From Fantaisie Impromptu to Etude 25-11?

[kartman]

Nice forum this is!
I wanted to ask your advice on this. How difficult is it to learn Chopin's "Winter Wind" etude after just finishing the fantaisie impromptu?
I learnt to play the fantaisie impromptu a few years ago. After not having played it for a couple years (and after not having played the piano much at all in that time), it turns out my skills were a bit rusty, and the piece was difficult enough to force me to spend a week practicing it until I could play it again without errors and with reasonably even notes in the right hand.
Now, I've kinda fallen in love with the winter wind etude after hearing a performance of it on TV, and i was wondering if i could try to play it next. Only problem though is that it sounds very very difficult. What do you guys think? Does it just sound more difficult than it actually is and would it be possible to learn for someone who can play the fant.impromptu? Or will there be a good chance that it's gonna be too hard for me?

[rimv2]

Think it might be harder than the FI. Took meh a while just to get the first few bars memorised after the intro. Plus its stupid long.

[zheer]

Am convinced that if you can play the first pages of the winter wind Etude at a good tempo, then you can indeed play all ov the Etude. It less difficult than 10/2 by chopin.

[danyal]

If I see one more FI thread... whatever, if you believe you are ready and love the piece and are willing to practise hard and well, then play it.

[kartman]

In fact, this is an Etude 25/11 thread and not a FI thread... 
I was just using FI as a reference. But maybe my post was too wordy. My question is just simple: Is the 25/11 harder than the FI? and if yes: by how much?
But thanks for your input sofar. I'll probably give it a try then, but i'll be careful not to get frustrated if it's too hard.

[acha114]

In fact, this is an Etude 25/11 thread and not a FI thread... 
I was just using FI as a reference. But maybe my post was too wordy. My question is just simple: Is the 25/11 harder than the FI? and if yes: by how much?
But thanks for your input sofar. I'll probably give it a try then, but i'll be careful not to get frustrated if it's too hard.

Yes the Winterwind etude is harder than FI? I am not sure how much harder though. I can say that Winterwind needs plenty of stamina to sustain that pace over a long time.

[Motrax]

I would say the Winter Wind is a great deal more difficult. There are a number of spots that are decidedly unpianistic, and I disagree with Zheer that playing the first few pages well assures the ability to play the entire thing well. For one thing, there are a number of spots that require a very fluid left hand (which tends to be a weak spot for many up-and-coming pianists). There are a number of difficult skips in both hands. Furthermore, the piece requires effortless playing in order to be able to play through well - any bit of tension in the right hand will multiply and bog down your playing by the end.

With all that doom and gloom, it won't hurt to try the piece. I began learning it before I was ready, and although I had to drop it for a while, simply working on the etude helped my playing tremendously. Good luck!

[ted]

I play both, and I find the study more demanding, both physically and musically. It contains some supremely beautiful moments though, and once you get it right the effort seems very worthwhile.