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Topic: Chopin Prelude #3  (Read 4087 times)

Offline rimv2

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Chopin Prelude #3
on: November 15, 2005, 12:32:37 AM
Any body got any tips on getting this lit-ol devil a tempo.

Particularly at the A major run. This part bites mah fingers off ;D
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Offline rimv2

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #1 on: November 16, 2005, 05:34:05 AM
Patience is a virtue 8)

(whatever that means)
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Offline rimv2

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #2 on: November 17, 2005, 02:49:51 AM
Ah is now experimenting with the chords attack.

Ahve also found that the problem is not in the fingers. They move as fast az a want them to. The problem is with the position of the hand.

Working 8)
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Offline rimv2

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #3 on: November 17, 2005, 04:47:37 AM
Attempting to play without placing the thumb on the black keys seems fruitless
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Offline rimv2

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #4 on: November 17, 2005, 07:06:48 AM
Ah am now attempting to play this using the forearm as a guide and forcing mah fingers to follow 8)
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Offline rimv2

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #5 on: November 20, 2005, 04:20:21 AM
Attempting to use 2 instead of the thumb in the a major passage (or is it d starting on a)

Any suggestions!? 8)
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Offline m1469

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #6 on: November 20, 2005, 05:55:04 AM
Okay.  I have seen this topic since you started it, Mr rimv2, and I am presently working on this piece also.  I have not responded yet because it is a brain buster for me to put much of anything about this into words, but here I go :

First of all, I am not quite sure what you are referring to by "experimenting with chord attacks"... I assume you are talking about the RH, but how is this helping your LH with all of those running notes ?  Or maybe you were just mentioning that as a separate piece to the puzzle.

Secondly, I would very much agree that when one thinks in terms of fingers rather than hands, it is more difficult and labored.  As you mention, it is helpful to think in terms of hand positions and then the fingers are already there.  The aim would be to think of (and feel) moving the entire hand when a leap is necessary, instead of trying to reach with the fingers.  Also, using the forearm as a guide seems right on to me.

With that having been said, I am inclined to go ahead and use the thumb on the black keys in this section.  For one, it's what my edition has suggested (Schirmer) and I never changed it because it works for me, but more importantly, along the lines of hand positions, it requires less movement by the entire hand and less reaching with the fingers.  It also follows the same fingering pattern as that used in the G Major runs, and consistency is very good in my opinion, whenever practical.  In this case, I would ask why not use the thumb ?  Finger number 2 would require the whole hand to reach further, and it would also force the hand positions to change one more time than with the thumb on the F#.  The less hand movement, the better (imo), when dealing with the tempo and nature of the moving notes in this piece.

I see measure 7 acting as a V7 to the key of D Major, or V7/V in the key of G (however, I don't quite know what the F# on top of the chord would be labled).

So, we are partners in crime, I guess  8) .


m1469
"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving"  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Offline rimv2

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #7 on: November 20, 2005, 06:29:08 AM
Chord attack:

Left hand is broken into groups of  notes that can fit in the hand. These groups are played as chords. The chords are then gently bounced, then slurred. the move on to the next group.

You can play them stupid fast if you practice it right.



Just tried the 2 finger and it works well only if you are willing to try, but it puts an accent on the f# (even more so than the thumb initially did)
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Offline m1469

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #8 on: November 20, 2005, 06:34:29 AM
Chord attack:

Left hand is broken into groups of  notes that can fit in the hand. These groups are played as chords. The chords are then gently bounced, then slurred. the move on to the next group.

Gotcha.


Quote
Just tried the 2 finger and it works well only if you are willing to try, but it puts an accent on the f# (even more so than the thumb initially did)


Well, I did try, and I am just not convinced as to why this would be any better than the thumb ?  I mean, why not the thumb ?  Just because of some "rule" ?
"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving"  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Offline rimv2

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #9 on: November 20, 2005, 06:50:09 AM
Gotcha.

 

Well, I did try, and I am just not convinced as to why this would be any better than the thumb ?  I mean, why not the thumb ?  Just because of some "rule" ?

Nah...just seemed to fit when ah tried it yesterday.

Perhaps mah lack of lefthand thumb control?  Ah am learning to 1-2 trill with it while holding 5 for scarlatti and ahve found that using the same light touch with the thumb in this passage makes it easier. However, ah cannot control this at will yet.

so the 2 came about because ah felt the thumb was too heavy at the time
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Offline m1469

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #10 on: November 20, 2005, 07:44:44 PM
Nah...just seemed to fit when ah tried it yesterday.

Perhaps mah lack of lefthand thumb control?  Ah am learning to 1-2 trill with it while holding 5 for scarlatti and ahve found that using the same light touch with the thumb in this passage makes it easier. However, ah cannot control this at will yet.

so the 2 came about because ah felt the thumb was too heavy at the time


Okay, that makes sense to me.  I guess I would rather learn to control my thumb.  But an alternate plan is always a good idea.  Thanks for explaining your thinking.


m1469  :)
"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving"  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Offline m1469

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #11 on: November 21, 2005, 06:56:32 PM
rimv2 (or anybody else  :)), what recordings have you listened to ?  I am currently listening to Samson Francois and also Martha Argerich (I also have Pollini, but haven't listened in a while).

Argerich is 2 seconds faster overall, but who knows where that is located, maybe just in the last chords (I haven't really payed attention to that).  What I do notice is that Francois is more articulate in his runs.  It is not that Argerich is sloppy, but just not as clear on every single note (maybe more pedal).

What have you decided regarding these runs as far as articulation is concerned ?  I think I prefer the more articulated sound, at this point.


m1469  :)
"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving"  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Offline rimv2

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #12 on: November 21, 2005, 11:57:45 PM
rimv2 (or anybody else  :)), what recordings have you listened to ?  I am currently listening to Samson Francois and also Martha Argerich (I also have Pollini, but haven't listened in a while).

Argerich is 2 seconds faster overall, but who knows where that is located, maybe just in the last chords (I haven't really payed attention to that).  What I do notice is that Francois is more articulate in his runs.  It is not that Argerich is sloppy, but just not as clear on every single note (maybe more pedal).

What have you decided regarding these runs as far as articulation is concerned ?  I think I prefer the more articulated sound, at this point.


m1469  :)

Ah think the more articulated sound comes from changing the pedal half way through the  measure, or not you using it at all. It's kind of strange as a was thinking about this while ah was practicing it today and here now you bring it up.

Ah found it actually sounds better if you use a lot less pedal. One recording ah listened to was as the Argerch recording you described. The pianist was Garrick Ohlsson,  a chop comp winner. He used more pedal, and ah found his recording to less appealling to the ear than the one ah found of Jeanne-Marie Darre who seemed to pedal only the first beat of each measure. (and ah usually really like Ohlsson's playing)
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Offline bearzinthehood

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Re: Chopin Prelude #3
Reply #13 on: December 30, 2005, 10:34:12 PM
I started working on this one a week ago.  I assume you guys are probably done with it by now.

For now I'm using very little pedal, and no more than half pedal when I do, I'll probably add more when I've thought it out better.  What tempo do you like to use?  I've settled on 140 right now, I'm sure most people play it faster.  I've listened to Pollini and he uses some clever rubato, maybe I'll try some of that, most of the runs I can probably handle faster.
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