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A couple questions on Chopin's Scherzo no. 3

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Topic: A couple questions on Chopin's Scherzo no. 3 (Read 2761 times)

lagin

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A couple questions on Chopin's Scherzo no. 3

on: July 27, 2006, 05:24:43 PM

I have a couple questions for those of you who have played this. In the first theme where it is just straight octaves, only one of them, near the end is marked staccato. Does this mean that the others are pedaled or finger legato which would be very tricky at speed?! Or are they played detached without pedal, but just without the wrist snap of a staccato note? The second time these octaves come back around bar 125, there are more of them with staccato markings, but still not all, so I think they want a deliberate difference, it's just how to do so.

Also on the second page (bar 75 ish), shere the outer voices move in dotted half notes, and the inner ones are much more active having three quarter notes per bar. Are those inner notes played deliberately detached or do you put in some shots of pedal to hide the fact that you can't play all three legato and hold the top voice for full value (my edition - Urtext - is fingered to have the inner voice of each bar starting on 2 which means that you run out of fingers anyway, so it's just a question of whether you make them sound detached or legato by using the pedal?

That's all so far. Thanks guys.

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nicco

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Re: A couple questions on Chopin's Scherzo no. 3

Reply #1 on: July 29, 2006, 08:42:54 AM

You make things more complicated then they are

The octaves are, of course, not supposed to be played legato. When you ask this sort of question im wondering if you have ever listened to recordings of this piece, wich would make it very clear. I dont think the editor is bothered with writing staccato marks on every single note, as that would be a waste of ink because you cannot play octaves at that speed another way. However phrasing is an issue, and just putting marks on some selected notes could be a way give a few hints.

Your other question: The outer voices are supposed to be held while playing the inner voices staccato with your thumbs. Its important that the inner voices dont disappear in a blur of pedal, but still its necessary to use some pedal, to create the enourmous crescendo starting from the "sempre staccato". I feel the inner voices here need to be brought out clearly, as they are much more interesting than the simple outer melody.

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lagin

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Re: A couple questions on Chopin's Scherzo no. 3

Reply #2 on: July 29, 2006, 01:37:41 PM

Do I? I guess my teacher is just really big on emphasizing every single "dot and dash" in the score and making sure that they are all different from each other, ect. So when I see some with staccato and some without, I know I'll be asked to play them differently. (Especially when they start without markings and end with them, which is different from the norm where composers usually start doing something and then just expect you to carry on with it).

Sorry, I didn't think to listen to the recording again, but I'm glad you answered anyway because recordings aren't always played "correctly." (When I say correctly, I mean, in a way that will fly with an adjudicator or examiner).

Thanks for your help though, Nicco. I'm not sure when my next lesson is again, so I'm trying to figure these things out without a teacher for a week or 2.

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nicco

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Re: A couple questions on Chopin's Scherzo no. 3

Reply #3 on: July 29, 2006, 02:30:45 PM

Of course

but try to get a hold of a lot of different recordings and compare, see what each perfomer decides in these areas, to get an idea of hows its possible to interpret it. Then take a cup of tea, sit down at the piano and find out what YOU think sounds best. Investigate in techniques used and possibilitys in ways to interpret what is written in the score. This is usually when you go to back to your teacher and he\she tells you your doing everything wrong

But at least you have your own views now, wich you can combine what your teacher says, and really make it sound good

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