Do you think I can play Chopin's Etude 10/3?

[jmreilly]

Hi, I'm a 16 year old piano student and I was wondering if anyone can help me see if this piece is too difficult for me. I've played Chopin's waltzes Opus 64 no. 1 and no. 2, and I'm currently working on Nocturne Opus 9 no. 2 (and the Raindrop prelude a bit). All of these pieces took me at least 4-5 months to prepare, however I did not find them too difficult. Reading has always been more of a struggle for me, however I do believe I have good technique and musicality. If I listen to a piece extensively the reading usually isn't too much for me. With that said, do you think I can attempt Etude Opus 10 no. 3? All replies are appreciated.

[perprocrastinate]

If you struggle with voicing a melody, work on something easier. Voicing (and tone quality) is a technique that develops over time. Something as critical as the melody (and in Chopin!) cannot be neglected. The lesser (but often looked as as the main "technical" difficulty) challenge is the various types of double note passages in the piece, double thirds, double sixths, double tritones, etc.

But if all that doesn't sound too bad, read through it and give it a try. No one can give you an accurate assessment of your ability only with the information you have provided. That's all I can say. Hope this helps.

[lazyfingers]

Op 10#3 is a step up from the Waltzes and Nocturne you have been playing, but not overly so.
There is only one technically difficult passage in mm 46-52. But the key learning in this etude is voicing and legato in the 3-4-5 fingers in the RH, and keeping the other notes very soft so that you don't have to bash the melody out.

You should try the Etude since learning is about stepping up and stretching yourself, isn't it?

Like the previous poster said, you can only give it a try. If you do run into technical difficulties, then put it aside and then work on the techniques that you find difficult to achieve in something easier and return to this one later. You often find that letting a piece "rest" for awhile and returning to it later on helps a great deal.

Good luck.

[jmreilly]

Thank you both! I think I'll give it a try. If it proves to be too difficult, there's so much beautiful repertoire at my level anyways.

[awesom_o]

I think you'll definitely be able to play it. Musical quality is difficult to achieve in the outer sections, and rhythmic/note accuracy is very difficult to achieve in the middle section.

However, I think with the Chopin pieces you have already under your belt, you should be able to do a nice job of the 10/3.

[visitor]

Go for it!!!!

[jmreilly]

thank you everyone for your replies! I just got the sheet music, I'll start taking a look at it tomorrow hopefully

[beethovensonata]

Tell me, how much Bach have you played?  The answer decides if you can play it.  My Maestro that I studied with would not let me play a thing by Chopin, till I had played all Bach's inventions, and all preludes and Fugues from well tempered clavier.  THEN he let me play mazurkas, waltzs, and nocturnes by Chopin. 
     It is needed to note, that my teacher graduated from a European Conservatory.  In Italy. He performs world wide, you might have heard of him, His name is Stephen Vaglica.  If you want to play good Chopin, you must play good Bach...

[whistlestop]

I hope you succeed with Chopin 10/3; I'm currently working on the technically difficult bit described earlier, and not for the first time! This bit has always beaten me because whatever fingering I try seems uncomfortable. I'm working from the Cortot edition and he devises exercises to help the lyrical bit but not the gymnastic few bars.

Have been watching a video of D. Taubmann and I wonder what she would have advised but it's too late to ask her now.

[gyzzzmo]

Tell me, how much Bach have you played?  The answer decides if you can play it.  My Maestro that I studied with would not let me play a thing by Chopin, till I had played all Bach's inventions, and all preludes and Fugues from well tempered clavier.  THEN he let me play mazurkas, waltzs, and nocturnes by Chopin. 
     It is needed to note, that my teacher graduated from a European Conservatory.  In Italy. He performs world wide, you might have heard of him, His name is Stephen Vaglica.  If you want to play good Chopin, you must play good Bach...

Ooooh a European Conservatory... Then he must be right!

But seriously, Bach is good for gaining a part of your technique, but that does not mean you need Bach to play Chopin. You need technique to play things, and you gain technique by playing things. Just try to realise if you're able to learn what the composer is trying to teach you, or that it might be more efficient to start something easier first.

[mjames]

Just play it mah ***

Have fun

[jmreilly]

I haven't played much "substantial" work by Bach, perhaps a few of his easier pieces when I was younger but nothing recent enough to remember. I think I'll probably have to look up some youtube videos for the middle section, especially for the fingering.

