Help/advice/technical help asked for minor thirds scale

[franz_]

Hello guys,

I'm practicing a chopin piece for the moment, and generally everything is going well, only one place is really annoying, and technically a problem. It as two bars, with a chromatic scale going down, in minor thirds. it is starting on re/fa, and I use the fingers 1,5 / 2,4 / 1,3 / 1,5 / 2,4 / 1,5 / 2,4 / 1,3 / 2,4 / 1,3 / 1,5 / ....

Now, it is in a quiet fast tempo, and it doesn't really work. I tried a lot but... should I be relaxed with the wrist? tensioned? should only the fingers play? the wrist help? jump a bit?
The faster I try to play, the more tension I feel I've the impression. How do you guys play fast minor third scales?

Thanks for the help!

[ramseytheii]

This must be op.28 no.24.  The best fingering isn't a repeated thumb (in Chopin's day the action was lighter), but a slid second finger:

5-1/4-2/3-2/5-1/4-2/3-1/4-2/3-2 etc

Walter Ramsey

[franz_]

Thanks for the fingerings, I'll try them today. As for the piece, it is the Rondo Op. 5.

[comma]

You can use either your own (classical) fingering or Walter's - they both do well.

Play with very active fingers and a relaxed wrist. There is a slight arm movement, but not for the purpose of touch. It just brings your fingers in the best possible position for their individual action.

If you get stuck during the scale, try to use a non-staccato touch for the lower third notes.

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[stevebob]

This must be op.28 no.24.  The best fingering isn't a repeated thumb (in Chopin's day the action was lighter), but a slid second finger:

5-1/4-2/3-2/5-1/4-2/3-1/4-2/3-2 etc

Walter Ramsey

That's definitely my experience as well, and I love the conciseness of the description slid second finger instead of repeated thumb.  My own previous attempts to convey the essential element have seemed convoluted, and that pithy phrase is understandable to anyone who's aware of the variants for chromatic thirds.  Thanks, Walter.