Rachmaninoff prelude g minor Op.23 no.5.

[onwan]

Hi, I've played the piano for 3 years.
I really would like to play prelude g minor by Rachmaninoff, but I am not sure if i'm ready. In fact I know that I'm not ready. So I would like to know which pieces are suitable to play before I start with this prelude. I would like to hear specific pieces in chronological order. I would like to know which technique is neccesary to improve for good playing this prelude.
Thanks for your help!

[asuhayda]

Hi!

This piece has several technical challenges.  Here are a couple of pieces I would try before you tackle this piece.

1. Clair De Lune - Debussy (this will help you with the arpeggios in the middle section of Op.23 No. 5)
2. Rachmaninoff - Prelude in c# Minor (this will help you to get used to Rachmaninoff's style)
3. I would play a little bit of Bach, because there are some counterpuntal elements in the g minor prelude that you'll need to play.
4.  Lastly,  you might benefit from playing some ragtime or Gershwin.  The g minor prelude is a march.  It requires quite a bit of jumping around.  Ragtime really helps you with keyboard geography.  It might be worth your while.

Hope this helps.

[onwan]

Hi!

This piece has several technical challenges.  Here are a couple of pieces I would try before you tackle this piece.

1. Clair De Lune - Debussy (this will help you with the arpeggios in the middle section of Op.23 No. 5)
2. Rachmaninoff - Prelude in c# Minor (this will help you to get used to Rachmaninoff's style)
3. I would play a little bit of Bach, because there are some counterpuntal elements in the g minor prelude that you'll need to play.
4.  Lastly,  you might benefit from playing some ragtime or Gershwin.  The g minor prelude is a march.  It requires quite a bit of jumping around.  Ragtime really helps you with keyboard geography.  It might be worth your while.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the tips. You showed me a way, how to prepare for this piece. But I actually I don't like Clair de Lune, I'll look up for some of Czerny arpeggios etudes. Bach is my big shortcoming I have to play his works more not only to prepare for rachmaninoff. And about the prelude c sharp minor, I will ask my teacher about this piece

[ciscoj33]

I've played the 23 no 5 for a few years now.  I don't know that learning other pieces is going to necessarily prepare you for this piece.  Every composer has a unique style...Mozart - fluid and controlled....Beethoven - fiery and passionate...Liszt - technical mastery. 

Rachmaninov is grandiose with a mountain of emotion and passion.  you need no more than listen to his piano concerto no 2 to ascertain that.  The best start is to jump right in and learn the piece.  get the notes under your fingers.  don't worry about speed at first.  concentrate on accuracy and get the notes under your fingers.  then, spend time on youtube and listen to different interpretations of this work.  one of the more prominent ones is by Gilels. 

As you get the notes under your fingers and listen to these different interpretations, you can then focus on speed, accuracy, and individual interpretation.  the tempo of this work is commonly alla marcia.  so play it like a march.  dont' attack it with blazing speed like some pianists do. 

[asuhayda]

But I actually I don't like Clair de Lune

WHAAT!? 

haha.. j/k

In that case.. Maybe check out Rachmaninoff's Prelude in D Major.  It is absolutely beautiful and, in my opinion the easiest (technically) of all of his preludes.  It has similar arpeggios as the g minor prelude.  But they are not as fast, so you may benefit from that exercise.

As far as jumping right into it.  I'm all for that as well..  I'm only giving suggestions since OP asked for them.  If you don't feel comfortable diving into a piece, then by all means take your time and ramp up to it.  It's personal preference.  Plus you may play it better if you are more prepared for the technical challenges.

Best of luck!

[scherzo123]

Hi!

This piece has several technical challenges.  Here are a couple of pieces I would try before you tackle this piece.

1. Clair De Lune - Debussy (this will help you with the arpeggios in the middle section of Op.23 No. 5)
2. Rachmaninoff - Prelude in c# Minor (this will help you to get used to Rachmaninoff's style)
3. I would play a little bit of Bach, because there are some counterpuntal elements in the g minor prelude that you'll need to play.
4.  Lastly,  you might benefit from playing some ragtime or Gershwin.  The g minor prelude is a march.  It requires quite a bit of jumping around.  Ragtime really helps you with keyboard geography.  It might be worth your while.

Hope this helps.

+1

[redbaron]

+1

Wow, that's a helpful response...

[zezhyrule]

Wow, that's a helpful response...

+1

[scherzo123]

Wow, that's a helpful response...

Thanks  , your response is soooo helpful too. 

[jayeckz]

@OP: If you want more accurate advice, post your playing (preferably several segments of differing techniques).  I'll definitely make recommendations if you do this.

I don't know that learning other pieces is going to necessarily prepare you for this piece.

In my opinion, the list of pieces that can prepare someone for op. 23 no. 5 is endless. 

Unfortunately, since different people have different strengths and weaknesses, it would be silly to generalize.

The best start is to jump right in and learn the piece.  get the notes under your fingers.  don't worry about speed at first.  concentrate on accuracy and get the notes under your fingers.

This is great advice for certain students and certain pieces.  However, the students that I would suggest to jump right in and learn this piece have a sound foundation in piano.

I would not suggest this advice for the OP unless I saw him/her play because so many students have terrible habits that encourage tension filled playing and practicing.

Attempting certain pieces (op. 23 no. 5 included) too early can be dangerous!

[j_menz]

I will ask my teacher about this piece

Then also ask your teacher about the 23/5.  Your teacher has a far better idea where you are, and what you need to work on to get to play this, than any of us here could possibly have.

[pianokai]

I played and performed this. It's really a simple piece as I teach my lol bro on the basics.

It's jumping chords go to hannon and do the ones with split octaves disjointed octaves and jumping chord exercises (all of them) do it in g minor.

Now go!

Seriously this piece is not hard. Understand that this is an exercise in chords if you can do hanon 5 note chord exercise and octaves you will be fine:)

Note: I was a student at chethams school of music in the uk and was asked to learn this in less than a month. ( while having other trials to do )

3 hours per day will suffice

Best f luck to you! This is one of my favourite pieces.

[unravelled]

I played and performed this. It's really a simple piece as I teach my lol bro on the basics.

It's jumping chords go to hannon and do the ones with split octaves disjointed octaves and jumping chord exercises (all of them) do it in g minor.

Now go!

Seriously this piece is not hard. Understand that this is an exercise in chords if you can do hanon 5 note chord exercise and octaves you will be fine:)

Note: I was a student at chethams school of music in the uk and was asked to learn this in less than a month. ( while having other trials to do )

3 hours per day will suffice

Best f luck to you! This is one of my favourite pieces.

Lol, not hard? This is second level diploma stuff mate!