Alkan etude op.39 no.11

[cabbynum]

A few questions regarding this work:

How should I tackle it? I have the first part down, memorized and full tempo. I spent all day today at the piano. I finished a Chopin nocturne and this section of the alkan. So what should I do next on it? The lentement? Or the Allegro?

Any fingering suggestions other than the ones written for bar 238?

In the theme that starts in be 257 and all like it, is it okay to slow down ever so slightly to add expression? Or is the rhythm extremely strict right here?

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this next question, can I leave out a single note from those rolled chords during the octaves? I read through the whole thing today, that section poses some difficulty. I may get over it in a few days, but I just thought I'd ask.

The scaler thirds, use written fingering or a modified fingering with more arm movement?

Anything else you'd like to add will be much appreciated.


I've been toying with this piece for a while, never really looking further than he first 5 pages, today I read through the whole thing and have full intent to start chopping away at it and have it done soon.

[chopin2015]

when you say, bar 200-something, i'm a little lost! do you have any sheet music examples?

[cabbynum]

First picture has some leaps that look horrendous. I think that's just gonna be a matter of slow practice.

Second picture is the theme I was talking about


Third picture is measure 238 and the ones like it.

[chopin2015]

what is the tempo you desire and are you talking the leaps in the left hand? as always, left hand should be pretty connected to the keyboard, if the right hand is more "busy", and comfortably able to move at least in steps up and down, on it's own, no matter what the right hand is up to. i can tell you a cortot exercise for practicing leaps, later. 

[cabbynum]

After listening to three different recordings of the leap part I think I'll be fine, they all take a "breath" in between, so it's not excruciatingly strict right there.

I'm talking about the leaps in the right hand, holy hell! Look at how far I'm jumping!

The left hand leaps aren't that bad in my opinion.

I'd still like the cortot leaps...

[chopin2015]

After listening to three different recordings of the leap part I think I'll be fine, they all take a "breath" in between, so it's not excruciatingly strict right there.

I'm talking about the leaps in the right hand, holy hell! Look at how far I'm jumping!

The left hand leaps aren't that bad in my opinion.

I'd still like the cortot leaps...

ok! let me know which fingering you use, later!

ill tell ya the cortot exersize.