Chopin Etude Op.10 No.9 in F Minor

[evitaevita]

Hello everyone!

It's been a long time since I last posted on pianostreet and I so glad I'm back again! 

By the way, I've been practicing Chopin's beautiful Etude Op.10 No.9 for the last few weeks and I'd really like to talk with you about this piece!

First of all, it is believed, and I think I agree with this, that this is more an etude for the right hand, because of the melody it has to "sing", and not so much for the left. What's your opinion about this statement? What the interpretation of this piece should be like for you?

As for the pedal, how should it be used? Most editions recommend changing it every 3 quavers. Do you agree?

Also, have you ever used the 4th finger (on the left hand) to play this passage? (Please see the picture below.)
I have the Henle Urtext Edition (I must mention that the extract is not from Henle) which suggests that it should be played using this fingering. However, this is uncomfortable and almost impossible for hands as small and inflexible as mine!... Therefore, I play it with the 3rd finger. I think this is no problem, as it is just what fits to each pianist, but I'm just interested to know.

Finally, the smooth touch of the left hand is something that the pianist should achieve in this etude. How did you manage to do it? (practice, specific exercises, etc.)

Thank you all in advance! I'm looking forward learning the piece reaaaally well!
Evitaevita

[evitaevita]

*Sorry for having upload the same image twice...

[chopin2015]

In that second group of 16th notes, use the 4th finger because you have to strech up and hit that d...if you use ur 3rd, you will have to twist your wrist to do 3 1. The point of that left hand group is to develop independence by ear, using the 4th instead of 3 will stop you from freezing/holding your hand in one position....

[andreslr6]

I'm actually learning this etude for this semester and I'm pretty sure it's an etude for the left hand, specially because of the almost "illogical" fingerings that Chopin wrote. The edition I have is the wiener Urtext (the red one) and it includes Chopin's fingerings (in italics) and those of other editors. Chopin was the one that wrote down the 5-4 for the F-C, the one everyone changes because obviously it's uncorfotable and super hard to play it at the tempo that Chopin suggested as well. But anyways, my recommendation is only use 4th finger if you can really do it without forcing it. I'm playing it with the 4th on the main theme, then when it modulates on the middle and last sections I vary with other fingers depending on the interval. I assume that the topic of this etude is precisely flexibility for the wrist and fingers with large intervals on the left hand and it does offer a good variety of positions.

For the pedal, I think it works well changing it every 3 quavers always, like you said, although on some places you could leave it a little bit longer depending on the harmony.

[h_chopin148]

I just finished playing this etude and I think it is an etude for the LH more than the RH. This is because there are so many tricky fingerings in the LH so its all about LH development. There is also a counter melody to the RH in the LH.

[danhuyle]

I change pedal every 3 beats, on the 1st and 4th beats of each bar.

As for using the 4th fingering in the left hand that you circled. If you use only your 3rd finger (without using your 4th), you will feel a strain in your arm, I certainly did. Start using that 4th finger or you shall pay the price... 

Don't take my word for it. I want you to play the first 4 bars at performance tempo very prestissimo using only your 3th finger on the C.

[virtuoso80]

Fingering: 531413, or even 531513. I never do 531313, and I find it actually to be a dangerous recommendation, because it promotes trying to 'stretch' and span the whole phrase, which can hurt your hand. Once the first note of the beat is played, my hand moves up for the other notes. Actually, a great exercise for arm motion is to use the same finger for the lowest note and second-lowest, like 441414 - I actually demonstrate that fingering (just the beginning, not the whole Etude) for my students to show them how fingering is secondary to proper arm motion. This can also help you to find the easier fingering relaxing, enabling smoothness.

[danhuyle]

Fingering: 531413, or even 531513. I never do 531313, and I find it actually to be a dangerous recommendation, because it promotes trying to 'stretch' and span the whole phrase, which can hurt your hand.

Haha, I did 531313 in my first 6 months as I was clueless at the time. That explained how I was straining my arm so much.

When I actually looked at the fingering I was like 

[chopin2015]

If you wanna get funky with the left hand....do 5 1  instead of 5 4 and figure it out from there. It may not be useful in this etude, but it is a good trick for arpeggios.