Choosing an etude

[frederic]

HI guys

I am wondering if you could give me a hint about choosing an etude. whats the best chopin etude to start with?

I am learning the 3rd chopin sonata and just realised i haven't learnt any of his etudes.  

Please help
thanks

frederic

[MzrtMusic]

Each Chopin Etude was written toshowcase a specific technical strength. You should decide what area of technic you want to work on, and choose based on that. If you just want to select and etude for the sound, my personal favorites are :
Etude in Ab Major, Op. 25 No. 1 (Aeolian Harp)
Etude in b minor Op. 25 No. 10

Hope this helps!

Love,

Sarah

[rachfan]

The most recent Etude I have done was Op. 10 No. 6 in E flat minor.   I love that piece--has a very melancholy, romantic sound.   It's a joy to learn too.   It calls for a cantabile in the right hand and an extraordinarily delicate touch in the left.   Most people that undertake this work are  totally unaware that it is played largely without the damper pedal, otherwise clarity would be lost in the blurring of all the passing tones in the left hand.  The name of the game, therefore, is the ultimate in finger legato,  holding notes to full value, using tenuto in some places, devising smooth fingerings, observing ties, pedal points, etc.  In fact, I would assert that Chopin's object lesson in this piece is just that--being able to play artfully without the aid (and camouflage) of the pedal.  It forces the pianist out into the open to prove his mettle in that regard.  Sometimes you'll hear it played with pedal and it sounds like a haze.  That's not what Chopin had in mind for this etude in my opinion.    

[tosca1]

Indeed the Chopin opus 10 no. 6 in E flat minor is divinely beautiful and it develops expressive polyphonic playing in both hands.

Most of the Chopin studies showcase the right hand although there are some notable exceptions.

Two other approachable and immensely rewarding studies are the opus 10 no. 3 and the opus 10 no. 4.  Number 3 has one of Chopin's most popular melodies in its slow outer sections while the middle section is technically brilliant and an excellent technical development with its double notes in both hands.
The next study is fiery and virtuosic as long as it does not become a banging fest and the fast finger work is divided quite evenly between the hands.
Enjoy them!

[Diabolos]

Op. 10 Nr.6 is indeed a great etude; you might also try the 'Black key' etude (Op.10 Nr.5) and the revolutionary etude, the last one of Op. 10.

Both  make a good couple, since they concentrate either on the right or left hand.

good luck with the etudes

Regards,

[frederic]

Thanks  

I think Horowitz once said op. 10 no. 2 was one of the most difficult.
Is that right?

But before i thought that was one of the easiest ones.

Which, in your opinion, is the most difficult of all the etudes?

Will i be mad if i went for op.10 no.4?

From what i've heard its a very difficult one which should be studied with great care.
I have read the topic on it under repertoire but i am still not convinced about it.

The Black Key Etude has the right hand playing only black keys through the whole etude so wouldn't the right hand keep slipping?  

[ned]

Frederic
The Black Key is doable. Practice with very active strong fingers in RH triple forte. Keep the triplet groupings clear. The last page has some challenges.

The etudes in thirds and sixths are very hard for me. Also op 25 no 4. The rest of op 25 are feasible and are good concert pieces.  In general op 25 is physically easier than op 10

In op 10, 1 and 2 are notorious. More effective for concert performance are 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 12. They are worth the effort. Hard but not sadistically so. Op 10 no 7 is musically clear and easy to memorize.  The flutter mechanism has to be done right.  Don't forget the Nouvelles Etudes. The one in D flat is tough but beautiful
It is reported that the Nouvelle Etude in A flat was the last piece Liszt played before he died.
Ned

[Le-ackt]

I m suprised you guys did not mention any of his Op25 etudes . Opus 10 sure is amazing and classic , but 25 is also briliant as well . one of he most impressive playing indeed is the winterwind Op25 #11 , and the last Op25#12 Ocean Etude , I think everyone one of these 24 etudes all represents a different technical difficulty in order for pianoist to solve . I have played the Revolutionary Etude since the emotional content harmonize my heart , and while learning it , i realize it actually is more difficult than it sound . The study is in the right hand and the left hand is the revolutionary .

