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Topic: Chopin Ornaments  (Read 7523 times)

Offline rhap2

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Chopin Ornaments
on: March 26, 2011, 07:27:29 PM
Reference Measure 603 of Chopin's Concerto in Em, Op. 11:

How would you teach the R.H. 3 against 5 so that it can be played evenly?

I notated this measure in a notation program and played it back very
slowly.  It seems to register well in the ear, but when attempting performance,
things break down quickly.  What do some of you recommend for "practicing"
this measure?

Thank you all,

John

Offline stevebob

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Re: Chopin Ornaments
Reply #1 on: March 26, 2011, 09:16:19 PM
The title of this thread is a bit misleading, as the question doesn't relate to Chopin's ornaments generally.

I don’t quite understand why, of the myriad technical challenges in this piece, this particular figure would pose a distinct problem, or why it would be accorded attention and treatment different from any other polyrhythm.

Nonetheless, I’m uploading a picture for the benefit of those who don’t have a score at hand with measure numbers and would be disinclined to count up to 603.

What passes you ain't for you.

Offline rhap2

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Re: Chopin Ornaments
Reply #2 on: March 26, 2011, 10:15:07 PM
Hi Stevebob:

Thanks for the great picture of measure 603.  No need to count up to 603
though as many concerto editions have either measure numbers or system
numbers that are close at hand.  In my edition (Dover), measure 603 was
easily identified.

My reason for inquiring about this measure was that it contains two different
polyrhythms simultaneously:  2 against 3 and 2 against 5.  I am looking for
some different approaches for solving this problem.

Thanks for replying,

John

Offline faulty_damper

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Re: Chopin Ornaments
Reply #3 on: March 27, 2011, 07:51:06 AM
The fastest way would be to take the lower RH with the left hand because it is a much simpler rhythm: ta tate ta.  This allows the RH to focus only the the 5 notes.

Offline pianisten1989

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Re: Chopin Ornaments
Reply #4 on: March 27, 2011, 09:54:55 AM
The fastest way would be to take the lower RH with the left hand because it is a much simpler rhythm: ta tate ta.  This allows the RH to focus only the the 5 notes.
And you wont have to deal with the long reach between the notes, so I agree that you should use the left hand

Offline rhap2

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Re: Chopin Ornaments
Reply #5 on: March 27, 2011, 05:50:06 PM
faulty_damper/pianisten1989:

Thank you both for an excellent suggestion in solving this problem.  I will work
with it and I'm sure it will produce satisfactory results.

John
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