Hanon for Students, Book 2: Piano Book

Hanon exercises have shaped pianists for generations, but this edition transforms them from rote drilling into deliberate musicianship work. By presenting each exercise five times with different articulations, dynamics, and rhythmic treatments, students learn to think critically about how they execute technique rather than simply running through patterns. The transpositions to B-flat and D expand students' comfort across the keyboard while the notational clarity makes early-intermediate players feel capable and in control.

These exercises feel like scales' more focused cousins. You're building consistent passage work and finger independence, but the multiple iterations invite you to listen to yourself and make musical choices about how the notes land. There's satisfaction in feeling the same technical challenge become easier and more expressive each time you approach it differently.

Early-intermediate pianists ready to move beyond exercises as mindless repetition and into purposeful technical work. This book suits students who benefit from structured, variable practice and those preparing for more ambitious repertoire that demands refined touch and awareness.

• Treat the legato version as your reference performance; use it to establish smooth voice leading and tone quality before exploring the variations.
• When shifting between articulation styles (staccato, accented, etc.), keep the underlying pulse and fingering consistent so only the touch changes.
• Approach the transposed versions as fresh explorations of the same technical problem, not as easy repetition; listen for evenness across all octaves.
• Use the varied dynamics as an opportunity to develop control at both ends of the volume spectrum, not simply to play louder or softer.

Reserve this for regular practice sessions rather than recital programming; it's a cornerstone of solid technical development during the early-intermediate years. Pair it with repertoire study so students apply the control they're building in Hanon to the pieces they're learning for performance.

• Finger independence and evenness in scalar and diatonic passage work
• Control of touch and articulation (legato, staccato, accented playing)
• Dynamic shaping and control at various volumes
• Transposition and sight-reading in related keys (B-flat and D)
• Rhythmic precision and metric awareness through varied rhythmic treatments
• Thoughtful, intentional practice habits rather than rote repetition