How hard is chopin's etude Ocean?

[beethovensonata]

I have played beethoven Sonata Op 2 No 3, does that mean that i could attempt Ocean?  I heard it's decently hard.  Could i do it?

[awesom_o]

It's extremely challenging. I would say if you played the Beethoven at the virtuoso level, you might have a chance with the it. But it's probably better to leave it until you have played several other Chopin Etudes.

It requires amazing independence of hands, agility, and endurance.

Is the Beethoven the only piece you have ever played? Did you ever play any pieces by Chopin?

[swagmaster420x]

Should I try heroic polonaise

[beethovensonata]

It's extremely challenging. I would say if you played the Beethoven at the virtuoso level, you might have a chance with the it. But it's probably better to leave it until you have played several other Chopin Etudes.

It requires amazing independence of hands, agility, and endurance.

Is the Beethoven the only piece you have ever played? Did you ever play any pieces by Chopin?

I have played sonata op 2 no 2, op 2 no 1.  For chopin i have played etude 10 3 and etude op 25 no 1 "aoelian harp".  My first ever classical peice was etude 10 3, me and my teacher went through it in three months, he was very surprised. 

[awesom_o]

I have played sonata op 2 no 2, op 2 no 1.  For chopin i have played etude 10 3 and etude op 25 no 1 "aoelian harp".  My first ever classical peice was etude 10 3, me and my teacher went through it in three months, he was very surprised. 

Ok! I think you could probably learn op. 25/12 now as long as you don't have unrealistic expectations about performing it on the virtuoso level. You really have to grow with these Etudes over many years to make them sound great as performance pieces. That doesn't negate the value of learning to play them slightly under-tempo, free of concert adrenaline.

Still, I would suggest you start with op. 10/1 before doing op. 25/12.

It will give you some preparation as to the level of endurance required to really surf the ocean.

I almost forgot, my recording: 

 

[philb]

Not terribly difficult in my estimation, Op. 10 no. 1 is about an umpteen million times more difficult depending on the size of your hands..

[awesom_o]

Not terribly difficult in my estimation, Op. 10 no. 1 is about an umpteen million times more difficult depending on the size of your hands..

Both are very difficult to play cleanly, clearly, musically, without mistakes!

[philb]

Both are very difficult to play cleanly, clearly, musically, without mistakes!

Certainly, but I would think that it's common consensus that one is far more so than the other.

[theholygideons]

Not terribly difficult in my estimation, Op. 10 no. 1 is about an umpteen million times more difficult depending on the size of your hands..

Play godowsky's transcription of op.10 no.1 for both hands. In Chopin's original, the left hand does absolutely J A C K S H I T (nothing at all), while the right hand is given the strenuous task of traversing across the entire length of the keyboard, up and down. In the transcription, the difficulty is spread between two hands, the right hand is now only mainly concerned with the downward arpeggios, while the left hand is more suited to the arpeggios that were originally intended for the right. Call me crazy, but that's my opinion, especially for someone with smaller hands.

[philb]

while the left hand is more suited to the arpeggios that were originally intended for the right.

Definitely. Godowsky's transcriptions, while very difficult, are often tremendously comfortable for the hand in my experience. Was the case with the Winterwind etude as well (still incredibly difficult).

[lisztmusicfan]

This is just a question for anybody. I also am learning this piece, and I was looking for a good fingering for the last 3 measures since I am having trouble hitting the C and the G clearly in the left hand. Suggestions? Also, the piece looks deceptively easy for the first few modulations, but when it gets into the A flat part thats when you start to face some really crazy modulations. Gotta love Chopin!

[classicalnhiphop]

Please, please stop with these posts.  Not only is it because you have posted 4 times within the past day about difficulty, but they are about the SAME DAMN COMPOSERS... and both of them are talked about all the time anyway...

[classicalnhiphop]

Also, expand your horizons in terms of music, even within Beethoven's music.  Why only the first three sonatas? Try middle or late ones; the late ones, minus hammerklavier, are not as hard as you'd think.  Why only Beethoven and Chopin?