Hanon · The Virtuoso Pianist · Part III
Hanon Exercise No. 51 Getting ready for scales in octaves
Exercise 51 of 60 from Hanon’s The Virtuoso Pianist, newly engraved from the 1900 Schirmer edition. Repeated octaves from a loose wrist, then scale figures and chromatic scales in octaves, in preparation for the octave scales. 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
Preparatory Exercise for Scales in Octaves.
(M.M. ♩ = 40 to 84)
The wrists should be very supple, the fingers taking the octaves should be held firmly but without stiffness, and the unoccupied fingers should assume a slightly rounded position.
At first repeat these three first lines slowly until a good wrist-movement is attained, and then accelerate the tempo, continuing the exercise without interruption. If the wrists become fatigued, play more slowly until the feeling of fatigue has disappeared, and then gradually accelerate up to the first tempo. See remarks to No. 48.
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
- Repeated octaves from a loose wrist, then scale figures and chromatic scales in octaves, in preparation for the octave scales.
- Key
- C major
- Time signature
- 4/4, 3/4
- Length
- 48 bars
- 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. 51 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. 51 for?
Repeated octaves from a loose wrist, then scale figures and chromatic scales in octaves, in preparation for the octave scales. It is in Part III (virtuoso exercises).
Can I print or download Hanon No. 51?
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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