Stravinsky's Petroushka for piano---who has played it???

[pla635]

Can people who have learned and performed Petroushka offer me any words of wisdom, advice and encouragement?  I am terrified about my upcoming performances that have already been set... The only problem is,  am not sure I can play this beast.  I started learning it 3 months ago, and it is taking me FOREVER to learn as well as some of these technical difficulties seem totally IMPOSSIBLE. 
I am four metrenome marks away from the written tempo but increasing the speed of the opening two pages seems like a never ending battle with tension.  For those of you who have played and conquered this piece...How did you solve the first two pages of the piece?  I am almost finished reading through the last movement but have not attempted anything in speed.  Which pages should I expect the most trouble so that I can start devising a strategy now.  Were there people who could play this piece fairly soon after learning the notes?  I think I have a decent technique but I am no super virtuoso. HELP!!!

[mikey6]

I've played the Russian Dance.  If you're not a supervirtuoso, not a good choice! especially the last one!!!
However, Hard to advise, I dunno (I can only talk about the Russian Dance).  You have to have a big enough hand in the first place otherwise some of the chords are just impossible to voice (inless you fluff them;D) Practice slowly and make sure you have complete movement with your arm (ie - sit back, don't cramp it's movement).
Group the chords at the start into 1 action and bounce - dunno if that makes sense but I can't illustrate it) - first 3 under 1 action, next 5 etc.

[mattgreenecomposer]

Yea this is a beast now doubt!  I don't know if your playing this for a recital or with someone else.  I would leave some of the notes out that give you trouble.  The arrangement is just that.  Look for whats important.  You can create the effect of the harmonies with fewer notes than are written and noone is going to notice.  On the other hand.  Unless your comfortable with such difficult material in the first place I might choose another piece.

[pies]

If Sokolov can play it, so can you! 

[dnephi]

If Sokolov can play it, so can you!

My, you're a funny one. 

Why don't you tell them to unleash the entire Tombeau de Couperin :p.

[maxy]

I did learn mvt 1 and 3 at some point.  I never had the balls to play mvt 3 in public, but I did play the Russian Dance.

The big difficulty is: too many white keys.  You have to project the chords by groups and USE all breaks you can find to evacuate tension.  By breaks, I mean : all that is not 16th note.

The piece is not that hard to learn.  It's fairly easier to learn than any Prokofiev or Scriabin sonata.  But it's hard to play

Good luck, have fun. 

[elevateme_returns]

i wish i could play the 1st movement. but i cant do the octaves. but i can play scarbo easily. weird

[etudes]

i wish i could play the 1st movement. but i cant do the octaves. but i can play scarbo easily. weird

everyone here knows that you can play scarbo easily....dont need to repeat it in almost every posts

[elevateme_returns]

sorry! excuse the arrogance, wasnt meaning to boast. just i needed to make a point
by the way, your liszt sonata is brilliant.

[g.gould]

its an amazing piece!
 


I

II

III