What I learned during practice today :

[chopin2015]

Today's practice (and yesterday's, for that matter):

WALDSTEIN SONATA
I have the first movement pretty much performance ready, with a few touch-ups which need attention. The second movement is relatively simple technically, but musically and expressively it's a nightmare. I also learned that I am holding my fingers much less stiffly than I thought I was, so that's good. But I have been having issues with arm strength and always have. I am remarkably weak and thin despite my height and some of the forceful chords in the first movement sound too light under my fingers. So I am working on that. The third movement doesn't need too much attention right now besides the coda with those octave "glissandi".

OP. 101
Not too much trouble with this sonata; learned I have issues with portraying the emotions of the late Beethoven.

FESTIN D'ESOPE
The fifth variation is a real pain. More arm strength issues here, and octave endurance is not my strong suit. The theme is easy enough, but the variations get very difficult very quickly. I also learned here that I don't like playing Alkan in general; I have only played a few of his works before and they were reasonably okay, but most of his works are very annoying

APRES UNE LECTURE DE DANTE
Pretty much everything I could have imagined has gone wrong in this sonata, but I think they are errors that mostly have to do with not knowing the music very well.

PAGANINI ETUDE 1
Going reasonably well. The only issue is the introduction with those incredibly fast runs and strong chords.

So that's everything except Gaspard, which I'm documenting in another thread.

Have you seen copying beethoven? it is a movie. I Love the part where he is conducting and he says after finishing to the musicians, great! you did it! and the duke says wow you are more deaf than I expected. He is asked about it, and and he said it doesnt matter if they understood the music. The movie talks about the late sonatas and his approach to composition. The late works are more complex than a walk in the woods but more about theory approach and infinite counter ( i guess you could say point) to harmony. LOL
 As for me, I have not finished the first movement of sonata no 7, but will have it fully memorized by tomorrow because there is 1 page left and it would be absurd to put it off much longe, and the tempo is not presto but it is fast enough for now and I have a goal tempo. The next movements are going to be quite fun,. I do enjoy how extreme bee is. I take much interest in his character and have been reading translations of his letters. He is polite but many of the letters are apologies for fighting with someone and being hot tempered. I do hope it is the Saggitarius character in him and I can somehow find it particular to myself as well.
 Everything else is fine, making slow progress but with just 4 or 6 hours of patient practice I do not find time for atleast 1 piece, for example scherzo no 1, I cant quite get it up to speed. Does anyone have any tips? It is simple enough but doesnt fit nicely in my hands right now in some parts. And the simple middle section is the hardest.

 The teachers here are nice. I have had 3 so far. The first talked to me about Bach for free and refused to teach me because she did not play the same etudes and sent me to someone else. The next played everything I have worked on and it was a blessing to get to hear these pieces performed in person. He taught me alot. Now I go down the street and am taught(baby sat, I prefer to say) by the director of the music school for children and young adults and she lets me stay there and play all day. She plays many chopin etudes and she is particular about EVERYTHING
 Will check in every few days but am busy with orginazation and finishuing big difficult pieces here in Russia and the weather is beautiful and the culture is exciting because I grew up here. All the pianists are taught so strictly. Even my wonderful teacher at home doesnt grab my fingers and slams them into the keyboard with much force and pure passion.

ttyl
 

[vsrinivasa]

Have you seen copying beethoven? it is a movie. I Love the part where he is conducting and he says after finishing to the musicians, great! you did it! and the duke says wow you are more deaf than I expected. He is asked about it, and and he said it doesnt matter if they understood the music. The movie talks about the late sonatas and his approach to composition. The late works are more complex than a walk in the woods but more about theory approach and infinite counter ( i guess you could say point) to harmony. LOL
 As for me, I have not finished the first movement of sonata no 7, but will have it fully memorized by tomorrow because there is 1 page left and it would be absurd to put it off much longe, and the tempo is not presto but it is fast enough for now and I have a goal tempo. The next movements are going to be quite fun,. I do enjoy how extreme bee is. I take much interest in his character and have been reading translations of his letters. He is polite but many of the letters are apologies for fighting with someone and being hot tempered. I do hope it is the Saggitarius character in him and I can somehow find it particular to myself as well.
 Everything else is fine, making slow progress but with just 4 or 6 hours of patient practice I do not find time for atleast 1 piece, for example scherzo no 1, I cant quite get it up to speed. Does anyone have any tips? It is simple enough but doesnt fit nicely in my hands right now in some parts. And the simple middle section is the hardest.

 The teachers here are nice. I have had 3 so far. The first talked to me about Bach for free and refused to teach me because she did not play the same etudes and sent me to someone else. The next played everything I have worked on and it was a blessing to get to hear these pieces performed in person. He taught me alot. Now I go down the street and am taught(baby sat, I prefer to say) by the director of the music school for children and young adults and she lets me stay there and play all day. She plays many chopin etudes and she is particular about EVERYTHING
 Will check in every few days but am busy with orginazation and finishuing big difficult pieces here in Russia and the weather is beautiful and the culture is exciting because I grew up here. All the pianists are taught so strictly. Even my wonderful teacher at home doesnt grab my fingers and slams them into the keyboard with much force and pure passion.

ttyl
 

I haven't seen the movie. It sounds really interesting though, I think I'll see if my local store has it. So thanks for the clarification about understanding the music. Overall, I prefer Ravel, Debussy, Faure, etc. I actually understand their music, and not understanding Beethoven makes it hard to play.

Here's a tip for the Scherzo: when I played it, I found that it didn't fit my hands at first, but my tip would be to play another Scherzo that you know well (if you know any others) or a Ballade, then come back to it. It makes it so much easier. At least that's what I did. Sorry I can't help you any more, it's just that the Scherzo fit my hands pretty well after I did what is listed above.

Now I want to go to Russia! I've never been and it sounds so nice. Sounds like your teacher is really good, if she is that particular. You will improve a lot under that type of teacher. As long as she's nice about it....

[chopin2015]

I haven't seen the movie. It sounds really interesting though, I think I'll see if my local store has it. So thanks for the clarification about understanding the music. Overall, I prefer Ravel, Debussy, Faure, etc. I actually understand their music, and not understanding Beethoven makes it hard to play.

Here's a tip for the Scherzo: when I played it, I found that it didn't fit my hands at first, but my tip would be to play another Scherzo that you know well (if you know any others) or a Ballade, then come back to it. It makes it so much easier. At least that's what I did. Sorry I can't help you any more, it's just that the Scherzo fit my hands pretty well after I did what is listed above.

Now I want to go to Russia! I've never been and it sounds so nice. Sounds like your teacher is really good, if she is that particular. You will improve a lot under that type of teacher. As long as she's nice about it....

 I found the movie online for free. I think it was stagevu.com and I was also able to save it to a sd card to watch on my tablet. I have been working on the Ballades and it does somehow help with the scherzo,alsoIdo alot of slow, deliberate practice that helps clean technique up. I do not understand debussy and ravelas muchas others, but I think that will come eventually, unless my hearing continues to decreasein sensitivity, unfortunately Iamloosing hearing in my left ear. Probably why I worship Bee. I literally kiss his books after working on his music, because it is such a blessing upon me. Thanks for your time! You shoulddefinitely visit Russia. Especially if you love 19thcentury buildings and art as much as I do. It very much inspires me to play Beethoven and romantic music, especially. Most older architecture was destroyed due to awful wars and rule of corrupt government establishments, but much fantastic artifacts, buildings and art was saved and is the pride of the poeple.

[vsrinivasa]

I found the movie online for free. I think it was stagevu.com and I was also able to save it to a sd card to watch on my tablet. I have been working on the Ballades and it does somehow help with the scherzo,alsoIdo alot of slow, deliberate practice that helps clean technique up. I do not understand debussy and ravelas muchas others, but I think that will come eventually, unless my hearing continues to decreasein sensitivity, unfortunately Iamloosing hearing in my left ear. Probably why I worship Bee. I literally kiss his books after working on his music, because it is such a blessing upon me. Thanks for your time! You shoulddefinitely visit Russia. Especially if you love 19thcentury buildings and art as much as I do. It very much inspires me to play Beethoven and romantic music, especially. Most older architecture was destroyed due to awful wars and rule of corrupt government establishments, but much fantastic artifacts, buildings and art was saved and is the pride of the poeple.

I watched the movie yesterday night. It was a really great movie!

I think I will visit Russia. I would have to learn a bit of Russian, but Russian architecture is so beautiful. It is so sad that all that early architecture was destroyed, though. If you haven't been, you should visit India if you want great architecture. There are buildings from almost a thousand years ago still standing, and the Indian culture is great, although I am biased as I grew up there.

[ranniks]

Hi all,

so today I got back into practise gear. Got the flu yesterday . It made me feel uneasy about playing the piano and I just could not perform well. But today I am feeling a bit better, so I practised:

- Chopin Prelude Op 28 N4 5 times 2 times with a metronome and 3 without.

I must say I am getting the hang of it, basically I am trying to do without the metronome what I did with it, and even at 65 beats per second it is still pretty fast, but not as fast as 99% of youtube performers perform this piece (even the concert pianists).

- B major scale 5 times, 3 with metronome
- F sharp Major scale 7 times, 5 with metronome

I am very happy that my teacher is giving me scale assigments. I was unpatient about it and really wanted to get into the serious business.

Also, I have the habit of shooting my wrist upwards on my teachers grand while not at all at home. How come? Could that be because of the 70% less weight on my teachers grand (my upright is german brand while his is japanese, feels very light compared to my upright).

- Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter

I can play about 45% of this piece. The 'roll'' (?) chords in this piece were tedious, but I got them after a few tries (more like 20, lol). Not sure if they should be rolled, but they sound right then (also looked up a youtube tutorial about the chords). This is the symbol left to the chords:



Fur Elise is sounding better as well. The part where you play the chords sounds good when you can play it decently.

The march in d major I've only glanced at and played a bit right handed. It's not hard to read at all after having played the prelude op 28 n4. I can definitely read it, now just being able to play it, haha.

Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you are all playing well today and have very, very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[hfmadopter]

For me, my little Christmas Eve performance is done and the music put away. It went well and considering my years away it was well recieved.. I am fairly well pleased with the outcome, at least I can still play to/for a group of people !

 I'm digging up what I will do next, already started The Beatles Let it Be. I like the arrangement, think I'll stick with it as written. I have 2 Chopin pieces downloaded and printed, a Schubert  Impromptu, a couple Mozart pieces and a Robert Schumann piece to pick from. I will also download two more Nevue pieces, two that my wife and I agree on actually.

As to your wrist being elevated different at home than at the teachers piano ? Is the seat height similar ?

[ranniks]

For me, my little Christmas Eve performance is done and the music put away. It went well and considering my years away it was well recieved.. I am fairly well pleased with the outcome, at least I can still play to/for a group of people !

 I'm digging up what I will do next, already started The Beatles Let it Be. I like the arrangement, think I'll stick with it as written. I have 2 Chopin pieces downloaded and printed, a Schubert  Impromptu, a couple Mozart pieces and a Robert Schumann piece to pick from. I will also download two more Nevue pieces, two that my wife and I agree on actually.

As to your wrist being elevated different at home than at the teachers piano ? Is the seat height similar ?

Until next year of course! I would love to hear your mozart and chopin pieces David.

I think the height of the seat at home is higher than at my teachers.

Also, I hope you received my response. I always have this paranoia that my sent messages never arrive...

David, have you ever played Chopin's raindrops? If not, what do you think of the piece?

[hfmadopter]

Raindrops is a beautiful piece ! I do play that, I could use some work on the second half though.

The Mozart I have in mind is K397 I believe.

I seem to be missing my Schmann piece at the moment, looked through my folder and it's not there that I can tell.. Have to report back on that one.

[tdawe]

Have been practicing a lot less over the Christmas break - was going really intensively prior to this to finish Rachmaninoff's G minor prelude which was quite a stretch technically for me, having never played much similar to it before...

That said, someone gifted me Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues for Christmas and I am LOVING playing through them! A lot of progress being made with sight reading here, although some of them are fiendishly difficult. I love how haunting they are, often elegant in their simplicity.

I also received the Henle Urtext of Beethoven's piano sonatas, and have made some progress starting from the beginning, op.2 in F minor, which has been only a moderate challenge technically, and a good introduction for some of the later ones.

I also gave a small recital a few days before Christmas, I was not the only one playing... but I played Chopin's Nocturne in B and Rachmaninoff's G minor prelude and it went well

edit: To ranniks... Chopin's raindrop prelude was one of the first pieces I ever played! Took me months to get it right but I loved playing it and it is so beautiful when played well and with subtlety.. a shame it is somewhat overhashed Good luck with it!

[vsrinivasa]

Today I learned that wearing a tie and suit seems to make me play worse. I was wearing a black dress shirt and black pants and thought I'd see if adding a suit and tie would affect my playing. Apparently I play worse with them on, according to my friend, who is a flautist.

[chopin2015]

Today I learned that wearing a tie and suit seems to make me play worse. I was wearing a black dress shirt and black pants and thought I'd see if adding a suit and tie would affect my playing. Apparently I play worse with them on, according to my friend, who is a flautist.

