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Topic: Need help with a new technique  (Read 1194 times)

Offline mertez

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Need help with a new technique
on: August 07, 2014, 04:41:15 PM
 I'm learning an obscure piece by Čiurlionis. It's the very first piece in the attached PDF. Here's a link to a recording:


 The accompaniment in the right hand has to make repeated jumps while playing quadruplet chords; e.g., B5, G5 - F#5, B4 - B4, G4 - F#4, B3, repeat. The left hand plays the melody with octaves, which also covers a wide area. There is no real tempo marking; however, from the two recordings I have heard, it's played very fast.

 It's very difficult. No matter how much I practice, I can't manage it. Fingering is not the problem, though; I have to see what I am doing, and the notes are all over the place. It's hard to focus on both hands, and I'm unable to go autopilot mode with one hand while focusing on the other—I've played the 'Winter Wind' and 'Ocean' etudes by Chopin, but this requires a very different approach, it seems.

 If you were to attempt this, what would you do?

Offline j_menz

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Re: Need help with a new technique
Reply #1 on: August 07, 2014, 10:31:02 PM
The RH seems to me to break down into two identical octave sized chords in each group of four. The pinkie moves to the thumb in the middle, being careful to maintain legato and phrasing (bar 9 being different from the preceding, just to show up if you've been doing it the wrong way). That gives you an anchor/reference point.

I'm guessing this is the first piece you've played where you need to look at both hands, but can't because they're too far apart. I don't usually advise HS, but in your case you probably should practice each hand separately, concentrating on NOT looking at your hand. When you can do each of them on "autopilot" as you call it, put them together again.
"What the world needs is more geniuses with humility. There are so few of us left" -- Oscar Levant
 

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