octave technique
English instrument
Definition
The playing of rapid successive octaves, requiring a free wrist and relaxed arm to avoid injury and produce a full, resonant sound.
Interpretive Guidance
The wrist must stay flexible and act as a shock absorber. Rigid octaves lead to injury. The arm provides the power; the wrist transfers and cushions it. See Beethoven's Waldstein finale, Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies.