left-hand pianism

A body of solo piano literature written exclusively for the left hand, exploring the hand's complete technical and expressive range without assistance from the right. Godowsky's late left-hand pieces were among the most sophisticated works in the genre.

The left hand must cover the full texture — bass, inner voices, and melody — simultaneously. Distribute the hand's weight from the fifth finger on the bass through to the first finger on the melody. The melody, typically in the thumb or index finger, should project clearly above the supporting voices below.