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There was a discussion about why pianists often repeat a same key with different fingers: Which fingering to use when playing the same piano key twice in a row?

My question is: does it only apply to right hand, or left hand as well?

FYI I'm learning to play Bach's minuet in A minor BWV Anh 120 and it has many instances where the same key is repeated three times in a row on the left hand.

GrandAdagio
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Yes, the convention of changing fingers on repeated notes applies to both hands.

One classic example is Beethoven's "Für Elise":

Left-hand repeated notes

In the edition edited by Albert Ernest Wier, the fingering is given as 3-2-1-3-2-1.

The piece mentioned in the OP, Bach's A Minor Minuet, BWV Anh 120, can be fingered similarly. But in a variation on the 3-2-1-3-2-1 fingering often used, the editor of the below example, Paul-Gustav Feller, suggests a 2-3-2 strategy in accordance with his phrase markings and also avoiding the "strong" thumb on beat 3 of each measure.

More left-hand repeated notes

Aaron
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  • Thanks! And I also just found a score of the BWV Anh 120 that has fingering which confirms what you said. Before, I wasn't sure how to write my own fingering as there are so many ways to do it if using different fingers on the same note, and using one same finger would simplify it so much. – GrandAdagio Sep 12 '20 at 02:01
  • @seamurmurs The same-finger routine can be uncomfortable at first, but with practice it becomes intuitive. If you'll post the Bach link, I'll add it to the answer. – Aaron Sep 12 '20 at 02:03
  • It's in PDF here https://imslp.org/wiki/Notebooks_for_Anna_Magdalena_Bach_(Bach%2C_Johann_Sebastian) – GrandAdagio Sep 12 '20 at 02:04
  • @seamurmurs Which edition? – Aaron Sep 12 '20 at 02:06
  • Menuet in A minor, BWV Anh.120 #325019 - 0.03MB, 1 pp. - 8.4/10 2 4 6 8 10 (15) - 5902×⇩ View PDF typeset by editor Pgfeller (2014/5/13) – GrandAdagio Sep 12 '20 at 02:08
  • I notice they use 3 2 2 for most of the 3-time repeats, maybe it's a general rule to keep the consistency? – GrandAdagio Sep 12 '20 at 02:09
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    @seamurmurs I've included my interpretation of the fingering choice. Please let me know if it makes sense or needs clarification/elaboration. BTW, I would not play from this edition. The repeated-note section makes a certain amount of sense, but in general I find the fingering bizarre. – Aaron Sep 12 '20 at 02:44
  • Thanks for the interpretation. I wonder why they didn't continue the pattern toward the end (I mean they have 3 2 1 2 3 2 before the 1 5, why not 3 2 2 3 2 2, 1 5 ?) I would be interested in your alternative way but seems no space here? (One thing I got from this example is, to keep certain patterns corresponding to the repeated patterns in the right hand) – GrandAdagio Sep 12 '20 at 02:55
  • @seamurmurs I suspect the pattern breaks in order to facilitate getting the thumb onto the E in the final measure of the line. – Aaron Sep 12 '20 at 02:58
  • Aaron, 3 2 1 2 3 2 1 5 vs. 3 2 2 3 2 2 1 5 have the same effect on the thumb on E (both have 2 before the 1), though. – GrandAdagio Sep 12 '20 at 03:02
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    @seamurmurs (move to chat failing...) Agreed. I can only guess it related to Feller's sense of phrasing. Notice that the "breath marks" end at that point. – Aaron Sep 12 '20 at 03:05
  • ah, so those commas "," are breath marks? I was wondering what they were... – GrandAdagio Sep 12 '20 at 03:09
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Aaron, here is the score with fingering I found:enter image description here

GrandAdagio
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  • Is it a general rule to keep the consistency as in here, "3 2 2" for most of the notes that repeat three times in a row, regardless which note? To help with muscle memory or what? – GrandAdagio Sep 12 '20 at 02:14