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Topic: Brahms 51 Exercises  (Read 7773 times)

Offline mike_lang

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Brahms 51 Exercises
on: May 24, 2006, 01:29:56 PM
My teacher just assigned these to me.  Has anyone heard of them?  Have you found them helpful?   Any other thoughts...
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Offline anda

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Re: Brahms 51 Exercises
Reply #1 on: May 24, 2006, 02:26:08 PM
they're very difficult - maybe the most difficult technical exercises. i haven't really tried them (i thought about it, they seem pretty usefull), cause apparently i have no patience at all for any kind of exercises  :(

one thing i can tell you about it: read each exercise carefully, and try to figure out what kind of movement it is designed to work on - each of these treates a specific kind of finger/wrist/arm movement (actually, more like a specific combination of these three), and when you actually start working on a certain exercise, pay very much attention to using exactly that kind of movement. and, generally speaking, be extra-careful with your hands/arms - unless you practice properly, these exercises can be quite dangerous.

best luck
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Offline elias89

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Re: Brahms 51 Exercises
Reply #2 on: May 24, 2006, 07:55:01 PM
I play them (not yet all 51 of course!!! ::))

They're really hard stuff but extremely helpful
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Offline dnephi

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Re: Brahms 51 Exercises
Reply #3 on: May 24, 2006, 08:04:53 PM
Quote from: elias89 on May 24, 2006, 07:55:01 PM
I play them (not yet all 51 of course!!! ::))

They're really hard stuff but extremely helpful
What level technically should one be before attempting?
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Offline elias89

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Re: Brahms 51 Exercises
Reply #4 on: May 24, 2006, 08:14:38 PM
very high, because they should not be a torture.
but you don't have to be a perfect pianist (not yet ;))

I use them usually as a warm-up before practicing.
As a level: You should be able to play the technical difficult Beethoven Sonatas (such as 2/3; Waldstein etc.)
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Offline mike_lang

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Re: Brahms 51 Exercises
Reply #5 on: May 25, 2006, 07:32:43 PM
Quote from: elias89 on May 24, 2006, 08:14:38 PM
very high, because they should not be a torture.
but you don't have to be a perfect pianist (not yet ;))

I use them usually as a warm-up before practicing.
As a level: You should be able to play the technical difficult Beethoven Sonatas (such as 2/3; Waldstein etc.)

Do you find yourself well-equipped for the Brahms-Paganini variations upon completion of the 51?
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Offline Waldszenen

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Re: Brahms 51 Exercises
Reply #6 on: May 26, 2006, 01:28:18 PM
The Paganini Variations are far harder than the exercises. You can't really compare the two, but I can say that the Paganini Variations are probably the hardest thing Brahms wrote, and one of the most advanced pieces in the piano repertoire.


The exercises themselves are very challenging but are helpful, once you've worked at them for a bit.
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Offline mike_lang

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Re: Brahms 51 Exercises
Reply #7 on: May 26, 2006, 02:09:28 PM
Quote from: Waldszenen on May 26, 2006, 01:28:18 PM
The Paganini Variations are far harder than the exercises. You can't really compare the two, but I can say that the Paganini Variations are probably the hardest thing Brahms wrote, and one of the most advanced pieces in the piano repertoire.


The exercises themselves are very challenging but are helpful, once you've worked at them for a bit.

I understand, of course, that the variations are more difficult.  The question I'm asking is whether someone who has completed and more or less, mastered, the 51, is in a good position to attempt the variations.  It seems that many of the difficulties conquered in the 51 reappear in the variations.
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Offline ivoryplayer_amf

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Re: Brahms 51 Exercises
Reply #8 on: June 01, 2006, 03:58:25 AM
Listen.  Of course they are hard.  Some of them much more then others.  But remember, you have a teacher.  They will help you out and make it easily understood.  But when playing any of these types of exercises you have to remember speed is not important.  You can always build on speed.  Take things slow and easy...dont try to over complicate things.  I agree with whoever said to figuare out what each exercise is trying to FOCUS on because that should be your focus as well.  You may also want to look into the Clemiti (sp.) exercises.  They work more on a gradual basis.  Again...don't worry about whether it is too hard, but work towards it.  Isnt that what makes a pianist who he or she is?
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