WTC vs. Chopin Etudes

[lisztisforkids]

mum....

[gonzalo]

In my opinion both are benefitial for technique. One will help you with baroque pieces and maybe indirectly with Mozart and Beethoven who both played the well tempered clavier. The Chopin etudes will prepare you for his pieces and for Liszt's , since he acquired much of his technique by playing them ( Chopin dedicated his op.10 to him because he figured out how to play them).

But there's something the WTC has that the Chopin Etudes don't. The first one will teach you harmony, theory, how to tune a harpsichord or clavichord, and the musical forms of the time. It will teach you how to write fugues,etc.
The Chopin Etudes , though very musical, lack this aspect.

Best wishes,
Gonzalo.

[netzow]

How can both be better?

[nanabush]

WTC has more depth, and helps develop more than technique and musicality, [if that's possible... ??  ]

[BoliverAllmon]

WTC hands down.

[iumonito]

How can both be better?

Doing 48 + 24 (+3) is better than doing less of it.  Doing some of the 48 and some of the 27 is still better than doing just the 48 or just the 27 (or worse the 24).

Both is much better than just one or the other.  Wouldn't you agree?

BTW, add some Chopin-Godowsky to the mix.  I doubt it is a coincidence that Godowsky numbered his studies so that he ended up with 48 even though there are 54 + an omitted one (there is no No. 37).

[practicingnow]

worst question yet

[lisztisforkids]

worst question yet

 Explain...

[dnephi]

WTC works on finger dexterity, forward motion, expression, polyphony, etc.

Chopin Etudes work on other things that are important for romantic repertoire.  Do both, be happy.  Honestly.

[Waldszenen]

Both, because they're good for different purposes.

Rule of thumb - WTC before Chopets in any circumstance.

[BoliverAllmon]

The one prelude that I wish Bach would have written would have been like his D maj in book 1 except all the 16ths would be in the lh. The D maj worked my RH like nothing I had ever done before.

boliver

[steve jones]

In my opinion both are benefitial for technique. One will help you with baroque pieces and maybe indirectly with Mozart and Beethoven who both played the well tempered clavier. The Chopin etudes will prepare you for his pieces and for Liszt's , since he acquired much of his technique by playing them ( Chopin dedicated his op.10 to him because he figured out how to play them).

But there's something the WTC has that the Chopin Etudes don't. The first one will teach you harmony, theory, how to tune a harpsichord or clavichord, and the musical forms of the time. It will teach you how to write fugues,etc.
The Chopin Etudes , though very musical, lack this aspect.

Best wishes,
Gonzalo.

I must respectfully disagree with you about the Etudes not teaching much in the way of harmony, theory etc. The Etudes are immensely informative in these areas imo. And very forward thinking too - Iv heard Op 25 No 11 described as one of the earlier implimentations of polytonality (though I havent analysed the piece to verify this).

At the same time, Bach WTC does not teach you how to write a Fugue. The Fugues may be very good models and demonstrate a wide range of contrapunctal and inventive techniques, but I dont see that it teachers anything. To understand those pieces still requires  extensive explanation.

Personally, I would have to say learn both! Make it a long term plan. But if you cant, then understand that the Chopin Etudes will be more applicable to romantic music, as the WTC is to Baroque. So if you're wanting to play Chopin and Liszt in a hurry, then learning the Etudes (if you are able to) will be the order of the day.

There ofcourse is a certain degree of cross over. Indeed the WTC is considered by many to be great for technical development across the board. But if time of the essence, then I guess you have to choose the most relevant.

SJ

[iumonito]

The one prelude that I wish Bach would have written would have been like his D maj in book 1 except all the 16ths would be in the lh. The D maj worked my RH like nothing I had ever done before.

boliver

I have a composition for you.  It is called "Three symmetrical inversions" and what it is is this prelude, the Czerny etude Op. 299 # 6 and Chopin's etude Op. 10 # 5, with the left hand doing the symetrical reflection of the right hand, and then the other way around.  I just got new music writing software, so as soon as I copy it clean I will send you one.

Glad to see I was not crazy to do it.  I am thinking of a second set with Strawinsky Op. 7 # 4, Chopin Op. 25 ## 1 and 2 and Schubert Op. 90 # 3.  It is a fun concept, even though concededly the left side of the keyboard is heavier than the right.

[netzow]

Ok now I get how both can be better Thanks!