Chopin Prelude in G sharp minor, Op. 28 no. 12

[atticus]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone out there plays/has played Chopin's Prelude in G sharp minor, Op. 28 no. 12?  Is the hardest thing about this prelude getting it up to tempo (presto)?  I am considering learning it but saw in a previous post that it was ranked as one of the more advanced preludes and I am at the intermediate level...

Thanks,
atticus

[nanabush]

I'm trying a few of his preludes, havn't played any of the very difficult ones, but want to learn this one AKA "the duel"...or so I have heard.  I just fooled around a bit trying the first couple of measures, and what's really difficult and awkward is obviously the repeating notes... for example the first few notes:  D#-E-E-F-F-F# the melody in the right is very hard to get right with the lower notes in the right hand trailing right under.  I will wait to learn this, probably after the summer I'm gonna ask my teacher If I can learn several of the preludes while at my lessons instead of on my own...Ya It sounds cool but the repeating notes are difficult..

[robert]

I have played it (and even recorded it at http://pianosociety.com) and you are right about the observation that the problem is to manage it up to speed. My recording is not and I did not feel that I had a solid performance if I was playing faster than in this recording.
It takes stamina and patience to bring into correct tempo but is not hard to learn (memorise) and I am among the people that thinks that it is ok to play piece not quite up to speed as far as you have the right idea about it so just go for it!