Rachmaninov / Prelude op.23 no.5

[andru]

Hi @ all,

I've just registered in this forum. Actually I'm learning the Prelude op.23 no.5 from Rachmaninov and I wanted to ask if someone plays it already, 'cause I've got a little problem with changing octaves over such big distances (and so fast!!!).
Ok, the first page isn't too difficult, but the second one is really hard.

What is your trick to play it as well as possible???

Greez, Andrew

[Spatula]

I'm doing this one now. First off for page two, you have to actually curl your fingers (I know this sounds awkward) as opposed to stretching them insanely.  I don't know how big your hands are, but mine can reach 9 keys with no real problem.  

The reason you want to curl your fingers is to have a spring in the hands as they bounce, and articulate the first beat of each bar.  Go really slow with this song, especially pg 2, like MM = 50 with a metronome.

[bitus]

hands above keys... move your wrist, don't strech your hand... you will have pain like i do right now
De Bitus

[rubleski]

I always played the octaves TOO fast lol.

[zhiliang]

I am learning this piece right now... And the general advices I can give is that:-

1. Differentiate the use of forearms or wrist for the many chords and octaves in it.

2. One generally plays everything too fast or too loud. Notice the dynamics in the 1st page and so on. Start soft and you will have room to build up the dynamics later. In this way, your arms wont feel that tired all throughout too.

3. For me, I play slowly first, exagerating the flutter movement before going faster and faster after gaining assurances. And practice in SECTIONS.

[andru]

Well the reach of my fingers are not the problem. If I stretch 'em enough, I can reach 10 keys, so that's enough for this piece.

But on p2 you hit each chord 3 times and then change to do it an octave lower. If I play it with 75, it works already very well, but as soon as I try to do it faster, I hit the wrong keys.

Just funny, 'cause now I play it already for a few months....


Greez, andru

[Motrax]

That took me a while to get right (I think). Hitting the correct keys in big jumps is something which just "clicked" one day for me - I'd practiced that section quite a lot every day, and eventually you simply get a natural sense of where your hands are in relation to the keys. If you don't have a deadline to meet, don't rush learning the piece, but more importantly, don't worry.

I don't know how much experience you have, but judging from what you say it seems that you just need more practice with large skips in order to get a natural sense of the keyboard without having to look at it.

Another thing which may help - look at where you place your hands before you place them there. This is akin to tennis, where you look at where on your opponent's court you wish to hit the ball, rather than looking at the ball itself. Likewise, if you look at the correct keys on the keyboard, it's much easier to fit your hands onto them. (duh)