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A Significant Upper Arm Injury Sustained While Learning Simon Preston's Alleluyas: A Proposal for Avoiding this
1Baltimore, MD mullerrenej@aol.com.
Medical Problems of Performing Artists
|December 13, 2016
Summary
Playing a challenging organ piece, Simon Preston's Alleluyas, caused a musician's reversible arm injury and hand paralysis. This highlights potential risks in learning complex musical passages.
Area of Science:
- Music performance
- Neurology
- Occupational health
Background:
- The study details a case of reversible neurological injury sustained by a musician learning Simon Preston's Alleluyas.
- The piece is noted for its moderate difficulty and tonal language influenced by Olivier Messiaen.
Discussion:
- The musician experienced progressive right upper arm discomfort, evolving into partial hand paralysis over several weeks.
- Recovery took nearly two months, indicating a significant but temporary functional impairment.
Key Insights:
- A brief musical passage (six bars) of Alleluyas was implicated in the injury.
- The injury mechanism may be linked to specific playing techniques, referred to as "handling" or "footing" the music.
Outlook:
- Further research is needed to understand the biomechanics and neurological impacts of playing complex organ music.
- This case underscores the importance of ergonomic awareness and injury prevention for musicians performing demanding repertoire.
