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Topic: Ravel's La Valse - Piano Solo - Suggestions on Difficult Passages  (Read 12878 times)

Offline david_w

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I'm learning La Valse to play as the last piece in a program.  There are a couple of sections that are just beastly.  There are several good recordings on YouTube of this work.  Each does it differently.  But the passages that I'm curious about to see if anyone on here has learned this are towards the end.  It's sort of the beginning of the end - beginning at page 19 - the Unpeu plus vif et en accelerant section.  There is a very difficult undercurrent of 8th notes that I'm trying to figure out how to fit and share between my hands.  The tempo is really quite fast and accelerates.  I started learning this with a great Russian teacher a few years ago - and his suggestion was to just leave them out.  But the more recordings I watch on YouTube - the more I see everyone playing them.  If anyone has any insights to this section, I would very much appreciate your comments.  Thank you,

David
PS -- am new and don't know if I posted this to the right board or not.
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Offline houseofblackleaves

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Re: Ravel's La Valse - Piano Solo - Suggestions on Difficult Passages
Reply #1 on: February 23, 2009, 05:54:37 PM
I would suggest to take a look at Icharev's transcription, it may help.

Offline tds

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Re: Ravel's La Valse - Piano Solo - Suggestions on Difficult Passages
Reply #2 on: February 23, 2009, 07:11:49 PM
I would suggest to take a look at Icharev's transcription, it may help.

or i would suggest to leave la valse for orchestras  ;D
dignity, love and joy.

Offline mikey6

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Re: Ravel's La Valse - Piano Solo - Suggestions on Difficult Passages
Reply #3 on: February 25, 2009, 05:51:31 PM
Listen to Gould's version as he incorporates some of the ossias in Ravel's score which seem quite playable.
Never look at the trombones. You'll only encourage them.
Richard Strauss

Offline david_w

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House of Black Leaves -- where do I find this Icharev transcription?  I've been googling it and cannot seem to find it.  Thanks. 

And as to the comment "leave la valse for orchestras" -- have you looked at the piano solo score -- it's a brilliant piece and is great to expand your technique and is a great piece to listen to on the piano -- I almost like it better than the orchestral version - and the two piano version is also great!

Offline david_w

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Hi all -- found this Icharev's transcription - I think most people play the Ravel and use the Icharev for all the sections where Ravel wrote ossias - the Icharev is too dense for me and takes away from the beauty of the piece - and turns into something else - but this is exactly what I needed -- thank you very much
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