Advice needed for Winter Wind

[wrongnotes]

Hi guys, I'm an intermediate - advanced student trying to learn this piece on my own. I'm about 1 month and a bit into the piece, learned and memorised it all the way till the repeat. I'm struggling with how I should approach the technique of the piece.

1) I notice people tell me I should be playing the notes in pair (in most of the descending RH runs). By doing so I'm able to play the piece fast and especially so if I just blatantly join up all the pairs. This helps me voice the chromatic scale as well. On the other hand, if I try to voice every single note and playing them NOT in pairs I normally end up with a lot of excess tension in my hand and the speed suffers. Joining the notes seem tempting and people seem to suggest as a way to learn/practice the piece, but is this the right way to be practicing this way considering eventually I'll have to separate those pairs and play every single note clearly.

2) How important is voicing the chromatic scale?

3) Thumb under (turning) or thumb over (flying)? I notice "flying" (or moving with my arm) helps in achieving the speed. But thumb under really slows me down. Am I doing it right? [I hope you all know what I'm talking about because this technique appears everywhere in this piece]

4) Any general tips to practice this piece? I'm able to play this slowly and cleanly but I'm really worried that I won't get this up to speed.

Okay, this piece is still very hard to me. To give you an idea about my standard, I've been playing the piano for about 7 years now. (few years intensive). I've been taking private lessons until recently (took a break for about a year) and looking into returning to lessons soon. The last works I've formally learned were Liszt's Rigoletto, