Chopin op 25 no 5

[chopin2015]

So, I've played through the thing and have memorized it, no problem except 1 little thing. I just can't make up my mind on what to do here! These chords are not indicated to be rolled, so...how do I stretch an 11th??? How can I hit all those notes without rolling the chord? I can reach a 10th MAX. Let me know! See pic attached.

No trolling allowed.

[4greatkeyboards]

I remember reading an interview of Garrick Ohlshon. He, of course is a giant of a man with huge hands. In the interview he was asked about optimum hands. He said he thought the best hand for piano was a 'compact' one. He said this his main problem was getting in between the black notes. His fingers are so large that it is hard for him to press a white key without sounding the black keys that may be aside of it.

To me, the moral is that you work with what you've got. Small fingers can do what large ones cannot and vice-versa. Also, small fingers can do more than large ones if they move faster because they fit between the black keys more easily.

I dimly remember an anecdote where another pianist watched Franz Liszt play the Beethoveen HammerKlavier sonota and remarked at how he saw that Liszt had to roll some of the chords.

[chopin2015]

haha! I can only imagine the comments I will get. Oh, I see you have to roll the 11ths...that's too bad...haha

[j_menz]

You roll.  Make it a fast one.  I'd do it so the first chord in each bar was straight, the second slightly rolled (even though you don't need to) and the third slightly more rolled. Make a virtue of necessity.

Oh, or you can always use your nose. 

[chopin2015]

You roll.  Make it a fast one.  I'd do it so the first chord in each bar was straight, the second slightly rolled (even though you don't need to) and the third slightly more rolled. Make a virtue of necessity.

Oh, or you can always use your nose. 

Good point! I just can't think of anything else I can do! I'll ask my teacher too. What a dilemma! I wish I could just write Chopin a letter...