Do not get used to blaming clothes and piano brands, my friend. You may develop superstitions!
As far as visiting India, I-most certainly-am interested. The weather here is so fun but am feeling some melancholy, and it is driving me to drinking beer here and there. lol

Practice is going good, I am going to learn some more movements of the 7th Beethoven sonata, and all the other pieces are improving. For my winter windetude rendition, I am practicing singing with the left hand melody because it helps form phrasing for what could be a very mechanic and less appealing sounding march.

love, J

[vsrinivasa]

Do not get used to blaming clothes and piano brands, my friend. You may develop superstitions!
As far as visiting India, I-most certainly-am interested. The weather here is so fun but am feeling some melancholy, and it is driving me to drinking beer here and there. lol

Practice is going good, I am going to learn some more movements of the 7th Beethoven sonata, and all the other pieces are improving. For my winter windetude rendition, I am practicing singing with the left hand melody because it helps form phrasing for what could be a very mechanic and less appealing sounding march.

love, J

I know, I'm not in the habit but sometimes when I have a really horrible practice day I like to blame it on either the piano or my clothes, or say I'm sick, which I am. If you don't mind hot weather, "come" to India (I'm not in India now so I put "come" in quotation marks). You will not regret it, India is lovely. But get used to very spicy food and eating with your right hand!

Practice today hasn't really started, only did a quick runthrough of the Waldstein which is sounding pretty good right now. Yesterday I fixed the octaves in the third movement (they hurt!) and am practicing the fourth movement of the Op.101; that fugue is annoying, and won't fall into place, but fugues in general are hard. Festin d'Esope is coming well, Kreisleriana is surprisingly easy, the Paganini etude isn't much of an issue, and Apres une Lecture de Dante is not causing me too much grief, but Liszt is easy for me to play in general.

[ranniks]

edit: To ranniks... Chopin's raindrop prelude was one of the first pieces I ever played! Took me months to get it right but I loved playing it and it is so beautiful when played well and with subtlety.. a shame it is somewhat overhashed Good luck with it!

How is that even possible? You must be a bred genius to have played that as on of your first pieces^^.

Still feeling sick, havn't really practised well these few days. Flu has gotten me and we have family over. And I can't play that well when it's crowded at home.

[unholeee]

nothing.. because all i do is sleep and work ;x

and wondering if it's plausible to skip the last nuances of a piece, it just takes so long : [ hell even fixing the timing feels like a struggle sometimes.
on the downside, i don't feel i have anything particularly polished. I imagine that's ok in favour of learning a new piece and isn't such a big deal - I'd probably be forever working on it if I didn't.

Come back to the k545 and hoping my technique is better than I can play without stopping in it. And the minute waltz - if I can keep it in time, this time (atleast i know what a triplet is now - i think..i hope)

aaand I should probably stop avoiding my teacher but it is fair enough if she'll make me play some boring grade 2 piece / book.

^ i printed off that nocturne, it sounds quite nice. but I just realized it doesn't look easy from the sheet music ;x

[hastur]

I envy those of you able to practice the piano, being stranded away from one over the holidays is most certainly not what I had in mind when someone mentions holidays and relaxation. I can't wait to get back to my Satie. I reckon I'll have it done'ish by February or mid-January if things proceed without too much trouble.

Signed,
Hastur

[ranniks]

nothing.. because all i do is sleep and work ;x

and wondering if it's plausible to skip the last nuances of a piece, it just takes so long : [ hell even fixing the timing feels like a struggle sometimes.
on the downside, i don't feel i have anything particularly polished. I imagine that's ok in favour of learning a new piece and isn't such a big deal - I'd probably be forever working on it if I didn't.

Come back to the k545 and hoping my technique is better than I can play without stopping in it. And the minute waltz - if I can keep it in time, this time (atleast i know what a triplet is now - i think..i hope)

aaand I should probably stop avoiding my teacher but it is fair enough if she'll make me play some boring grade 2 piece / book.

^ i printed off that nocturne, it sounds quite nice. but I just realized it doesn't look easy from the sheet music ;x

Well I can definitely understand you. You want to play other pieces but your teacher - for your development - has other ideas.

Just keep on pushing I would say! And that nocturen (raindrop prelude?) is better than ice on a sunday.

