Origins of Shaping

Like other elements used in modern piano technique, the concept of shaping is not new.
Liszt first documented shaping and observed Chopin's barely noticeable wave-like wrist movements. This contrasted with the standard rigid wrists and high finger action of that time and noted Chopin's beautiful tone.
These "cycloid" motions became an integral component of Liszt's playing and pedagogy in his later life. In traditional teaching, shaping from the wrist, or a flexible wrist is often taught. However, in modern piano technique, shaping is a lateral, elliptical forearm movement across a group of notes, passively moving the wrist and the upper arm in response. If the wrist initiates movement, broken fulcrums and alignment result, depriving the playing finger of the forearm's support.
There are two families of shapes:

1. the undershape, and
2. the overshape

The concept of shaping is fundamental in piano technique and musicianship. It refers to how pianists articulate phrases, giving music a sense of structure, direction, and expressive meaning. Essentially, shaping involves controlling dynamics, touch, timing, and articulation to create a musical phrase that has a clear beginning, climax, and resolution.
Key aspects of shaping include:

1. Dynamic Contour:
   • Increasing or decreasing dynamics (crescendo or diminuendo) within a phrase to emphasize tension and release.
2. Timing and Rubato:
   • Slight adjustments in tempo and rhythm to add expressivity and natural flow.
3. Articulation:
   • Varied touches (legato, staccato, tenuto) to highlight important notes or motifs.
4. Voicing:
   • Emphasizing certain notes or melodic lines over others to reveal harmonic structure and musical texture clearly.
5. Gesture and Physical Motion:
   • Using relaxed, natural movements of the hands, wrists, and arms to produce smoother phrasing and seamless transitions.

In practice, shaping turns notes from merely being mechanically correct into a musical story with emotion, logic, and clarity. This concept is central to high-level piano performance and interpretation, guiding both technical and artistic development.

Whether a shape is an undershape or overshape can be influenced by

1. fingering,
2. in and out movement in the depth dimension, or
3. changes of direction.

The width and depth of the shape varies according to the situation.
"I've experienced unwanted accents dissolving through my arm being in the right place, and fatigue evaporating when excessive shaping was minimized".