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Topic: Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 1  (Read 9506 times)

Offline davidjosepha

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Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 1
on: April 19, 2011, 07:25:51 PM
I am thinking of learning Rachmaninoff's 1st piano sonata. I have listened to it many times before and absolutely love it. However, I think it might be out of my range. I have a recording of Boris Berezovsky playing the piece, and it sounds exceedingly difficult. Obviously, it is impossible for anyone here to accurately judge my skill level as none of you have heard me play, but for an idea, I am currently learning both of Brahms' Rhapsodies, opus 79 (though I already know his first one quite well). I know I won't be able to learn the sonata in a short period of time; it will take quite a while, but I would really like to learn it. Assuming I am willing to put in enough time to learn it, is there any reason I should just avoid it altogether? For example, is it so far out of my range that I would not benefit from trying to learn it? The two things that daunt me the most are the speed and the length.

To give some background, I've been playing piano for just under 10 years, I'm 17, and for a good part of that time, I didn't practice anywhere near as much as I should have, due to a number of things, including being bored with the pieces I was playing, but instead of learning them quickly to move onto something better, I barely practiced 2 hours a week. Over the past year and a half to two years, I've made enormous progress, I feel, and my teacher has noticed the huge difference in my playing. I am not afraid of a challenge, and am prepared to put in hours upon hours learning the sonata if I think that it's not going to be completely unproductive. I just printed off a copy of the first two pages I found online, and spent a half hour or so working on them, and can play them at maybe a quarter of the tempo Berezovsky plays it at (the 16th note passages are the part that's limiting the speed, obviously). My hands are large enough that I think I won't have trouble reaching any of the chords. I love the piece and would love to be able to play it, but I don't know if I'd just be wasting my time.

Thanks for any feedback given,

David
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Offline pianowolfi

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Re: Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 1
Reply #1 on: April 19, 2011, 08:20:06 PM
I love this sonata and I have played it. It took me 2 years to only read and memorize it and another 3 years to get it halfway ready for performance.

I fell in love with it when I heard Scherbakov playing it live in 2001. In 2002 I started to learn it. But then I realized that I wouldn't be ready for it, so I learned quite a few Rach preludes first, and performed them in a concert in 2004 before I worked again on the sonata. I practiced it again after that (with breaks) until I gave it a try in 2009. I wasn't really satisfied with that concert.
It is one of the most challenging pieces of the piano repertoire.

So I'd strongly recommend to gain experience by practicing and performing other Rach pieces first.

Offline orangesodaking

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Re: Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 1
Reply #2 on: April 19, 2011, 09:08:31 PM
This is my favorite piano piece by Rachmaninoff (including the concerti and chamber music)!! I'm glad you've taken a liking to it.

For starters, I would need to hear examples of your playing to judge that more accurately, but I will say this: It never hurts grab the music and start going through it and learning various passages. That way, you can see for yourself if you're really ready for it or need some more time.

As for me, I reeeeally want to play this piece also, but I will wait at least a couple more years. For starters, I have enough on my plate right now as it is, and even have a couple pieces on queue afterward (including maybe Chopin's Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58). Also, Rachmaninoff's 1st sonata is generally considered to be very, very difficult. Of course, difficulty often differs between each person, so that's why I still encourage you to try it out for yourself (I don't see how would hurt anything unless you stopped practicing your other repertoire), but still... It is generally considered to be very, very difficult.

But it's AWESOME, isn't it?  :D  :D

Offline davidjosepha

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Re: Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 1
Reply #3 on: April 20, 2011, 02:13:14 AM
Thanks for the feedback. I've realized that I probably won't be able to play it up to full speed for quite a long while, but I'm going to start learning all the notes and trying to see what I can do with it. Even if I don't get it to sound great, chances are, it'll help me considerably as a pianist, learning all those notes. I've never attempted to learn a piece anywhere near this caliber or length, so it'll be quite the experience.

Offline bbush

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Re: Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 1
Reply #4 on: April 23, 2011, 10:35:10 AM
You certainly seem to have the right attitude for this challenge, davidjoseoha!

I think you got some good advice from the other pianists who suggest you work on other Rach pieces, too.  However, I like the fact you recognize how you'll grow technically and musically by learning to work through a piece that's currently beyond your playing level.  And, personally, I've found that I make the most progress by being most enthused about what I'm practicing.  If you care about how you're sounding while you're trying to play something you love, there's tremendous motivation to achieve the desired result you can hear in your head!

Good Luck,
Bruce
Romantic aficionado, generally; Alkan lover, specifically.

Offline orangesodaking

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Re: Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 1
Reply #5 on: April 23, 2011, 04:10:56 PM
I've found that I make the most progress by being most enthused about what I'm practicing.  If you care about how you're sounding while you're trying to play something you love, there's tremendous motivation to achieve the desired result you can hear in your head!


I am the same way, bbush.
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