Good stuff here from a fellow ranter, Billie. I lost a sizeable chunk of my childhood to these blasted exercises, and while they certainly did me some good, there were better ways…
That is the real question…
The Virtuoso Pianist , a compilation of 60 exercises by Charles-Louis Hanon, is meant to address the common technical difficulties that stand between an average pianist and a virtuoso. In my opinion though, what is considered “common technical difficulties” is completely subjective and is NOT a universal recipe for virtuosity so if we think of Hanon as a book that will improve our skills magically, we would be wrong. In any case, what IS virtuosity?
Vir-tu-o-so (/ˌvərCHo͞oˈōsō/) – Noun.
1) an experimenter or investigator especially in the arts and sciences
2) one skilled in or having a taste for the fine arts
3) one who excels in the technique of an art : a highly skilled musical performer
4) a person who has great skill at some endeavor
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Jason Lyon Music 
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