[lazyfingers]

I haven't played much "substantial" work by Bach, perhaps a few of his easier pieces when I was younger but nothing recent enough to remember.

Pity - did you at least play some Well Tempered Clavier? The whole work (Books I and II) is considered by some as the "Old Testament" of piano technique, and well worth a study. Even if just a few easier ones to begin with. With some of the more difficult P&F, I swear you need 6 fingers in each hand to play! Those will require some understanding of advanced fingering to execute properly.

I think I'll probably have to look up some youtube videos for the middle section, especially for the fingering.

If you have difficulties, just let me know and I will gladly share with you what fingering I have used. Of course, what works for one person doesn't work for someone else. Just let me know which bars you have problems with.

[olivetree]

Pity - did you at least play some Well Tempered Clavier? The whole work (Books I and II) is considered by some as the "Old Testament" of piano technique, and well worth a study. Even if just a few easier ones to begin with. With some of the more difficult P&F, I swear you need 6 fingers in each hand to play! Those will require some understanding of advanced fingering to execute properly.

Agree! The waltzes and nocturne that jmreilly mentioned are a really good basis for the etude 10/3 (It's a bit harder, but that's what you want if you want to improve your technique). However, before going further with your Chopin repertoire (something like Revolutionary Etude or Fantasie-Impromptu) he should play some Bach! For example, the preludes & fugue in C minor and D major from the WTC 1, and the inventions no. 2, 8 and 13 are very fun to play and he should benefit from them.

[jmreilly]

I'm definitely open to playing some Bach, especially during the summer when I'll have some extra time. Lazyfingers: I definitely be sure to consult you once I get to the middle section!
Also I should mention that I am a girl, I was referenced as "he" in someone's post. Of course that's completely understandable as I never stated my gender.

[lazyfingers]

Sure, no problem. Just PM me when you are ready. Let me know how big your hands are too.

Also, if you get a chance to look later on, I recommend some Beethoven sonatas as well.

I gather you are quite fond of Chopin, given your choice of repertoire. Incidentally, he is my favourite as well and I quite understand the impatience to play some of his work. Also, Chopin was quite a fan of Bach, and even took a copy of the WTC to Majorca where he finalised his own series of 24 Preludes.

I take it you don't have a teacher?

[jmreilly]

I would consider my hands rather small, I can only reach an octave and 1 or 2 keys beyond.
I've had a teacher for many years, but recently due to finances i can't have lessons. Since I've studied with her for so long she gives me about ten minutes after my sister's lesson. She doesn't come in the summer, though.

[olivetree]

Sorry for referring to you as "he"; I'm not a sexist but I always subconsciously assume that a guy is writing when the gender can't be inferred.  I can't help it

If you can reach a ninth or a tenth, your hands are not that small! Especially not for a girl. I believe the hands tend to be bigger among professional pianists, as their hands' size may have contributed to their decision to become professional players. But compared to ordinary people, your hands are not small. I am a guy and can reach a relaxed ninth and a streched tenth (going rather around the keys instead than over the keys) and that's enough for most pieces, including the E major etude. Interestingly, Chopin himself couldn't reach more than a tenth either. Neither did Liszt. So it shouldn't be a problem!

[jmreilly]

It's interesting how some of the greatest composers don't have huge hands for playing the piano (of course there is still Rachmaninoff). I checked earlier today and I can cleanly strike an eighth and stretch for a ninth, I don't think I can make a tenth though

[lazyfingers]

It's interesting how some of the greatest composers don't have huge hands for playing the piano (of course there is still Rachmaninoff).

Not all great pianists have large hands too. Alicia De Larrocha had small hands and she played beautifully. She could barely make a 10th and she played the "big" concertos very very well.

I checked earlier today and I can cleanly strike an eighth and stretch for a ninth, I don't think I can make a tenth though

You are well equipped, hands-wise, for this piece then. I only asked as it might affect what fingering you would use.

But for most pieces, a 9th is sufficient and perhaps what is more important is the stretch between fingers, eg. between third and fourth (and that is where Bach's WTC comes in with great training). De Larrocha had a great stretch between thumb and index finger even if her total span was average or on the smallish side.