Fingering for arpeggios in Clair de Lune

[xxmynameisjohnxx]

Okay ui was wanting to know what the best fingering for the arpeggios starting at the bottom of page two.  Currently, I'm using 5-2-1-3-2-1 and so on, but I didn't know if that was the best way to do that.  I've been told that you aren't supposed to put thumbs and pinkies on black notes in arpeggios....but the you haveto jump a fifth as the first interval in the arpeggios and although I could get it to work with 4-2, it's significantly easier with 5-2. Thanks for the help in advanced!

[scottmcc]

Okay ui was wanting to know what the best fingering for the arpeggios starting at the bottom of page two.  Currently, I'm using 5-2-1-3-2-1 and so on, but I didn't know if that was the best way to do that.  I've been told that you aren't supposed to put thumbs and pinkies on black notes in arpeggios....but the you haveto jump a fifth as the first interval in the arpeggios and although I could get it to work with 4-2, it's significantly easier with 5-2. Thanks for the help in advanced!

I split the initial arpeggio into 4 notes on the left hand, 2 on the right (all while holding down 4 and 5 on F and Ab with my RH).  the next two I split 3 and 3 LH/RH.  next measure is a repeat.  next two measures the arpeggios are all left hand (top of page 3--in my opinion these two are some of the hardest measures in the piece to play well).  then it's back to 3 LH, 3 RH until the bottom of the page.  that should get you started.

there's nothing wrong with using your 1st or 5th finger on a black note.  whoever told you that is being silly.  how are you supposed to play a c# octave for instance?  2-4?  I can't reach that far, but 1-4 or 1-5 is easy. 

[xxmynameisjohnxx]

I split the initial arpeggio into 4 notes on the left hand, 2 on the right (all while holding down 4 and 5 on F and Ab with my RH).  the next two I split 3 and 3 LH/RH.  next measure is a repeat.  next two measures the arpeggios are all left hand (top of page 3--in my opinion these two are some of the hardest measures in the piece to play well).  then it's back to 3 LH, 3 RH until the bottom of the page.  that should get you started.

there's nothing wrong with using your 1st or 5th finger on a black note.  whoever told you that is being silly.  how are you supposed to play a c# octave for instance?  2-4?  I can't reach that far, but 1-4 or 1-5 is easy. 

Thanks for the advice! I just didn't know if the same rules for when you're practicing just scales and arpeggios applied within the piece.  I know that when you're just doing the scale or arpeggio you aren't supposed to put your thumb and pink on black notes.  I never understood why, but every piano book and teacher I've had has taught that way.

[scottmcc]

Thanks for the advice! I just didn't know if the same rules for when you're practicing just scales and arpeggios applied within the piece.  I know that when you're just doing the scale or arpeggio you aren't supposed to put your thumb and pink on black notes.  I never understood why, but every piano book and teacher I've had has taught that way.

it's because 1 and 5 are shorter.  so if you're doing a scale and put your thumb on a black note, the rest of your hand will have to slide further into the keys or else curl up too much.  but, like a lot of rules, there's as many exceptions as there are examples of it being true. 

[gavin_rossdale]

The Henle edition of the Suite Bergamasque which features Clair de lune as its third piece in the set, has suggested fingerings by Hans-Martin Theopold which are quite good if you can't figure out your own fingerings.

[pmwpmw]

I have performed this piece in festivals and in a recital of my own lat November, so I know how treacherous it can be when nerves are nibbling at you. I would ignore rules about black notes and thumbs. Keep an open hand which crosses over as few times as possible. This way the whole arm can 'supervise' successive notes, instead of fumbling for them with fingers. The passage is notoriously difficult - because it doesn't look so hard when you learn it - and is fluffed frequently in performance. Know your enemy! Slow weighty staccato practice against a metronome, gradually increasing speed over a couple of weeks, will pay big divs. Hands sep and together. Different rythms, attack it every which way. PW