Ballade op 23No.1 Chopin

[ben19rach]

Hi! i am need some advice about pedaling chopin's ballade in g minor of the first 6 measures!!!!!!!!!

[ned]

How about:
Depress the pedal. Play the C's with low wrists, gradually releasing pedal as you ascend the keyboard and make decrescendo. Clear and reset pedal at the top. Then you do what sounds good. Observe the rests carefully. Make your audience wait a little before offering them the theme.
Cheers,
Ned

[martin_s]

I think the important thing is to first imagine what you want to express here, and what sound you would like to produce. Have that clear in mind, then play and listen very carefully and experiment with an almost unpedalled version versus a version with too much pedal and try to find out what best recreates what you had in mind before starting...

[ayahav]

I'm playing that piece too now. I am actually recording it for a CD in April/May. What I do is the following:
-Press the pedal, and playing the C's loudly.
-Keep pressed and play the ascending arpeggio starting softly and building up to the top C.
-Change the pedal after that C.
-Change the pedal after the A (before G)
-Change the pedal after the G (before the F#)
-Depress.
-Press
-Change before the triplet.
-Change every beat.

Hope this helps....  ;)Amit (any other queries, contact me without hesitation)

[willster]

Personally I prefer to use as little pedal as possible in this section. This passage is a statement before the first thematic content. Using the pedal blurs it and creates resonance amongst the other strings causing an unclear tone quality. The passage itself sits comfortably under the fingers for one to play it legato-so why use pedal? Another important point is that 'authentic' performances are so popular in this day and age-The pianos at the time of Chopin had a much lighter pedal compared to todays piano's.

Be bold and be clear!

Will

[Frizzler]

I don't use the pedal at all.  Chopin used little pedal and was a huge fan of legato.  There's no need for it in the beginning and it takes away from the clarity of the introduction

[frederic]

I disagree with you Frizzler. Chopin was a big fan of legato, if you compare to Liszt or something, yes, but he was also a big fan of the pedal. He was very good with the pedal.

[Frizzler]

Yes, he was a huge fan of the pedal, and he changed the usage of it from what everyone else in music had done until that time.  He used it as a means of expression, not of technicality.  So, yes he was a huge fan of the pedal, and he was a huge fan of when not to use it.  This information is not hard to come by, Chopin would laugh.