Scriabin Etude 42-5

[presto agitato]

In a scale of 0-10 how would you rate it?. Looks ans sounds very challenging.

[pianiststrongbad]

I was considering learning this peice in a few months.  I attempted it last year.  I consider it around 9.5 compared to the other literature that is out there.  I know personally, it will be like an 11, I have never seriously studied anything quite this difficult.

[thracozaag]

In a scale of 0-10 how would you rate it?. Looks ans sounds very challenging.

 
  The 2nd page is EXTREMELY difficult.

koji (STSD)

[lostinidlewonder]

The difficulty isnt in the first two pages, it is the 3rd page you have to worry about. The LH is not a walk in the park with very fast 3 octave arpeggios and repeated notes. I found the hardest thing is to effectively increase and decrease the volumes. Especially achieving the ppp touch on page 2 for instance. The music is very structured and changes that occur are small adjustments to what was previously played, so in that instance it isnt too hard to memorise the peice. What is hard is the speed and soft touch. I would probably rate it 7/10 in difficulty personally, but it is different for everyone. I for one love Scriabin and play lots of his etudes so i am accustomed to his style, for those who just want to pick here and there op42 5 will be terror and torment, but still it isnt the hardest Etude, its the nicest though i think.

[Fastzuernst]

The difficulty isnt in the first two pages, it is the 3rd page you have to worry about. The LH is not a walk in the park with very fast 3 octave arpeggios and repeated notes. I found the hardest thing is to effectively increase and decrease the volumes. Especially achieving the ppp touch on page 2 for instance. The music is very structured and changes that occur are small adjustments to what was previously played, so in that instance it isnt too hard to memorise the peice. What is hard is the speed and soft touch. I would probably rate it 7/10 in difficulty personally, but it is different for everyone. I for one love Scriabin and play lots of his etudes so i am accustomed to his style, for those who just want to pick here and there op42 5 will be terror and torment, but still it isnt the hardest Etude, its the nicest though i think.

My crappy edition of the Scriabin etudes dosen't include any fingering. What do you suggest, (LH first page)

[thracozaag]

 2-1-2-5-1-5

koji (STSD)

[lostinidlewonder]

That LH fingering Thracozaag gives is good for those intial shape which carry over to page 2 (bars1-18). There are only 2 other variations in the LH, that is the repeated note (bar8) It is obvious to just use 51 to play them. The second difference is in the middle of Bar 5, and also middle of bar 9. I use these fingering for the LH

LH mid Bar5: 5(B#) 2(G#) 1(D#) 5(B#) 2(G#) --- 5(B#) 2(G#) 1(D#) 5(B#) 1(B#)

LH mid Bar9: 5(G#) --- 1(G#) 3(D#) 1(B#) 5(G#) 1(G#) --5(G#) 3(D#) 1(B#) 5(B#)1(B#)


although i find RH harder later on with regard to fingering. Rh is tricky on bar 12, to strike the E which is the highest note in that bar, whatever resource you use, this part is toughest fingerwise in my opinion.
I use these fingers,

RH Bar12: 1 (25) 1 3 2 4 3 --2 1 3 2 4 (15) -- (25) ...repeat........  finsh with (24) 1 (52) 1 (53) 1.

[Fastzuernst]

Thanks for the fingering advice
How bout the Op. 11 preludes? thoughts on them?

[thracozaag]

Thanks for the fingering advice
How bout the Op. 11 preludes? thoughts on them?

  They're wonderful.  Some very challenging ones, (like #14) and some much easier pieces.  Makes a good set, and also can be played in smaller groups (I think).

koji (STSD)

[shasta]

How bout the Op. 11 preludes? thoughts on them?

I agree that the Op.11 are wonderful.  I've done a handful of them ---  they're varied enough in their difficulty levels so that there's something for everyone.  Perhaps you may want to attempt these before his etude.

[Fastzuernst]

Since I know 10 chopin etudes, I must say I am not worried about skriabin. But I truly appreciate the advice! I have already begun working on the preludes in order to perform them as a cycle, and I am learning the etude for fun Back to reality, what other great advice would you give as far as tricky areas, and what recordings do you suggest?
I find it interesting that the left hand is prominant througout the cycle(preludes!) I understand he damaged his right hand, but when in his career?

[thracozaag]

Since I know 10 chopin etudes, I must say I am not worried about skriabin. But I truly appreciate the advice! I have already begun working on the preludes in order to perform them as a cycle, and I am learning the etude for fun Back to reality, what other great advice would you give as far as tricky areas, and what recordings do you suggest?
I find it interesting that the left hand is prominant througout the cycle(preludes!) I understand he damaged his right hand, but when in his career?

  Regarding being worried, to quote yoda, you should be, heh.  He damaged his left hand as a student at the Moscow conservatory (supposedly by overpracticing the Don Juan fantasie), and yes the leeft hand parts in almost all of his piano works are just as difficult, if not more so than the right. 

koji (STSD)