Chopin Prelude Op 28 No 24 - how easy/hard is it compared to the chopin etudes

[dontcheeseme]

My Chopin Etude Repertoire:
op 10 no 4
op 10 no 12
op 25 no 11
op 10 no 5
(I most probly gonna suck at thirds though)
I heard that the storm prelude is waaaay difficult than it sounds, that's why I hesitate to start on this piece (I don't like pieces that are extremely hard but sound very easy).....how does it compare to the chopin etudes listed above?

[iratior]

My experience:  Chopin 28/24 is not so difficult if you can use the "secret" fingering.  The "secret" fingering might be "illegal" by Czerny standards, though.  It's just to finger the right hand's upward runs by having their uppermost note be on finger 5; then going backwards, finger 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and so on.  At a slow speed this would sound too "choppy", but at a high speed, it fits together.  The left hand is repetitive, so a good method of keeping it relaxed would be appropriate.  You might want the typical left hand measure to be fingered 53152 instead of 53151.  I prefer 53152, mostly.  The downward run in thirds is not so hard because it's chromatic, and downward thirds runs are in general easier than upward ones.

[birba]

Well, if I can play it, anyone can...

[jayeckz]

I heard that the storm prelude is waaaay difficult than it sounds, that's why I hesitate to start on this piece (I don't like pieces that are extremely hard but sound very easy).....how does it compare to the chopin etudes listed above?

Why don't you try it yourself?  This piece is actually easier than it sounds if you don't hold down the middle note in the left hand figure; however you sacrifice a lot of clarity for this (by pedaling more).

I've only skimmed through and fooled around with sections of the piece a few years ago, but if I were to learn the piece without cheating the hard part for me would be the left hand (I can barely reach a 10th and my fingers are somewhat short, I feel that longer fingers/bigger hands are a huge advantage on the piece).  Just the left hand will take me a while to develop.

If you can play op. 25 no. 11 and op. 10 no. 4, the right hand should be cakewalk for you. The descending thirds are quite comfortable to play.  I'd be worried about the left hand.

Edit: I have to change my opinion.  I just worked on the piece a little bit and the left hand isn't as bad as I thought (I must admit when I last looked at this piece I didn't have a lot of basic piano skills down).  I'd think you'd be able to learn the piece very quickly with your repertoire.

[jayeckz]

My experience:  Chopin 28/24 is not so difficult if you can use the "secret" fingering.  The "secret" fingering might be "illegal" by Czerny standards, though.  It's just to finger the right hand's upward runs by having their uppermost note be on finger 5; then going backwards, finger 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and so on.  At a slow speed this would sound too "choppy", but at a high speed, it fits together.

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you correctly.  I only see one place to have that fingering for the downwards run.  With the exception of that one run, the runs are standard scales and arpeggios with very straightforward and standard fingering.  Correct me if I'm missing something...



@dontcheeseme: This piece is much easier than the etudes you've played IMO.  The hardest part of the piece for me is the left hand.  The right hand sounds harder than it is (if you can really play the 10/5, 25/11, or 10/4 I wouldn't be surprised if you learned the piece in a few hours)

[iratior]

Oh, I see I never did get around to discussing the downward runs.  As you point out, one of them can be fingered with 54321 repeatedly.  For the others, I like 5321 repeatedly.  At a slower tempo this would sound "choppy", but up to speed it fits together.

[jayeckz]

It's just to finger the right hand's upward runs by having their uppermost note be on finger 5; then going backwards, finger 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and so on.

Wait, so you're claiming that you play the upward scales and arpeggios with these fingerings?  HOW?!

[iratior]

If I'm doing an upward run, I finger it as 1234512345 etc.  The thumb gets put under the fifth finger, so it's "illegal" by Czerny standards, and sounds "choppy" at a slow speed.  The downward run goes 5432154321 etc., or 53215321 etc., with the 5th finger crossing over the thumb.  Again, it is "illegal" by Czerny standards, and sounds "choppy" at a slow speed.  Incidentally, I see that I never got around to discussing the final, downward run of the piece.  On ITS fingering, I would agree with Czerny!

[jayeckz]

Ah thanks for the clarification.  Now that makes sense !

[dontcheeseme]

nice, thanks for all your help. Yes I do find that the piece (in terms of the notes, etc., technique) is very easy. But the stamina required for the left hand, I seem to lack immensely. Hope it comes with correct practise of movements/relaxation, etc.

[kalirren]

I'm surprised people think that the upward runs are the hardest part of the piece.  The downward chromatic scale in thirds near the end is just murderous for me.  It's true that the upward runs are faster, and I agree they're the hardest part -remaining- for me.  But that's only because I've already spent so much time on the downward run in thirds.  I think that run is the single most technically challenging part of the piece.