Help with Rachmaninov Etudes Tableaux op 39 no 8

[Jacey1973]

Hi,

I'm having a problem with stretching my RH in this particular etude (op 39 no . The bar i have a problem with is the 10th from the end (or the 2nd bar of the top line of page 91 of this Russian edition of 1973 i have).

If you look at the bar it is the Fs underneath the RH DFA chords (in triplet staccato quavers). When i first saw this bar i thought there's no way my RH can stretch to play the lower F as well as the DFA chord it has to play on the same beat at the same time. So i tried playing in my LH instead.

This is ok but i have a fairly big jump for the LH to do now as it has to play the 2nd G (then G# - 2nd triplet, then A - 3rd triplet) below middle C on the same beat at the same time. Also this causes a slight delayed effect which i don't think sounds right, as the Fs i have the problem with are part of the main descending underlying melody so they need to sound on time.

I listened to a recording and i can't hear any problem with these Fs i/e no delay, Howard Shelley is the pianist. I don't see what else i can do though apart from using my LH to play the Fs as my RH just won't stretch. Perhaps i just need to practise it more to make it more seamless sounding?

BTW my post might make more sense if you look at a score.

[jim_24601]

Look at a score? It's a novel idea but, since I happen to have a set of etudes-tableaux lying about the place ... I believe that I've located the bar to which you refer but it isn't the 10th from the end ... by my count it's the 17th (unless my edition is very different from yours).

In the hand span thread you seemed to say that you can stretch a 10th. My own span is similar and I can just about play that chord as such with my right hand but I'm not sure I would trust it at speed and I certainly would have a hard time voicing the accent on the low F. At this point there are 3 parts; the bass, the descending triplets in the middle part and the accompanying chords in the treble. If you can't play them all at once one of them will have to be delayed. If you asked me to pick one to delay it would be the top chord, which is the only one that doesn't have an accent. Which leaves you putting down the F with your thumb and then fitting in the chord with the fingers as best you can.

[Jacey1973]

Look at a score? It's a novel idea but, since I happen to have a set of etudes-tableaux lying about the place ... I believe that I've located the bar to which you refer but it isn't the 10th from the end ... by my count it's the 17th (unless my edition is very different from yours).

In the hand span thread you seemed to say that you can stretch a 10th. My own span is similar and I can just about play that chord as such with my right hand but I'm not sure I would trust it at speed and I certainly would have a hard time voicing the accent on the low F. At this point there are 3 parts; the bass, the descending triplets in the middle part and the accompanying chords in the treble. If you can't play them all at once one of them will have to be delayed. If you asked me to pick one to delay it would be the top chord, which is the only one that doesn't have an accent. Which leaves you putting down the F with your thumb and then fitting in the chord with the fingers as best you can.

Ohh good idea, will give that a try. Yes it's the speed thing that's the problem. I find it a stretch because my right hand is playing 245 on the chord and then it's a case of stretching a 6th between my 2nd finger and thumb (D down to the F) which i just can't do without pain! I do believe the F is the most important note to sound...

Thanks Jim x