I envy those of you able to practice the piano, being stranded away from one over the holidays is most certainly not what I had in mind when someone mentions holidays and relaxation. I can't wait to get back to my Satie. I reckon I'll have it done'ish by February or mid-January if things proceed without too much trouble.

Signed,
Hastur

Hmmmm. Vacation without a piano? I'm never going on vacation! Unless I can hire a 500lbs monster bear dragon who can carry my piano around for me, lol.

I'm sure you'll enjoy the piano even more back in mid jan / februari.

[hfmadopter]

I suspect my Schumann piece has succumbed to one of my wifes paper bags I have mentioned in the past. It is Schumann's Papillon. Not sure I'm back to being ready for it , was going to read it over and decide. I may download the PS Urtext version here, since once bagged most likely it never will be found again !

I have downloaded two more Nevue pieces to do for spring, I may add one other. I have not gotten to the Mozart K397 yet, still planning pieces actually.

I have to take my piano apart, one Nevue piece goes to the very top register and I have a couple of dud notes up there. I see that the two hammers of the notes in question are not hitting all three strings. Also, when I voiced it back in Sept, I may have softened them too much, so they need stiffening up. I'll fix that today, like right about now !

[chopin2015]

I know, I'm not in the habit but sometimes when I have a really horrible practice day I like to blame it on either the piano or my clothes, or say I'm sick, which I am. If you don't mind hot weather, "come" to India (I'm not in India now so I put "come" in quotation marks). You will not regret it, India is lovely. But get used to very spicy food and eating with your right hand!

Practice today hasn't really started, only did a quick runthrough of the Waldstein which is sounding pretty good right now. Yesterday I fixed the octaves in the third movement (they hurt!) and am practicing the fourth movement of the Op.101; that fugue is annoying, and won't fall into place, but fugues in general are hard. Festin d'Esope is coming well, Kreisleriana is surprisingly easy, the Paganini etude isn't much of an issue, and Apres une Lecture de Dante is not causing me too much grief, but Liszt is easy for me to play in general.

Indeed. I prefer mild weather (not too hot or cold enough but not to a point where I have to put on a lots of heavy clothes). Haha I totally blamed the piano today for lack of concentration and little improvement in speed or musical expression. But ot really was out of tune and I went home to play on the weighted keyboard and my cousin wanted to learn so I taught her chromatic scales and B major scale. My pieces are coming along well and tomorrow I will drink lots of tea and practice all day since my friend ditched me :/

[hastur]

Finally getting back to normal'ish practising after all this holiday nonsense. First page of my Satie is just about done and ready to be recorded as a new WIP. Woo! 

[keypeg]

I'm a bit down about sharing anything.  I put my faith into working toward particular goals and when working on pieces, approaching them in certain ways, not yet sure if that faith was justified.  Finally I put them all together, dared to post the results.  It was supposed to be a point arrival.  A celebration that it was not nonsense, that the efforts do pay off and were on track.  And what happened?  A statement that my work was not my own.  It has robbed me of something, and it was disappointing.  It invalidates.  Criticism of my playing is fine - that is how we grow.  But to negate its existence? 

[ranniks]

Only played for half an hour today, doing Fur Elise, March and sightreading exercises aside from some scales. I want to play some more, but my dad is sleeping in the room next to mine and even though he didn't say anything about not playing, I would feel bad for disturbing him when he's tired.

The sightreading has excited me most I think. The 3rd and 4th page of the first volume of Mikrokosmos are definitely notching up the level.

[chopin2015]

I'm a bit down about sharing anything.  I put my faith into working toward particular goals and when working on pieces, approaching them in certain ways, not yet sure if that faith was justified.  Finally I put them all together, dared to post the results.  It was supposed to be a point arrival.  A celebration that it was not nonsense, that the efforts do pay off and were on track.  And what happened?  A statement that my work was not my own.  It has robbed me of something, and it was disappointing.  It invalidates.  Criticism of my playing is fine - that is how we grow.  But to negate its existence? 

Meh dont take it personally! People say all kinds of things, they dont know how it affects people.


Today I learnt all kinds of things! Mostly Chopin things. Lol

[slobone]

That even after you've played a certain piece hundreds of times, you can sit down just to refresh it and hear your fingers say "What is this fingering of which you speak? Which note am I supposed to play? Wait, you want to do the left hand and the right hand at the same time?". I've never had that happen before with a piece I knew this well. Freaked me out.

[landru]

What I learned today: That getting a Chopin waltz (op. 69 no. 1) prepared for your teacher entirely on your own (for the first time I've had a piece essentially done before she heard it for the first time) doesn't mean diddly squat when the written notes do not correspond to what you play. ARRGGHHH!

