Chopin Prelude No 1

[steve jones]

Hey all,

I have a fingering problem with this piece. Im fine upto bar 15 where it appears you need to play a 5th in right hand between 3-5.

That I can do, but it just makes it pretty awkward. Does anyone have an alternative fingering for this?

Cheers!

SJ

[counterpoint]

The experience shows that sometimes dissonances do not only hurt in the ears, but also in the fingers 

In bar 22 there is even a sixth to span with 3-5   

If it is impossible for you to span these intervalls, then you could jump with the 2nd finger and take some more time for it (what you propably will do in any case because of the "molto espressivo" character of these bars)

[steve jones]

Cheers Counterpoint, thanks for the advice.

Yeah, this is a tricky one. I can play a 6th between 3-5, but not comfortably in that kind of figure! Stretching the hand like that makes it VERY difficult to remain relaxed and play accurately.

I was thinking that I might for those bars loose off with the thumb and use the pedal to sustain it. Will see how it goes. Perhaps my hand will get 'used' to it, we'll see.

Thanks!

SJ

[counterpoint]

Yes, in this whole Prelude, I only strike the thumb for a short moment  and hold the note with the pedal, which is also needed to hold the bass note in every bar.

[steve jones]

Really?

Iv been trying to play it as written. Not so easy, lol!

Not sure I could relearn to play it differently though without wasting a load of time. I'll probably just work on these difficult bars to find a way of playing them, then knit them in with the rest.

The old 5 against 6 (well, 2 I guess) isnt so nice either 

BB