Chopin etude Op. 25 No. 10 - General Question

[franz_]

Hi guys,


When you play this etude, you have to hold the notes between te octaves, right?
When i look to some youtube videos (professional, welknown pianists, competitions,...) where thay are playing this etude, they don't hold those middle notes. Which simplifies the etude a lot...

So? What to do?

[gyzzzmo]

I myself hold these notes, wich doesnt really make it that harder to my opinion since you play the chords with 1-4-5, plenty of space left for 2 and 3

[abj]

They definitely need to be held down.
Who said one should not copy virtuosi?
You should never forget that while listening:
Virtuosos make blunders all the time.
In my edition there are pedal marks
Underneath the measures with the half notes.
For each six octaves, apply half pedaling.
If that is too much, try three octaves instead.

[quantum]

I've played this one for a while, and at first I held the notion that they should be held.  However, I have moved to the position that they should sound as if held.  The poetry of the music is much more important than technicalities of note lengths.  If your physique and technique allows, by all means hold it - however it is not absolutely necessary to achieve the necessary sound.  

Be careful of letting a technicality impede the flow of the music.  If you cannot hold for full value, use a musical solution to achieve an equivalent sound. 

[birba]

Of course not.  The notes are played with greater emphasis, but holding them down only creates unnecessary tension in the forearm.  For the speed and sound you need to be completely free in the arms.

[chadbrochill17]

Actually the whole point of the etude is TOO hold them down. After all, this IS a study piece. It's supposed to be insanely hard.

[lelle]

Actually the whole point of the etude is TOO hold them down. After all, this IS a study piece. It's supposed to be insanely hard.

I would saying the purpose of an etude is solving the difficulties involved to be able to give a musically satisfying performance of the etude. I agree with birba that physically holding the notes would be too straining. As quantum said it only needs to sound as if they are held. How to solve that is another question.