I was getting all excited about showing her what I did - I was pretty proud of it. And then two bars into the piece she says - NO! step away from the piano! See, it seems I was foolish enough to play the piece as written - in the second measure, there is a triplet of eighth notes, and then four eighth notes. The triplet on the first beat, and the two eighth notes each on the next two beats.

Nope, she says that this waltz phrase is played like all the notes being equal (like if there was a "7" over all the notes). THEN WHY THE HELL DIDN'T CHOPIN WRITE IT THAT WAY - LATER ON HE PUT A CHROMATIC RUN WITH A "13" OVER IT! He knows how to do it!

So what did I learn? Never ever think you know how to play a piece just because you can reproduce the notes as written....

[chopin2015]

I played mephisto no 1 for my teacher, all the way, first time she ever hears it from me. As always, she found really important stuff! God bless her soul. She also said i lacked grandeour and passion. I agree. I gotta work on that. I bought a piano for my room today. Its gonna be sweeeeet! Its a mini yamaha acoustic with a practice mute. Im gonna improve tons over the summer.

[slobone]

I was getting all excited about showing her what I did - I was pretty proud of it. And then two bars into the piece she says - NO! step away from the piano! See, it seems I was foolish enough to play the piece as written - in the second measure, there is a triplet of eighth notes, and then four eighth notes. The triplet on the first beat, and the two eighth notes each on the next two beats.

Nope, she says that this waltz phrase is played like all the notes being equal (like if there was a "7" over all the notes). THEN WHY THE HELL DIDN'T CHOPIN WRITE IT THAT WAY - LATER ON HE PUT A CHROMATIC RUN WITH A "13" OVER IT! He knows how to do it!

That's a new one on me. Just did a quick check on YouTube, and almost nobody plays it that way. Rubinstein, Horowitz, Lisitsa, Cortot all play it the way you did. Lipatti, interestingly, seems to play the 7 against 3, and Stephen Hough and Ashkenazy are kind of ambiguous. Most of them do a little hesitation/rubato somewhere in the measure. As usual with any Chopin piece in a slow tempo. But in any event you weren't "wrong".

[landru]

That's a new one on me. Just did a quick check on YouTube, and almost nobody plays it that way. Rubinstein, Horowitz, Lisitsa, Cortot all play it the way you did. Lipatti, interestingly, seems to play the 7 against 3, and Stephen Hough and Ashkenazy are kind of ambiguous. Most of them do a little hesitation/rubato somewhere in the measure. As usual with any Chopin piece in a slow tempo. But in any event you weren't "wrong".

Thanks for looking it up! - the only one I had looked at was Lisitsa and she played so damn fast I didn't catch it. I don't mind being in the company of Rubinstein, Horowitz and Cortot though! I've played it both ways and I still like the way it is written. The 7 against 3 is kinda boring and you would have to use rubato anyway.

What is really funny is that earlier in the lesson on a different waltz my teacher said "Do what you think sounds right - and if it you do it convincing enough and it sounds like that is the only way it should be played - then go ahead." Aarrghh.

[timothy42b]

Thanks for looking it up! - the only one I had looked at was Lisitsa and she played so damn fast I didn't catch it. I don't mind being in the company of Rubinstein, Horowitz and Cortot though! I've played it both ways and I still like the way it is written. The 7 against 3 is kinda boring and you would have to use rubato anyway.

I swing the eighth notes.  Why not? 

[slobone]

Thanks for looking it up! - the only one I had looked at was Lisitsa and she played so damn fast I didn't catch it. I don't mind being in the company of Rubinstein, Horowitz and Cortot though! I've played it both ways and I still like the way it is written. The 7 against 3 is kinda boring and you would have to use rubato anyway.

What is really funny is that earlier in the lesson on a different waltz my teacher said "Do what you think sounds right - and if it you do it convincing enough and it sounds like that is the only way it should be played - then go ahead." Aarrghh.

And incidentally, some of the pianists, including Rubinstein, play the last two notes of the measure as a dotted eighth and a sixteenth, instead of two eighths. Turns out Chopin left behind more than one manuscript of this waltz, and the other one ("original Warsaw manuscript") has quite a few differences, including the dotted eighth. Both versions are in the Paderewski edition. And anyway in Chopin of all composers, the exact rhythm of the notes should never be considered sacred -- you have to use your own taste and judgment.