Back to basics: playing soft legato

[steveie986]

After years of exclusive, gratitious Chopin listening and playing, my piano technique fundamentals have become mediocre. I can bang out the bombastic Polonaises but I can no longer play soft legato. I have decided to abandon Chopin and go back to Bach and the Beethoven sonatas (and the scales).

Should I also practice Hanon/Czerny? Specifically, how can I improve my technique in these areas? I find that I need to cheat by using the practice pedal on the passages of rapid fingerwork. Also, how much pedal should be used in the Beethoven sonatas? (the Appassionata, 3rd mvt, in particular)

TIA

[jamie_liszt]

 I think you should just practise scales, scales and more scales. Play the Harmonic minor, Melodic Minor and Major scales, play them differently (eg: legato-piano, forte,  or crescendo, then diminuendo on the way back or staccato) and try practising the evil Arpeggios, 1st inv. 2nd inv. diminished, dominant.. etc( play them with an even Legato, Mezzo-forte)

Stuff like Hanon might help even your playing, idk ive never tried Hanon..

[pianistimo]

for me, learning to play with the pads of my fingers was a much different technique than the tips.  now, flatter hand/fingers and more movement sideways by arm (keeping wrist as much in center of hand as possible).  fingering is very important to legato playing - yet not always traditional fingering.  just what makes sense and is comfortable at the speed you are playing.  playing vocal music helps one think of the 'line' and of 'singing legato.'  or playing something like the oboe concerto of saintsaens (including the solo line) and pretending it's all one (solo and accompaniment).  mozart, schumann, schubert and many other composers wrote music that was vocally oriented - with singing line. 

try some accompanying work.  you have to match the voice at various places.  pretend you're playing for a ballet company.