Chopin, March Funebre. Fingers to short

[frenchfry]

I'm trying to learn Chopin's March Funebre and have reached a point where my fingers seem to be too short. I enclosed a screen shot of that left hand chord.

What should I do in a situation like that? Should I only play the lower part (two notes) of the chord? The upper part? The middle note only? Arpegiate it (is what you call it when you play the notes of the chord individually)?

Thank you in advance for you help.

[bleicher]

Most people's hands aren't big enough to stretch a 10th. I would arpeggiate it. I'd spend a while experimenting to work out whether it sounds better to play all three notes separately, or to play D and A at the same time followed by F, and whether it's best to do have the extra note before or after the beat.

[yodaofpiano]

Hi,

Is it just your left hand fingers that are too short, because maybe you could play the top f in the bass with your right hand? can your right hand reach a tenth

[quantum]

Roll or arpeggiate the chords. 

In this case the top notes of the RH and the top notes of the LH form a line.  Playing the LH F with the RH may not be the easiest solution to bringing out that line. 

[_nisa_]

Usually, people tend to say that it is important to play all the notes to preserve the harmony of the piece.

When I learned this piece, I was more worried about conserving the characteristical rythm of the march, because it is what allows to express the dark and opressing atmosphere that motivated me to learn it. I was skeptical about arpeggiating the chord because it would kill the rythm by adding beats.

In fact, I tried and found it satisfying, as it is not killing the rythm and it is conserving all the harmonies.

Hope you will enjoy the piece as much as I do,

Nisa