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Topic: Question about Chopin Interpretation (Read 3616 times)

gregh87

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Question about Chopin Interpretation

on: December 09, 2008, 04:57:13 AM

I just started learning Chopin's 3rd Sonata, and it is very quickly becoming my favorite piece. I have a question about rolled chords:

I have pretty large hands (I can reach an 11th with my left), and I can play all the tenths in the first movement without rolling the chords. I prefer not to roll the chords, but a bunch of chords are written as rolled.

What are people's opinions about making minor changes like playing rolled chords solidly in interpreting Chopin? Is it possible Chopin wrote the 10ths as rolled so the piece would be more accessible?

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communist

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Re: Question about Chopin Interpretation

Reply #1 on: December 09, 2008, 06:12:43 PM

i would think it depends if you think it should be rolled or not

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mike_lang

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Re: Question about Chopin Interpretation

Reply #2 on: December 10, 2008, 02:10:36 PM

Quote from: gregh87 on December 09, 2008, 04:57:13 AM

What are people's opinions about making minor changes like playing rolled chords solidly in interpreting Chopin? Is it possible Chopin wrote the 10ths as rolled so the piece would be more accessible?

You'll notice that two chords of the same voicing (LH) appear in mm. 4 and 11; the one in m. 11 is rolled, and the one in m. 4 is not. For this reason, I don't think it was a convenience issue, but a dramatic one. Consider that the solid tenth in m. 4 is a resolution, while the one in m. 11 is an in important downbeat - the rolling of the e minor chord creates a certain agogic effect. Therefore, it is not a practical indication, but a musical one.

Hope it helps,
ML

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gregh87

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Re: Question about Chopin Interpretation

Reply #3 on: December 11, 2008, 01:00:10 AM

Yeah, that makes sense. Thanks.

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dbottazzi

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Re: Question about Chopin Interpretation

Reply #4 on: August 01, 2009, 03:32:18 PM

I think that we should play, the best we can, what the composer wrote. I have two doctoral degree's, one imcomposition and the other from the Juilliard School in piano. As a composer I would not like anyone to change anything I wrote. I am sure that Chopin new what he wrote.

It is wonderful that you have nice big hands for the piano; I don't, but use then only when required by the composer.

Good luck,

Ana Maria Trenchi Bottazzi

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communist

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Re: Question about Chopin Interpretation

Reply #5 on: August 02, 2009, 12:34:14 AM

Quote from: dbottazzi on August 01, 2009, 03:32:18 PM

I think that we should play, the best we can, what the composer wrote. I have two doctoral degree's, one imcomposition and the other from the Juilliard School in piano. As a composer I would not like anyone to change anything I wrote. I am sure that Chopin new what he wrote.

It is wonderful that you have nice big hands for the piano; I don't, but use then only when required by the composer.

Good luck,

Ana Maria Trenchi Bottazzi

I think taking liberties in music depends on what we know of the composers pianist style. Chopin was known to be a no nonsense laid back pianist so you should probably not change the score, as oppose to a lot of Baroque music where it would be likely for the composer to improvise during a piece.

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artsyalchemist

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Re: Question about Chopin Interpretation

Reply #6 on: August 04, 2009, 02:46:43 AM

I would have to roll those, seeing as how I have very small hands.

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