Szymanowski etudes op4

[pianowelsh]

Anyone play these, analysed these etc etc. Im looking a few of them and hoping to perform at least one in the near future. Id welocome anyones reactions to them as pieces and insights you may have discovered in the studying og them. Szymanowski's piano music seems to be quite neglected in performance. So really any information people have would be valuable... hopefully it might inspire others to go away and learn some of his works.

[pianowelsh]

What Noone knows these pieces!!! I dont believe you - I think your hiding!!

[jre58591]

i dont think anyone here plays these etudes. theyre a bit too obscure for most people here. i dont even think there are even that many people here that have heard of szymanowski. back on topic, i havent really analysed them, but i have listened with the score in front of me a giid many times. i would like to play the 3rd someday, as i believe it is the most gorgeous one. szymanowski's works are definitely some that should not be neglected and forgotten about.

[pianote]

talk about making generalizations...

i played the third etude last year and it's a nice study to help improve voicing and phrasing.
it's probably one of the easier etudes, but it's really nice as an encore or a start to a program. it can get really emotional...which makes it good for auditions / competitions. might not be as hard difficult technically, but it's a great piece musically. let us know what u decide on playing 

[pianowelsh]

Im thinking 1 and 3 at the moment, but ultimately Id like to do them all! no 4 I really enjoy and no 2 is a bit of a monster! Szymanowski seemed to make a bit more of an appearance at Leeds this year... i wonder whether he might be coming back in vogue???! I hope so I think he's great!! I dont believe that only one other person has played one of these etudes on the forum. If that is so you all need to getr out and buy the scores NOW and familiarise yourselves with the music!

[mikey6]

I started getting into him a couple of weeks ago.  I heard 'Myths' agaes ago and then again the other week and they're bloody awesome - need a violinist sose I can learn it.
From that I bought the CD with Denis Lee - the etudes, metopes, fantasy and Masques - haven't had a decent listen yet but it hasn't struck me as much as myths.
There's I think the 4th symphony has a concertante piano part in it which he wrote for himself to play.  anyone know?

[pianowelsh]

Mikey, Do you know how to contact Dennis Lee.. Im trying to fix up a lesson with him on the etudes. Any brainwaves let me know.

[mikey6]

I have no idea sorry.  The booklet says he finds time to do some teaching in UK and abroad so you could possibly contact one of the colleges in London to see if they know or have a look on their web site.  Sorry, that's the best I can come up with.

[pianowelsh]

Thanks Mikey.  I see no 3 has come up on the dip ABRSM syllabus... it surprises me therefore that more people havent tackled it?? No4 is a great study in cross rhythms and independance of hands. No2  - wow ultimate etude in reading accidentals!! some pretty tough doubled notes too. He wrote this set while he was very young (still a student - precollege) He has another much later set which to my mind are a bit more austere but I daresay far more revolutionary. Op4 is certainly a very pleasant set of pieces.