[rach17]

About which is the hardest, it's different for different people because everyone has their own technical strengths and weaknesses.  Personally, my favorites are op. 10 no. 1, 4, and 8.  They are all wonderful pecies!

[SteveK]

Hi Frederic.
You can try playing his Etude no. 3 op. 10. It's very beautiful.

[amee]

I think it said elsewhere on the board that the Winter Wind etude was the hardest because of the speed the right hand goes over the notes.

[frederic]

i wouldn't think winter wind is the hardest.

op. 25, no.6
op. 25, no.12
op. 10, no.2
op.25, no.1

[BuyBuy]

Chopin etudes need a lot of work. How about some preparation studies ?

I think that Moszkowski "Etudes de virtuosités" op. 72 are a good start. They are in general a bit easier than the Chopin, but still challenging, and many of them are good performance pieces.

Just a thought...

[Bosendorfer_214]

I find that my personal favorite Etudes are the Ocean Wave, Op. 25 No12 and Op.10 No.4.  Both of which I have learned and played in Recital and in public.  I liked the Ocean Wave for its glorious and powerful chord bases and 10 no 4 for its speed and brilliance.  Fir a first Etude I would recomend the Revolutionary.

Nic

[frederic]

Yeah, i like the ocean etude very much (actually i composed a little piece a long time ago and then after i heard that ocean etude for the first time i discovered my composition had exactly the same theme as that etude but in a minor instead of c minor. you know, the E flat, D, F, E flat). But from hearing that etude, it sounds pretty exhausting and quite an achievement if you get through that piece without RSI or something. Is it really tiring playing it?

[tosca1]

Easier than the opus 10 no 1 if I may speculate as I do not play it. It also works both hands rather than primarily the right hand which is another excellent reason for wanting to play it.  It is one of the great "heroic" Chopin pieces and a fitting climax to both sets of studies.
Regards,
Robert.

[amee]

Which etude would be the easiest, in general?

[frederic]

Etudes by Chopin?
Maybe the revolutionary or op.10 no.4.
the butterfly is not too hard is it?
very charming piece though...

[luda888]

THE REVOLUTIONARY!!!  

[liszmaninopin]

Well, if you're seriously working on the third sonata, I can't imagine any of the etudes giving you too much trouble.  They're all fine works, but I would offer op. 10 #10, and op. 25 #3,4, and 5 as worthwhile etudes that aren't as overplayed as the others.

[Daevren]

Two choices:

Play the one you like the most.

Play the one foccussing on technique you need/want to master. But make sure its not far above your level.

With these questions I always wonder, you guys do listen music right? I could easily make a list of 250 works I want to learn.

if you get through that piece without RSI or something. Is it really tiring playing it?

If you don't have bad technique, for example, very cramped up and unrelaxed hands, you shouldn't get RSI. If you overplay, stop. You don't have to waste time if you can't play for a day/week/month/year. Your fingers actually touching the keys is just one small element of musicality.

But economic motion, relaxed hands, not overplaying, variation, stretching, massage, and injury should not be a problem. If it is, stop playing! See a doctor if you must.

[felia]

Hey guys,

How about Etude op.25 no 12? i am planning to work on that etude.Can i know more about it?Which tecnique that Chopin try to stress on?
Thank you very much.

[Max]

I think the most effective thing to do is to learn all of them. (not literally!)

Starting with 10/1, try and learn the first page or so, or less if you can't manage it. Chopin didn't just put them in any old order, I believe that as they were studies, they were meant to be studied as a set. Starting with op.10, then op.25.

