I was listening to some Chopin etudes on records the other day...

[contrapunctus]

Can somebody please tell me how I can force my fingers to move that quickly and accurately. This is really bothering me. Its not fair. I hate my life. I feel like killing myself.

[sharon_f]

Practice, practice, practice.

[ddrrll]

Can somebody please tell me how I can force my fingers to move that quickly and accurately. This is really bothering me. Its not fair. I hate my life. I feel like killing myself.

-___- Don't kill your self just yet XD I just more or less started seriously... I'm using Czerny School of Velocity Op.299. Although you might be a lot better than me.

[rob47]

haha Don't worry contrapuncus, after 19 yrz i still can't play Chopin worth crap.

Learn Liszt.  He was better with the ladies too.

[spirithorn]

Can somebody please tell me how I can force my fingers to move that quickly and accurately. This is really bothering me. Its not fair.

There are all kinds of recordings of the Chopin Etudes available, some better that others.  But to put things in perspective, consider this:  When you listen to ANY commercially available recording of the Etudes and ask, "...how can I force my fingers to move that quickly and accurately", what you're really asking is, "How can I sould like a world class pianist who has devoted his or her life to sounding that way?".

[alzado]

Over the years I have come to suspect some of the tempos taken by some of the virtuoso pianists.

Oftentimes, these pianists are are in accord with the composer's wishes.  But bear in mind, virtuosos oftentimes have a big ego and have the talent to set a blinding pace, whether called for or not.  Is their speed warranted?  Oftentimes, yes.  Sometimes, not really . . . they take a piece unnecessarily fast.  Sometimes Ashkenazy will do this.

I wouldn't get bent out of shape over how fast some well-known virtuoso happened to take a piece on a record.

[Souza]

Over the years I have come to suspect some of the tempos taken by some of the virtuoso pianists.

Oftentimes, these pianists are are in accord with the composer's wishes.  But bear in mind, virtuosos oftentimes have a big ego and have the talent to set a blinding pace, whether called for or not.  Is their speed warranted?  Oftentimes, yes.  Sometimes, not really . . . they take a piece unnecessarily fast.  Sometimes Ashkenazy will do this.

I wouldn't get bent out of shape over how fast some well-known virtuoso happened to take a piece on a record.

I agree with you.  To play slower sometimes is difficult too.  You have to express more accurately the balance, the equilibrium of the music...in higher and hazardous speed,  pianists  sometimes neglects aspects that in lower speeds should be more carefull or attentive to details...ex...it seems that pedaling in lower speeds carefully provides a best sonority than the suitable  pedaling at high speeds...somehow there are aspects of convenience at high speeds.

I think it's dangerous conclude anything.


Taking as example chopin op 10 n 1 ( MM - 176  in score) in some recordings:

Arrau does at Metr= 178

Earl Wild plays at 147.

Novaes plays at 150

Cortot plays at 179.


At Cortot student editions have a suggestion to tempi in minutes for each study, insomuch op 10 n 1 - tempi = 2 minutes and 20 seconds... this sugestion is enlarged than the total time of Earl Wild at 147 = 2 min and 13 seconds...


Cortot says in his edition de travail :  The metronomic indications that appear at the beginning of each Study are those given either in the original manuscript or in Schlesinger's Parisian edition published while Chopin was alive.  We have added our oun suggestions as to the approximate duration of each pieace.  See thematic table. (tempi  in minutes/seconds).


I can't realize such  discrepancies. 

Are they interpretation, technic  issues,  by one side, or a kind of delirium of  grandeur on the other?

Perhaps we have to be cautious taking an imitating attitude toward someone's interpretation or we will never be a real pianist...only just a candidate.


Pedro

[stevie]

Can somebody please tell me how I can force my fingers to move that quickly and accurately. This is really bothering me. Its not fair. I hate my life. I feel like killing myself.

https://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1712115

i take it this wasnt the record you were listening to

[maxy]

https://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1712115

i take it this wasnt the record you were listening to

hahaha for his sake I really hope it's not that rec... 

Why worry so much about tempo?

If we just take op 10#1, slowest rec I heard was 2:18  by Samson François, fastest was 1:37 by Ciani (live).  Average is 2 minutes flat...  François and Ciani both play it well... It's not just the tempi that makes a good performance.