I was wondering if I could get a good indication of which tempo is appropriate for this etude.  There are many "conflicting" speeds, and I would like to know what is suitable.

My edition (Paderewski) indicates 160 to the quarter note.  One person I consulted with had an edition that stated 152 to the quarter note.  I have a very good recording that starts off at 144, but as it progresses, it descends in tempo down to 132 to the quarter.

I was wondering from people who have performed this before, what they felt regarding the tempo.

Thanks

-Xenon

The problem with extremely fast playing is that you loose some of the beauty of the piece. It becomes notes jumbled together. The piece is fast, but make sure you keep the RH chords distinct, sharp, and seperate from each other.

boliverallmon

TwinkleFingers> Allegro con Fuoco, I like it!

BoliverAllmon> Ah, good point.  I just had my piano lesson yesterday and my teacher went over some techniques for creating the LH to be more linear and fluid.  It is true that the 16th note figures do take away from the RH.  This piece sounds really good on big pianos!

Thracozaag> Cut time?  Wow, my edition (Paderewski) is also in common time.  

I would just like to know any threshold of tempo that  would be suitable.

Thanks

-Xenon

 The crucial point regarding tempo in this piece is the meter.  Most editions incorrectly have it in 4, when it is actually in cut time.  

I believe you're correct. The Henle Urtext edition has the meter as 2/2, with the tempo marking 76 to the half note.

The edition I have has it 144 to the quarter. The thing to strive for is to have the LH so fast and moving that it sounds like a tide rushing in louder, then leaving softer. The RH should stay crisp the entire time.

boliver

Tharcozaag:
Please help me out with this question.
Is 4 incorrect for the Revolutionary?

I looked at the Henle to see what the editors did in attempting to reconcile differences in the manuscripts, first editions etc. Surprisingly, several of the etudes in op 10, in addition to the Revolutionary, were written in 2 (alla breve) in Chopin's first manuscripts, namely no's 1,2,4 and 8, but these were all changed to 4 in the first editions and subsequent editions. Henle did not go back to the manuscript 2 time for no's 1,2,4,and 8 but did adopt 2 for the Revolutionary. The Henle editorial notes give no reason for that decision.  Why 2 in the Revolutionary but not in no 1, which strikes me as potentially alla breve. What is the better reading?
Ned

What's the deal with people obsessing over indicated speeds, like those c (croquet? id unno wat they're called) markings, for like every half/ or whole/ or quarter note.  The tempo says Allegro con Fuoco, from my experience of listening to many many recordings, the rest is a matter of how you feel a certain speed expresses whatever you want to say at that point in time.

OBVIOUSLY. AS. FAST. AS. HUMANLY. POSSIBLE.
/troll

In all seriousness though, I would like to ask Mr. Attwood, perhaps to elaborate on playing the piece in cut-time.

Peadal usage should be some but not too much