Thirds!

[Rach3]

Well, I've been working on Chopin's thirds etude for a while, and after the trauma and feelings of extreme failure the trills and stuff are becoming less unnatural and more (dare I say it?) even, and I'm beginning to feel I might actually get this. Aside from silver bullets (they do NOT exist, right?) what are some good points or practice methods for these things? Also, outside of the etude, is there value in scaling in thirds (i.e., g minor + third above, two hands)?

Why are these things supposed do be so darned difficult, anyway?

[allchopin]

There are no left handed chromatic thirds in the #6 Op. 25 (thank God..), so I have never really practiced them.  But as far as thirds in general go (in right hand), I have found them in other music (Chopin- prelude #24, Liszt- Rigoletto Paraphrase, Chopin- Ballade #4) so they are of some importance.  Musically, I dont think that they add much value, because they just sound like a pellmell chromatic scale.  I too have tried the etude and found that it wasn't too bad at the beginning, but after much ado and frustration I tried my hand (well both actually) at the #12 Op. 25.  I have lost that thirds skill since, so you must keep practicing it if you really want it!

[robert_henry]

Godowsky transcribed that etude for the left hand.  It is basically a flip-flop of the hands.  I have found it to be a good exercise, and it induces gasps from the audience when performed.

Robert Henry

[Matthias]

A good practise is to play the third, and then to repeat 3 times the highest note, while holding the lowest.
That's how I practised the thirds in the 4th ballade of Chopin, and I worked perfectly.