Question about fingering

[paulmoony]

Hi. How do you determine if the note is for the right hand or left hand?
I oviously know the right hand is over the left on a sheet music, but
like Chopin ballade No. 1 op 23, when the octaves that are right before the
large scale part, is it played only with the right hand or both?
How do you know?

[cjp_piano]

As long as it SOUNDS like it should, I don't think it really matters which hand! 

For the Chopin Ballade, I think most pianists play the octaves with BOTH hands, I did.  By doing that, you can play stonger and more relaxed.

Good luck

[harmelodic]

Hi. How do you determine if the note is for the right hand or left hand?
I oviously know the right hand is over the left on a sheet music, but
like Chopin ballade No. 1 op 23, when the octaves that are right before the
large scale part, is it played only with the right hand or both?
How do you know?

The figures you mention are directly related to the very first notes of the Ballade, which is played with 2 hands.  Chopin is bringing us back to the very beginning of the piece.  Alot of answers to questions like these are actually contained in the music itself.

[grannz]

I assume you are referring the to first four bars of the last page? Well I dont have a teacher but I watched many people play it and they all used the following and it works a charm for me:

The piece uses both hands. The First b flat octave in the bass is played with the left hand using 1-5, then use 1-235 for the right hand, then as the right hand pattern repeats itself down through the octaves, simple replace the right hand thumb with your left hand index finger to play the D note.

However, you should play the very last D key (then end of the second bar) in the series with your right hand thumb becuase the left hand will need to prepare for the F# octave. Hope this helps.