mendelssohn's rondo capriccioso

[hodi]

how difficult is this piece?
what technical difficulties it involved?

[julie391]

pretty difficult considering the time period its from, but fairly insignifigantly difficut if compared with sorabji etc..

you need good octaves for the finish

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

When I learned it, it wasn't too difficult. It would help me to answer your question if I knew how long you have played, and what the most difficult piece you've ever learned is.

-Ludwig Van Rachabji

[rachlisztchopin]

im learning it right now and im having a bit of trouble with it...more trouble then beethovens waldstein and griegs concerto (thought im not to the hard part yet on the grieg concerto)....but don't listen to me....im only a two year pianist so my technique probably isnt very good
fun beautiful piece though!

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

im learning it right now and im having a bit of trouble with it...more trouble then beethovens waldstein and griegs concerto (thought im not to the hard part yet on the grieg concerto)....but don't listen to me....im only a two year pianist so my technique probably isnt very good
fun beautiful piece though!

Wow, you've been playing for two years and have learned the Waldstein! That is quite amazing.

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

[presto agitato]

Think about this piece as if you were learning two Chopin etudes:

The Andante is an etude of expression and precise control.

The Rondo is an etude of right hand arpeggios, speed, volume, left hand melody etc. In general you need to need a virtuoso technique IMO.

Once you play it well, you can be satisfied that you have reached one of the picks in piano literature.

Good Recordings?? Murray Perahia and Benjamin Frith (Naxos)

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

It's funny, I really wouldn't say it's that difficult. I found it easier that Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, which so many people seem to find so "easy".

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

[presto agitato]

I found it easier that Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

NO WAYˇˇ

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

I do. I think it might be because I enjoyed practicing it more. I love "Moonlight", but it isn't as fun to play, imho.

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

[brewtality]

the key to this piece is to play it AFAP in the presto. The double note trills are wikid.

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

the key to this piece is to play it AFAP in the presto. The double note trills are wikid.

You don't necessarily need to play it as fast as possible. Of course, it is meant to be played very fast, however, playing any piece too fast will ruin it.

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

[rachlisztchopin]

yea i think the problem i am having with this piece is I am playing it too fast and i start to panic and play sloppily
well i have a recording of cziffra playing this and he plays it lighter then any pianists iv ever heard...amazes me

[julie391]

the key to this piece is to play it AFAP in the presto. The double note trills are wikid.

You don't necessarily need to play it as fast as possible. Of course, it is meant to be played very fast, however, playing any piece too fast will ruin it.

- Ludwig Van Rachabji

in some pieces there is no such thing as too fast

[brewtality]

correct. I feel that this is the case in this piece but i admit that when you've been playing it afap it is very hard to play it correctly at a normal pace (which i have to do for my lessons). I still haven't heard Cziffra recording but i have Bolet's which is painfully slow.

[julie391]

i have an arrau video of this piece, he is surprisingly vivacious(maybe because he was young)

[brewtality]

Is that from the golden age of the piano? i've seen this but the andante is omitted and there was also cuts in the presto. Overall i think it was a bit on the slow side 

[julie391]

well....considering its arrau 

[rachlisztchopin]

i have an arrau video of this piece, he is surprisingly vivacious(maybe because he was young)

where did you buy this
im want it 

[julie391]

its on the golden age of the piano dvd

[chromatickler]

The whole piece including the andante should last no more than 5 minutes.

[brewtality]

I just got my order of the complete hofmann vol 1-4 today. The Rondo Cappriccioso (sans andante) is wikidly fast (unofficial timing: 3'38") even if the recording quality is a bit sheet. IMO the andante should not be rushed as this adds to the fury and shock value that comes from the AFAP presto. btw, the Jorge Bolet recordings clocks in at a disgraceful 6'58".

[hodi]

"the Jorge Bolet recordings clocks in at a disgraceful 6'58". "

are we measuring an intel pentium or amd athlon? "clocks at 6'58" ?

i have his recording and i think it's great, even if he is not playing it fast as other pianists, he is playing it very accuratly and musically wonderful.

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

Fury? Shock value? I don't get that feeling from this piece at all. Sure, it's fast, but don't you think that describing this piece as furious and shocking is going too far? Remember, the Presto is supposed to be played lightly, not angrily. After all, this is called 'Rondo Capriccioso', not 'Rondo Furioso'.

[pianochic]

I love this piece. It's a great piece to learn! I most certainly encourage you to learn it!
What do you think of when you play/listen to this piece?
Rondo Capriccioso reminds of... fairy land! lol.

[hodi]

almost all of mendelssohn compositions remind me of fairy tales,elves,dwarves and other "lord of the rings" stuff 

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

It doesn't really remind me of "Fairy Land". In my opinion, it reminds me of some sort of love story. I can't really explain what I mean in a way that makes sense, but when I sit down and listen to it, I can almost piece together an entire story.

Try some MacDowell sonatas if you want 'fairy tale' music. They are great pieces! 

[rachlisztchopin]

I would say this piece is pretty hard though. And requires parts of a virtuoso technique sometimes (like most of the presto part for instance).

[brewtality]

are we measuring an intel pentium or amd athlon? "clocks at 6'58" ?

da timings are of upmost importance, da slow tempo makes Bolet's recording incredibly boring.

Fury? Shock value? I don't get that feeling from this piece at all

how do you play the octaves on the last page? dolce? *shudders*

but don't you think that describing this piece as furious and shocking is going too far?

no, i didn't mean that its furious throughout, but the level of fury builds through the presto before unleashing its max in the octs 

[thracozaag]

correct. I feel that this is the case in this piece but i admit that when you've been playing it afap it is very hard to play it correctly at a normal pace (which i have to do for my lessons). I still haven't heard Cziffra recording but i have Bolet's which is painfully slow.

  The live Bolet  performance from Tully is phenomenal.

koji (STSD)

[presto agitato]

I would say this piece is pretty hard though. And requires parts of a virtuoso technique sometimes (like most of the presto part for instance).

I agree

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

da timings are of upmost importance, da slow tempo makes Bolet's recording incredibly boring.


how do you play the octaves on the last page? dolce? *shudders*



no, i didn't mean that its furious throughout, but the level of fury builds through the presto before unleashing its max in the octs 

OK, I see what you mean. I was refering to the whole piece, but you obviously meant the octaves.

Thanks.

[pianochic]

This piece wasn't too hard for me except for the little section before the first series of octaves. It requires a lot of practicing to get it under your fingers for sure. It's a very beautiful piece, and when I mastered it... it was worthwhile playing this beautiful... fairy land song. 

[doggone]

The best account I have heard of this piece is by Jean-Yves Thibaudet.  He tosses it off with ease.  And he gets a lot more out of it (i.e. musicality) than others I have heard e.g. Perahia

[brewtality]

Thibaudet's presto is very good but the andante is boring.