Chopin etudes (yet another such thread)

[abe]

Alright, i know this thread may appear a lot, but i have a very specific question here. My teacher today decided to have me start the Revolutionary etude and etude Op. 25 no. 9. Personally, I don't think I am quite ready for these, but maybe its good to start pushing my limits. So here are my questions:

1) Which is harder? I am familiar with the revolutionary, and i think I heard Rubinstein playing the op. 25 etude i mentioned, but I would like to know which one you think is harder.

2) How do I go about learning these? Should I work very slowly, small section at a time, or attempt developing the whole peice at once? Any tips would be much appreciated.

          Thanks,

[Antnee]

Well, Abe, I've only worked on the revolutionary. My teacher gave this one to me a little over a month ago and it's coming along quite nicely for me. I'm almost done!

Anyways, here are a few things to consider. So far, the only problems I have encountered are...

Playing through the piece and keeping the stamina in my left hand (will come with time)...
and then keeping the hands together during the downard run at the beginning, middle and end. I haven't got this part quite up to speed yet but what I'm doing is making sure both hands are above final speed separately, then trying it stacatto with hands together. Remember though, in order to get it faster you must try playing it as fast as you can a few times a day even if there are mistakes. Make sure your fingers are confident of the notes before you truly try to build your speed. Other than that not much. The Revolutionary fits well into the hands overall and isn't a very akward piece.

Now OP.25 no. 9 is The octave study right?

Alll I can suggest is keep your wrists loose and don't push yourself and try to keep the octaves clean and crisp and not muddled together.

-Tony-

[abe]

Thanks, Tony, it's always really helpful to get advice from someone else who is also in the process of learning the same peice.

Concerning the Revolutionary, should I learn left hand first and add right later, or just add in the right hand right as I'm learning the left?

[Antnee]

I don't think it really matters in which order you learn them in (right first or right second etc.) but just that they should be separate and they should be at speed or higher when you begin to put them together. The right hand is just chords (mostly) so it is really easy to remember the right hand. The left is the trickiest to memorize though. What I would do is skim through and start looking at the most difficult spots for you (and me)... for example...

-The downward runs in both hands at the beginning and middle and end (which are the same)

-some of the wierd little chromatic parts...

or any other part that looks toughest for you and practice those with the rest of the piece.

Don't practice the piece bar by bar or line by line.. it will take a lot longer to get it done and some parts may sound shabby. Go through and memorize it all through so that you can practice it all and get a feel for what parts will need the most attention. Hope this helps  

-Tony-

[abe]

Thanks a bunch, I shall use your advice.

[allchopin]

As I have only completed the Op. 25 #9, I can only offer you advice in that direction.  My biggest problem there was keeping loose (not tensing up).  I would probably recommend learning the piece as a whole, because, basically, the whole study is focused on the staccato technique throughout, so there really is no point in breaking it up.  Remember to start it slowly, not only for coordinating the hands, but to remember to stay calm (especially during the RH octaves).
I would say the revolutionary is harder, because it focuses more on my non-dominanat hand, and has larger jumps.

[DarkWind]

I think the Butterfly Etude is much much more harder than the Revolutionary. The Revolutionary fits very easily under the hands. The Butterfly does not. I am currently trying to learn all the etudes, and I am starting with the 1st one. Anyone have any practice tips for that one? It is very difficult. My runs all sound very untidy and seperate.

[bernhard]

I am currently trying to learn all the etudes, and I am starting with the 1st one. Anyone have any practice tips for that one? It is very difficult. My runs all sound very untidy and seperate.

Op. 10 no. 1 is a popular subject in the forum. Have a look at the threads below:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1086185355

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1010958413

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1072511201
(Good contributions from Meiting and Hmoll – Discussion of Cortot edition and Whiteside book)

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1002221638
(Op. 10/1 & Op. 10/2 – excellent contribution by Robert Henry)

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1002221638
(excellent discussion between Robert Henry and Geoffrey – although this thread is mostly about Op. 10 no.2, there is a most interesting post by Robert Henry in regards to no. 1)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.