Rachmaninov's Prelude G sharp minor opus 32 no 12

[tommyo]

I have just starting learning this and I was just wanting to know if anybody has any advice on it.

Thanks.

[mcdiddy1]

Great piece!

Learn the subdivision/ pulse of the beginning section very well before playing using which ever counting system you use.

Listen to different interpretations of the piece so you know where the melody is and learn that first.

Practice using faster lateral jumps, with a strongly supported hand.

Find a good fingering for the slower middle section first.

[tommyo]

Thanks for you advice! I have learnt the first 8 bars of the melody, and to be honest, if you practice it slowly it comes to you pretty quick because most of the right hand falls on the 2nd to last semi quaver then first semi quaver. You are right it is such a good piece, listening to Horowitz'z live performance in Moscow is amazing!!!

[nanabush]

Don't overlook the voicing!  Compared to some of the other preludes, this one is pretty straightforward technically, but there are so many intricate inner melodies that are tough to bring out. 

The left hand broken figures (the large spanning jumps going downward) in the first climactic section are tough as hell at first.  Practice those slowly, and get all of the hand positions down as you go (try as best as you can not to play through too much at one time when starting out; little bits at a time for this part IMO)

Don't get too attached to one recording of it (there are a lot of good recordings that are drastically different).

Have fun, it's an addictive piece to play!  The rhythm is powerful, it's in an awesome key, and the first melodic bit always gives me goosebumps.