Chopin's Raindrop Prelude

[chopinfan]

Hi guys!

I think the Raindrop is the prelude op.28 n.15 do you agree with me?
What recording would you suggest me of it? I have Horowitz's, Rubinstein's, Pollini's and Ashkenazy's.
Do you have also suggestions on how to play it?

[BiG-e]

Yeah Op 28 no 15 is Raindrop.

[Chopins_Fantaisie]

heyey, this is my all-time favorite prelude of the dear man's! I learned this beautiful piece a few years ago, and one of the words of wisdom my teacher gave me on how to play this piece is to be light with the "raindrop", but add some variety with it, i.e. : use a touch of freedom by giving it some rubato, particularly in the stormy section. It can be dramatic and  very moving towards the audience, esp. in that part. Make the 6-7 "turns" (for lack of the proper description of them... I'm tired   ) flow as pretty and delicately as you can. Umm... as for other advice, that's all I have for now. I'd have to go play it and come back to offer more suggestions. Good luck and let me know how it goes!! I love this prelude!  

[chopinfan]

It goes very well, but what do you mean with "6-7 turns"?

[rachfan]

I'd point out a few facets of this prelude.  In the lyrical parts (A and C) the cantelena melody in the right hand must be in the foreground.  Use "dynamic contour" within the phrasing to bring it out.  For example, when the melody rises, allow the dynamic to rise with it, and to recede when the melody falls.  Watch the voicing of the double notes carefully in the left hand.  For example, in part A, there are many thirds where the bottom notes, not the tops, are weighted.  You need to pay close attention to voiceing in other spots as well.  

While Chopin called these "Preludes", I have always thought of them as small Etudes.  Each presents a unique learning experience in its pianistic challenges, and a few approach a level of great difficulty.  No. 7 in A is so profound in its illusory simplicity, that many pianists have made a lifetime study of unraveling its real complexities in order to play it to perfection.  My own favorite in that opus, however, is the very atmospheric No. 13--what a joy to play!

[ramseytheii]

While Chopin called these "Preludes", I have always thought of them as small Etudes.  Each presents a unique learning experience in its pianistic challenges, and a few approach a level of great difficulty.  No. 7 in A is so profound in its illusory simplicity, that many pianists have made a lifetime study of unraveling its real complexities in order to play it to perfection.  My own favorite in that opus, however, is the very atmospheric No. 13--what a joy to play!

That's interesting!  I always thought that too, especially with such virtuoso ones as the g-# minor, or the last one.
For recordings of the "Raindrop" I recommend the Busoni recording.  He recorded several preludes, and the playing seems really uneven, meaning good here and bad there.  However my amateur theory is that it is due to some deterioration in the original roll.  Listen for instance to his G major prelude, there is no way he could have played so sloppily and unevenly and still received the admiration and worship of all of his colleagues.  but the Raindrop sounds fantastic, especially at the transition from the stormy middle section back to the beginning theme, even though it is a roll recorded on a practically ancient device, and not a live recording, or in fact Busoni's hands themselves playing the piece, it is the most magical recording of this Prelude I have ever heard!

Walter Ramsey

[letters]

i enjoy playing this piece very much. the middle section needs plenty of drama all building up to these clashes of "thunder". and try to bring out the left hand chords in the quieter moments of this section. you also need to make a real contrast between the sections, making the melody as pretty as possible. This is a fun piece to perform (one of the few i have) and is not too technically difficult. however i dont know any recordings!!

[ail]

i enjoy playing this piece very much. the middle section needs plenty of drama all building up to these clashes of "thunder". and try to bring out the left hand chords in the quieter moments of this section. you also need to make a real contrast between the sections, making the melody as pretty as possible. This is a fun piece to perform (one of the few i have) and is not too technically difficult. however i dont know any recordings!!

I bought Daniel Barenboim's recording. When I did, I found another set by Martha Argerich and to choose between the two, I heard specifically the No.15. There is a huge difference. Martha runs away in the middle section, while Daniel does it slowly and in a controlled fashion, and that is how I think it should be played (that's how I play it at least). It's like the music wanting to run away and you being responsible for not letting it do that. I find it loses all the drama played as Martha Argerich does. I have another recording at home, I guess by Tamas Vasary, and he plays it also too fast for my liking. But hey, my teacher tells me he would play faster than I do, so I guess that's my personal taste only.

Alex

[letters]

I bought Daniel Barenboim's recording. When I did, I found another set by Martha Argerich and to choose between the two, I heard specifically the No.15. There is a huge difference. Martha runs away in the middle section, while Daniel does it slowly and in a controlled fashion, and that is how I think it should be played (that's how I play it at least). It's like the music wanting to run away and you being responsible for not letting it do that. I find it loses all the drama played as Martha Argerich does. I have another recording at home, I guess by Tamas Vasary, and he plays it also too fast for my liking. But hey, my teacher tells me he would play faster than I do, so I guess that's my personal taste only.

Alex

thankyou for your recommendations!

[alejo_90]

Arrau owns that prelude IMO.

Best
Alex