Chopin Harp Etude - Am I hurting my hands?

[dt20000]

25. 1 is the first Chopin etude that I'm learning, and I am having some difficulty with it (which is discouraging since its considered the easiest).  My two problems are when there are jumps in both the right and left hand, and the fact that I can only reach a major 9th comfortably (and a 10th comfortably in certain keys).  I assume that the problem with hitting the jumps is that you just need to practice until you can get them with your eyes closed , and I have been working on the piece at half tempo to fix this problem. 

However, my hand size has been a problem and I'm afraid I'm damaging my hand by practicing this piece.  Specifically, the left hand in measure 30 is very difficult for me to reach using the regular fingering (5 on the d flat, 3 on the f, and 2 on the b flat) and my constant practice is hurting my third and second fingers.  Is it possible to play this piece with my hand size?  Am I just not turning my wrist enough?  If anyone can suggest a better fingering I would be happy with that solution as well.

[keyboardclass]

Can you drop and flop like this?

Nearly every beat of 25. 1. starts with one of these.  In other words play the bass and tune with your arms and harp notes with your fingers.

[gyzzzmo]

You dont really have to stretch your fingers in this piece. Instead make a rolling motion with your wrists and arms to get those notes.

[stevebob]

25. 1 is the first Chopin etude that I'm learning, and I am having some difficulty with it (which is discouraging since its considered the easiest).  My two problems are when there are jumps in both the right and left hand, and the fact that I can only reach a major 9th comfortably (and a 10th comfortably in certain keys).  I assume that the problem with hitting the jumps is that you just need to practice until you can get them with your eyes closed , and I have been working on the piece at half tempo to fix this problem. 

However, my hand size has been a problem and I'm afraid I'm damaging my hand by practicing this piece.  Specifically, the left hand in measure 30 is very difficult for me to reach using the regular fingering (5 on the d flat, 3 on the f, and 2 on the b flat) and my constant practice is hurting my third and second fingers.  Is it possible to play this piece with my hand size?  Am I just not turning my wrist enough?  If anyone can suggest a better fingering I would be happy with that solution as well.

I've never heard a claim that Op. 25 No. 1 is the easiest of the lot, though it may be generally agreed that it's one of a group that are considered somewhat less difficult technically than others.  I think it's a reasonable choice for one's first Chopin etude, and your hand size shouldn't be any obstacle.

In my opinion, one needs suppleness and flexibility at the wrists with both rotation and lateral movement in this study.  But as has been mentioned, the reaches don't really necessitate stretching; "jumps" should be thought of as requiring repositioning the hand via motion of the arm.

I'm not a disciple of C.C. Chang and was a latecomer to reading his freely downloadable book, Fundamentals of Piano Practice.  (Google it if you're not familiar with it.)  I found a couple of his points unexpectedly revealing, however, and they apply to the issues here:  (1) the motions that a jump requires to relocate the hand have much in common with the so-called "thumb over" approach to scales and arpeggios, and can be practiced as such; (2) those motions needed for eventual execution at tempo are most efficiently trained and ingrained by at-tempo, hands-separate practice of small musical chunks in isolation.

That may sound outlandish—counterintuitive and unorthodox—but I think it should be considered seriously.  (There's also a great amount of content in Chang's book that I found unhelpful and/or questionable, but his approach needn't be accepted lock stock and barrel.  And the price is right.  ) 

Finally, I wasn't able to locate the problem passage you mentioned with the fingering issue.  If you can confirm the measure number and the sequence of notes, I'll take another look at it.