Le Gibet--appropriate playing of large chords

[rubygazelle]

I'm working through Le Gibet and it's all going quite smoothly except for those beastly large descending chords in measures 20, 23, etc. Remembering the chords isn't a problem for me, and neither is playing them at tempo (which, granted, is slow to begin with, but still, no stumbling here). Problem is...my hand span just doesn't suffice    I don't have small hands at all, but the stretch between, say, E natural and G flat (or LH A flat to C flat) is a bit beyond me.

I have yet to hear a recording in which anyone plays it using rolls, but I've been working at it that way since it's the only way my hands can handle it, and I've managed to make it sound rather graceful after a while. I don't imagine that would be up to performance standards though, would it? Any suggestions on how to work with this? Or is this piece something I should keep for private playing?

[birba]

It's true, I've never heard them rolled either.  I did hear de larrocha in concert once and I never even took notice of how she played it.  I don't think she could have reached those chords either.  but I have a feeling it was a quick thumb acciaccatura if you know what I mean.  I don't think rolling the chords would be in the appropriate atmosphere of this macabre piece.

[melancholymusic]

I'm struggling at bar 20 for the same reason.  I'm a fairly tall male and don't think my hands are smallish, but I can't span those chords either and had the same question.  Even the first LH chord of bar 3 is difficult.

I've also seen females like Valentina Lisitsa play it and seem to hear the chords fully.

What did you decide?

[scott13]

Rolling a chords very quickly with the pedal gives the illusion of the chord being played all at once, however the rolling must be incredibly fast and accurate. Try Chopin's Op 10 # 11 for practice