Beethoven Arietta

[anne126]

I've managed to learn this piece, and play it in its entirety by memory fairly well, but I still can't play the trill part towards the end. It's something like Ab and Bb with your fourth and fifth finger on your right hand. And then your thumb and index fingers on the D and Eb in the same octava. Anyone that has studied or played this piece will know what I'm referring to... I'm guessing my fingers just aren't strong enough? I usually do not play the D and Eb trill, and it still sounds decent, but I would like to play both trills, since both trills simultaneously creates a much more touching effect.

Are there any études that I can study perhaps that will help improve my trills in all fingers?

Sorry my english is not very good.

[pianowolfi]

I use 2 for the D and 1 for the Eb, 4-5 for Ab-Bb, to me it's way easier that way.

[anne126]

"It's something like Ab and Bb with your fourth and fifth finger on your left hand."

Sorry for the mistake, I meant with my right hand, of course.

Thanks for your reply.

[pianowolfi]

Yeah I got that. Once I changed the fingering to 2-4/1-5 it was not that much of a problem anymore. Start practicing slowly, very relaxed, short amounts of time. Your fingers will get faster after a few weeks. To me it helped also to watch Arrau's technique. He uses his wrist to support the fingers:

[quantum]

Also try trilling in very short bursts.  It allows you to practice the motion without subjecting your had to fatigue.  Over time your muscles will strengthen and you will achieve the stamina to play the trill.  But you have to start with the correct motion first.  Don't try to do it all with the fingers, use the wrist and forearm.  Think loose, relaxed, "shake". 


I started incorporating difficult things like this in my improvs.  It helps because your not thinking of it as an exercise but trying to put it to musical use. 

[jlh]

This is not an easy trill.  I'm currently playing this sonata so I know exactly what you're talking about.  I think the key is wrist support as wolfi and quantum have suggested.  Also, if you look at the Arrau video you will notice that his wrist and arm support his fingers, not playing 1-4 and 2-5 for D-Ab and Eb-Bb respectively, but rather for his fingering as 1-5 and 2-4 which is slightly different than wolfi suggested, yet the same technique is involved.  This is how I negotiate this trill and I think it solves the problem.