Quite useful, but only under certain conditions
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The merits of Hanon have been known for a very long time (my mother's Hanon has been around for about 60 years) and, as a main declared purpose, it should confer to all fingers of both hands independence and the same strenght. However, by playing the same keys, the two hands cover and drown each other and, now and then, one hand may draw and help the other to overcome some difficulty. So it is indispensable to play, at leat the first 30 or so exercises, the scales and the arpeggios, with separate hands in order to check the position, sound and touch of every finger.
A second problem arises from the fact that the first 38 exercises are all in C major. Since only white keys are played, exercises are rather easy, but of limited usefulness because physical distances between white keys are ever the same (distance between C and E is the same as between D and F, and so on). As a result, for each of the first 30 exercises you play the same phrase for 14 times, with only the angle of the wrist changing. Furthermore, when playing only white keys, only the front part of the keyboard is used, where keys are more large and so a high precision of touch is not required.
These problems can, and should, be overcome by playing the first exercises also in C#: all black keys are touched, you must find out the white keys in the narrow space between the blak keys and physical distance between corresponding keys varies (distance between C# and E# is greater than that between D# and F#, and so on). Also, while moving along the keybord, finger must always assume different positions.
To be true, the playng in C# is adviced in a little footnote in the first page (at least in the italian edition), but I fear that it can be overlooked or dismissed.
I started again playing piano after 15 years of interruption, and Hanon was indispensable for my fingers, but I was really able to play in tones different from C only after playing the first exercises in C#, with separate hands.
(Obviously, scales make use of black keys, but the fingering is practically always the same, and so of poor help in certain awkward, practical situations).
This kind of study of Hanon is defintely much more difficult and time consuming, but is extremely more rewarding.
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Have used it for years
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This book of piano exercises is excellent. We all have those days when our fingers don't glide over the keys the way we would like them to. Than't when Hanon comes in. We should of course use these exercises every day, but with the busy lives that we lead, that is not always possible. Looking at the exercises at face value, they look easy. They seem to naturally fall under the fingers. However, if you are out of practice, you might just find yourself taking a little while to get your fingers working again. Use these exercises and then play that Mozart Piano Sonata. All of a sudden you can do it again.
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A great help for discipline, technique and power
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For the pianist who is serious about playing with expression without the natural limitations and inhibitions of the fingers, this is an excellent book. It is particularly helpful for those who's sight reading isn't great.
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Better than fitness exercise
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Maybe the best book for rehearsing piano. The book guide you through exercises finger by finger. Already after a couple of days, you feel the "power" in your fingers. If you want to advance piano playing past X-max songs, then this book is a must. A classic for more than 100 years.
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