Hanon Exercise No. 23: fingering, tempo and how to practice it

Hanon Exercise No. 23 is part of “The Virtuoso Pianist, Part II (Nos. 21–43): exercices transcendants” by Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900). Main focus: groundwork for virtuoso technique: thumb crossings, stretches and shifts more demanding than in Part I. In our transcription it is in C major, in 4/4 time, and 29 bars long. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 40 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 50 and work up to the target of ♩ = 60. Difficulty 4/10 (intermediate).

The pattern and its fingering

First bar of our transcription, note by note, with the fingering the app shows.

Right hand	C–D–E–D–C–D–E–D–C–A–G–F–E–F–G–F
Left hand	C–D–E–D–C–D–E–D–C–A–G–F–E–F–G–F

■ right hand (finger above) · ■ left hand (finger below)

What it trains

Groundwork for virtuoso technique: thumb crossings, stretches and shifts more demanding than in Part I.
Stamina and steadiness in long formulas.

How to practice it

Master Part I first: these exercises build on it.
Work slowly with a relaxed hand; raise the tempo only when it is completely even.
Play each hand alone before putting them together.

Tempo ladder: ♩ = 40 → ♩ = 45 → ♩ = 50 → ♩ = 55 → ♩ = 60. Only move up a step once the take comes out clean; in the app, the progressive metronome does it for you.

Composer	Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900)
Work	The Virtuoso Pianist, Part II (Nos. 21–43): exercices transcendants
Difficulty	4/10 · Intermediate
Key	C major
Time signature	4/4
Bars	29
Suggested tempos	learn ♩ = 40 · practice ♩ = 50 · target ♩ = 60
Where the target tempo comes from	tempo marked in the score (♩ = 60): consistent with its dominant note value (sixteenth note, 4.0 notes/s). Not documented as the composer's metronome mark.
Transposable	yes, to all 12 keys
Status in the app	Available
Copyright	public domain: Hanon died in 1900

All 60 exercises are in the complete Hanon list; the method, in how to practice Hanon.