If you just want a few, then 10/3, 10/9, 25/1 and 25/10 are some of the easier ones. 25/2 sounds easy, but to play it correctly (so the emphasis is on the 8 notes, not 12 or whatever) is hard, and 10/6 has some really nasty 4th finger positions (if you're being strict). Since it's your first, I wouldn't try the harder ones until you've played at least 3-4 of the easier etudes.

[chopiabin]

I'm working on the Ocean etude right now and I'm almost done with it. It is, in my opinion, one of the most amazing etudes of the entire set. My new piano teacher taught me the secret to this one: you must lift you hands after each three note arpeggio if you want to play this piece as fast as it is meant to be. You also want to keep your hands open the whole time while playing it. It does get somewhat tiring after a while because you have to keep your hands open for a while, but I don't find it too fatiguing. Once you get the hand lifting down , you must work on keeping the first note of each three note arpeggio from being accented.

I was amazed that my new teacher told me to lift my hands in between the arpeggios because my old teacher forbid it like the plague, but once I learned how to do it correctly, the piece gained a lot in both accuracy and speed.

Other favorite etudes of mine are: op. 10 #'s 1, 3, 4,5, 8,  and op.25#'s 1, 6, 7, 10, and 11

[DarkWind]

Does anyone else notice this topic was started on January, 2003? He most likely won't notice your answers.

[pianiststrongbad]

Just for the record, Op. 10 no. 1 is way harder than Op. 25 no. 12.  I have played both and this is what I have found.  Op. 25 no.12 is a wonderful peice.  Someone earlier mentioned that they thought the secret to this peice was lifting their arm.  I have a different idea.  I have only been able to hit half= 60 on the metranome using this method.  If you rather move your arm horizontally rather than dividing it in three note sections, you can go faster.  I can go about 75 doing it this way.  Op. 10 no. 1 is wonderful, I don't have any tips for this peice.  Regarding which etude to study, this is something I have been pondering over lately.  I came to the conclusion I am going to learn them all.  Not in any particular order, but i have a feeling the one in 3rds will be towards the end of the list.  I don't know if any one etude will help for preperation for the 3rd sonata.  

[chopiabin]

Wow, why did someone bring it up?

[Daevren]

Luda888 bumped alot of posts with senseless replies.

[rohansahai]

op. 25#2 is a very nice one to start off with. Not too difficult either, but very nice to hear if NOT PLAYED TOO FAST.

[Max]

Just for the record, Op. 10 no. 1 is way harder than Op. 25 no. 12.  I have played both and this is what I have found.  Op. 25 no.12 is a wonderful peice.  Someone earlier mentioned that they thought the secret to this peice was lifting their arm.  I have a different idea.  I have only been able to hit half= 60 on the metranome using this method.  If you rather move your arm horizontally rather than dividing it in three note sections, you can go faster.  I can go about 75 doing it this way.  Op. 10 no. 1 is wonderful, I don't have any tips for this peice.  Regarding which etude to study, this is something I have been pondering over lately.  I came to the conclusion I am going to learn them all.  Not in any particular order, but i have a feeling the one in 3rds will be towards the end of the list.  I don't know if any one etude will help for preperation for the 3rd sonata.  

I agree. 10/1 is one of the hardest etudes in that opus, the arpegios are much larger and more cumbersome than you'd think.

[chopiabin]

When I said "lifting your hand," I didn't mean actually lifting it vertically, I basically just meant keeping your palm open and, as soon as you play the last note of an arpeggio, moving horizontally to that note with the thumb or your right hand and the pinky of the left. I find it helpful to focus on the movements of the 1 of the right and the 5 of the left while playing this etude.

Of course op.10#1 is harder - I've heard that it is probably the hardest, and that Ashkenazy spent three years perfecting it before he would perform it.

[frederic]

Does anyone else notice this topic was started on January, 2003? He most likely won't notice your answers.

hahaha thats rite! this is the first time i've visited piano forum since january last year. And im quite suprised to see all these replies! And very grateful too. If I dont get the chance to read your answers, it does not mean others cant take advantage of them as well. So keep those posts coming and it would certainly help any of us!