chopin etudes

[pianopianisimo]

Hello!
I have to play one chopin etude and I don't know wich is better for me. I only have played the op 10 n 9 and now I have to choose another. Do you know which etudes can be easier? I think op 10 n 1 and op 10 n 5 maybe are easier.. What do you think about this?
Thank you and sorry for my poor english.

[le_poete_mourant]

Op 10 No 5 would be a much better choice than Op 10 No. 1 -- in my estimation, Op 10 No 1 is much more physically demanding. Op 10 No 12 would also be a fine choice if you want to continue working your left hand.

[tchristec]

I wouldn't rule out op. 10 1 just yet.  I personally found 1 easier than 5.  1 is definitely easy to memorize as it is basically just chords.  A lot I think is also affected by how you approach the etude and whether or not you practice in an effective manor.  That being said, I agree that 1 does require some stamina but with proper technique it is not so much of a problem.  Also having big hands helps.  I can reach a 10th so I feel I have a bit of an edge over someone who only spans an octave lol.

[scherzo123]

I can reach a 10th so I feel I have a bit of an edge over someone who only spans an octave lol.

Cool, I could reach a tenth too, and Chopin's etudes' difficulties are all different depending on the person. For me, the easier etudes are:

Op.10 No.3
Op.10 No.6
Op.10 No.9
Op.10 No.11
Op.10 No.12
Op.25 No.1
Op.25 No.2
Op.25 No.5
Op.25 No.7
Op.25 No.9
Op.25 No.12

[tchristec]

Haha oops.  I meant effective manner not manor lol. 
But if you really want to choose an etude that is *better* for you then I would highly suggest opus 10 no. 2.   It is very trying but immensely beneficial.  Now if you are choosing an etude for a competition or audition or something like that than perhaps it is not the best choice.

[ajspiano]

10/1 - Also having big hands helps.  I can reach a 10th so I feel I have a bit of an edge over someone who only spans an octave lol.

Observing my own playing, I don't think I ever span more than an octave in that piece, and rarely more than a 6th or 7th to be honest. If there is any edge in my semi-large hands (I can reach most 10ths also) its in the gap between 1 and 2, not the overall hand span.

I also think that its an easy enough etude to play at 144-152 bpm, but that a solid musical performance at 170-176 bpm is a totally different thing.

[joeplaysthepiano]

I would caution against Op 10 no 1.  It is extremely difficult and possibly the most difficult of all the etudes (subjective I know).  It will take a much longer time to master than almost all of the other etudes.

[tchristec]

Actually I think ajspiano has a good point. When playing it isn't good to stretch at all. My teacher actually had me practice with a rubber band on my hand so I wouldn't stretch but rather move my arm to the next note. When playing a large interval in the arpeggio it should feel just like playing a small interval to the fingers; you just have to move the whole arm horizontally to cover he distance.  So I guess there is no edge for having big hands. I have to go think of another excuse to think I am special besides my mommy told me so. 

[chopin2015]

definitely op 25 no 12. It is beautiful and not too difficult! I am working on op 25 no 5 now. I really love it! So far I know op 25. no 2; no 11 and op 10 no 12. I cannot play through op 10 no 12 as well as the others though. I learned some fingering wrong and so I avoid playing it. Some of the op 10 are really quite difficult, I think because the tonality is so different. To me, the op 25 is more musical batch of the etudes.