4 copy of this exercise; it also prints well on US Letter with fit to page. The whole book, all 60 exercises, is one PDF on the Hanon page. Both are free and out of copyright.
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