girls can ride horses, too. some ride side saddle and others bareback. you just have to hang on and let your feelings out. perhaps this is an equalizing statement (as i hoped) and yet some chopin and rach and a few others write extremely large chords or arpeggios that fit a man's hand better. the waldstein actually fits in my hands very nicely and i don't have the trouble that i do with chopin. chopin still gives me fits. i am working the preludes and they seem a bit easier than the etudes right now. might go back to the etudes if i get motivated.
I tend to have this theory about Chopin, that although his music appears to aimed at the large of hand, it is infact made for all. Indeed, the man himself was not bless with large mitts, quite the opposite infact. I feel with Chopin, its all a matter of technique. Most of his tenth chords are just open triads, and more often than not they are indicated to be arpeggiated. Imo, this was all part of the 'new' technique. And the fact that he even dedicates an Etude to this very technique, convinces me further.
Ofcourse, those with particularly large hands need not worry about developing this to fullest, as there is no need.
But that aside, I think the original poster was talking more about the music itself as opposed to the mechanics of playing said pieces. Much of Rachmaninov's music strikes me as particularly masculine. Same with Beethoven, infact especially Beethoven!
Not really sure why this is, it just gives me that feeling... if that makes sense?
SJ
Topic: Masculine Pieces