La Campanella

[bacchus1224]

1)Around Bar 76, or the reprise of the main theme after the long series of trills, all the editions I've seen so far state the fingering should be 1-343, 1-343, 1-343..... that fingering is easier because my third finger is obviously stronger, but I'm slightly more comfortable with 1-454, 1-454... because my hand isn't so stretched (I have smaller than usual hands). Is one better than the other? Or could I alternate between them after every few notes like Lisitsa does?

2) In the ascending chromatic section (Bar 71/72) I've always assumed it was the right hand until half-way and then both hands could be used. Apparently people use both hands for the entire section, I know it doesn't really help in terms of technique building but is it cheating?

3) This may seem stupid, but in the double notes variation of the theme, why do people use 21-5,  instead of 11-5 (i.e using the thumb twice)? I understand the alternating of fingers in the lengthier repeated notes sections but does it help with speed here too?


Thanks

[danhuyle]

1)Around Bar 76, or the reprise of the main theme after the long series of trills, all the editions I've seen so far state the fingering should be 1-343, 1-343, 1-343..... that fingering is easier because my third finger is obviously stronger, but I'm slightly more comfortable with 1-454, 1-454... because my hand isn't so stretched (I have smaller than usual hands). Is one better than the other? Or could I alternate between them after every few notes like Lisitsa does?

2) In the ascending chromatic section (Bar 71/72) I've always assumed it was the right hand until half-way and then both hands could be used. Apparently people use both hands for the entire section, I know it doesn't really help in terms of technique building but is it cheating?

3) This may seem stupid, but in the double notes variation of the theme, why do people use 21-5,  instead of 11-5 (i.e using the thumb twice)? I understand the alternating of fingers in the lengthier repeated notes sections but does it help with speed here too?


Thanks

I play La Campanella myself and here's my video

To answer your questions

1. I use personally use fingers 1343, so does Yundi Li and Lang Lang. 1454 does work if your hands are smaller. My right hand spans a 9th, so 1343 is my preferred choice. If your hand only spans an 8ve, then I wouldn't know that one.

2. You can use one hand or the 2 hand method, which is the 2-3 Interlock. Both Yundi Li and Lang Lang use the 2-3 interlock. I've seen Evgeny Kissin use one hand on that ascending chromatic passage. In the end, it's personal preference.

3. This is the very reason that almost drove me away from playing La Campanella. When I did 115, I felt my whole arm strain, not only that, it's slow slower than 215. Eventually, I was able to pull off 215 and have been staying with that fingering since then. You won't feel a strain on your arm if you do 215 fast and if you do that using 115, you'll strain your arm.
I also recommend learning Czerny Study Op299 No22. It's a study in repeated notes and it helped me learn the double note variation of the main theme.

I hope this answers your question and you can visit my youtube channel and watch my La Campanella tutorial videos too.

[dickknowsbest]

When I watched Yundi Li perform it, he used 4/5, and what was interesting was that his 3rd finger was flying up and down with his 4th while doing the trill.

Keep in mind that the 3rd fingers tendon is connected to the 4th.

An exercise. Place all 5 fingers on a table, keep the hand in a naturally curved position. Now try to move your 4th finger up keeping all others down. If it's weak, it won't move up much. Now, try to move both the 3rd and 4th finger up together, keeping the others down, you'll find your 4th finger can raise a lot higher, though your 2nd, and 5th finger is still held down. Now, use this method for the 4/5 trill, letting the 3rd finger (and also the second) raise with the 4th, but try not to let the 2nd/3rd finger touch the table, keep them above the table (or keys) but not too high or too tense. (if there is tension in 2/3 it makes a 4/5 trill harder)

This is sort of common sense and you're probably doing this already, but if you exaggerate the 3rd fingers movement, it will actually help make for being able to raise 4th finger faster, making it 'slightly' easier to trill with 4/5.

The rest is just practice.

Remember an important thing with trills and fast passages. It's not always how fast you hit the notes, it's how fast you release them.

Hope that maybe helped.

[bacchus1224]

To answer your questions

1. I use personally use fingers 1343, so does Yundi Li and Lang Lang. 1454 does work if your hands are smaller. My right hand spans a 9th, so 1343 is my preferred choice. If your hand only spans an 8ve, then I wouldn't know that one.

2. You can use one hand or the 2 hand method, which is the 2-3 Interlock. Both Yundi Li and Lang Lang use the 2-3 interlock. I've seen Evgeny Kissin use one hand on that ascending chromatic passage. In the end, it's personal preference.

3. This is the very reason that almost drove me away from playing La Campanella. When I did 115, I felt my whole arm strain, not only that, it's slow slower than 215. Eventually, I was able to pull off 215 and have been staying with that fingering since then. You won't feel a strain on your arm if you do 215 fast and if you do that using 115, you'll strain your arm.
I also recommend learning Czerny Study Op299 No22. It's a study in repeated notes and it helped me learn the double note variation of the main theme.

I hope this answers your question and you can visit my youtube channel and watch my La Campanella tutorial videos too.

Thanks, I've been using your videos since I started learning the piece around February
My 4th finger is stronger now so it feels much much better to do 4-5. And now I get the 2-1 speed difference, the only issue now is that sometimes the two notes are way too close and sound like one- especially in the ascending sequence after the melody. That's pretty much the only issue.

When I watched Yundi Li perform it, he used 4/5, and what was interesting was that his 3rd finger was flying up and down with his 4th while doing the trill.

Keep in mind that the 3rd fingers tendon is connected to the 4th.

An exercise. Place all 5 fingers on a table, keep the hand in a naturally curved position. Now try to move your 4th finger up keeping all others down. If it's weak, it won't move up much. Now, try to move both the 3rd and 4th finger up together, keeping the others down, you'll find your 4th finger can raise a lot higher, though your 2nd, and 5th finger is still held down. Now, use this method for the 4/5 trill, letting the 3rd finger (and also the second) raise with the 4th, but try not to let the 2nd/3rd finger touch the table, keep them above the table (or keys) but not too high or too tense. (if there is tension in 2/3 it makes a 4/5 trill harder)

This is sort of common sense and you're probably doing this already, but if you exaggerate the 3rd fingers movement, it will actually help make for being able to raise 4th finger faster, making it 'slightly' easier to trill with 4/5.

The rest is just practice.

Remember an important thing with trills and fast passages. It's not always how fast you hit the notes, it's how fast you release them.

Hope that maybe helped.

Yup, its working...looks a bit weird but the trills are slightly easier.

[starstruck5]

Glad that I am not the only one who strains his arm!  Why do we always think we are the only ones?

[richard_strauss]

1.- I personally find the alternation of 3,4 more appealing since it helps keeping my hand relaxed, but that's something purely subjective.

2.- Actually, the sheet music shows only the first 8ve written for one hand and the remaining 2 8ves using the interlocking. But, just as Dan said, in the end it's personal preference.

[werq34ac]

I think I actually found 3-5 easier. It's easier to trill when there's a finger in between the two trill fingers because it allows the hand to make better use of the rotation of the wrist. Something to try maybe?

[virtuoso80]

I think I actually found 3-5 easier. It's easier to trill when there's a finger in between the two trill fingers because it allows the hand to make better use of the rotation of the wrist. Something to try maybe?

Count me in for 3-5 for the trills as well.