Mendelssohn Piano Concerto in g minor

[chopinguy]

Hi everyone!

Has anyone here learned this concerto?  What advice would you give on learning it?  Thanks a bunch! 

chopinguy

[abe]

I finished with the concerto a little over a month ago. The first movement that is, and sort of looked at the second movement. The first movement doesn't have too many troubles, most of it fits right into the fingers. The arpeggio section starting after E (pg. 10 for Schirmer's edition) and continuing basically to the end of the movement is the spot that caused me the most trouble. Make sure you get good fingerings and practice it slowly. Do NOT tense up in this section because that will prevent the right hand from playing evenly and to speed in rythm. I can only suggest slow metronome practice for this section with steady fingers.
The very hardest part for me of this movement is 5 after K (pg. 16), and i guess just practice slowly again. The parallel arperggio run at L isn't too bad, and speed comes with slow, persistent practice. This movement is a fun one to play (although by now I am thoroughly sick of it), just always stay loose.
The third movement has similar arpeggios, but faster, so it's probably a bit harder than the first movement.
Good Luck!

--Abe

[apion]

I find this concerto to be one of the easier ones to memorize and perform.  I would not consider it a "difficult" concerto. 

[chopinguy]

Ok, thats good, since I'm trying to learn the whole thing over the spring and let it rest over the summer so that it'll be ready to go by the fall.  Actually, it was either going to be this one or the Schumann concerto, and I'm planning to take on another harder concerto after this one.

[abe]

Schumanns a lot harder IMO.