Rhythm in Chopin's Op. 25 No. 11 Étude

[daggenhurstfan]

Hey all,

So I'm learning this Étude and it's occurred to me that I'm not playing the runs as triplets (sextuplets) as indicated in the score, but rather as runs going in 2's, I can't tell if this is correct or not because the recordings are quite quick and I can assign either rhythm when listening in my head (likely because the left hand rhythm is that of a regular 4/4)

This only popped up when I applied a metronome today to begin working up the tempo, and i'd like to settle this before begin.

so basically both triplet rhythm and straight rhythm sound alright to me at slow tempo, but for example at measure 89, if i don't use triplets the whole piece unravels becoming 6 against 4 which seems a little fishy

best

a fan and student

[daggenhurstfan]

I suppose what i'm asking is essentially should the metronome be one click per three sixteenth notes (triplets) or per 2

[nyiregyhazi]

I suppose what i'm asking is essentially should the metronome be one click per three sixteenth notes (triplets) or per 2

The metronome is neither. The metronome is for beats, not subdivisions and the beats work the same either way. But, in terms of how you subdivide, a 6 is neither inherently 2 3s or 3 2s unless the composer specifies as much. Neither can be deemed right or wrong. I don't think anything suggests one view over the other here, although the cross rhythm is far easier in 2 3s. The trick is to judge by the beats so if your view changes during the 2 against 3 at the end, the beats don't.

[daggenhurstfan]

The metronome is neither. The metronome is for beats, not subdivisions and the beats work the same either way. But, in terms of how you subdivide, a 6 is neither inherently 2 3s or 3 2s unless the composer specifies as much. Neither can be deemed right or wrong. I don't think anything suggests one view over the other here, although the cross rhythm is far easier in 2 3s. The trick is to judge by the beats so if your view changes during the 2 against 3 at the end, the beats don't.

thanks for the input, how did you do it?

[eusebius12]

I always play in groups of 2 as that fits the implicit melodic line. All recordings of the piece that I have heard do the same. In fact it would be difficult (and probably sound awful) do do any differently.

[daggenhurstfan]

I've been really listening over the past few days, trying to figure out if it's necessary to change the way i learned it, and unfortunately i think it's divided into triplet rhythms (though this is indeed the beauty of the music in that the melodic line is not) but after really listening, it doesn't make sense to play it in groups of two