Una Corda Pedal: Cheating?

[sissco]

Hello 

I was trying to play Chopin's nocturne 72/1 with more feeling. The thing is, just a second ago I have played the whole piece with una corda, until the part that the melody from the beginning returns in forte. And i really like it! I think it is easier to play soft on a grand piano but with my upright it sounds beautifull. Do you think this is kind of cheating? I am going to play it in public next week on a grand piano so i don't know what to do. I must practise it first on that piano I think.

Thank! have a nice day 

[sharon_f]

Realize that the soft pedal on an upright is very different in its mechanics than the "una corde" on a grand piano.

[gorbee natcase]

That is right because the una corda pedal on an upright is still governed by the law of physics where one works by gravity and the other by springs it will feel differently weather you press the pedals or not.

[cy_shuster]

The pedals are there for you to use!  I don't think that's cheating (but I'm not a teacher).

As others have said, though, the una corda works very differently between a grand and an upright.  On your piano, the keys will feel "looser" with the u.c. pedal down.  On a grand, the keys will feel exactly the same -- so don't be surprised.

--Cy--

[mike_lang]

That is right because the una corda pedal on an upright is still governed by the law of physics where one works by gravity and the other by springs it will feel differently weather you press the pedals or not.

Also, the upright is not an una corda.  It only moves the hammers closer.  The grand strikes only one string.

In response to the original question:
I think that it is only cheating if you use it in place of a soft touch.  The una corda should be used for color, not dynamic.

[donjuan]

I think that it is only cheating if you use it in place of a soft touch.  The una corda should be used for color, not dynamic.

i agree; it depends on the context.  in a chopin nocturne, it may be appropriate to use it sparingly in very quiet moments.  If you just press it down all the time, all you do is reduce the dynamic difference between the melody and accompanying voices.  The result: your music turns into 'background music' or 'elevator music' no one can keep focussed on.

[pianowelsh]

TRY IT OUT!  If you like it and you dont think its really obscuring what Chopin wrote go for it. So what if it may be unorthadox - all the best performances are! its true what is the pedal there for but to use?! Its never cheating unless you are only using it because you cant play soft! But if you do it because you want an effect then its permissible.

[teresa_b]

Not cheating!  Something I like to do, which I'm sure is nothing unusual, is to use una corda pedal on one passage, but not on its parallel passage, just to have a different flavor.

All the best, Teresa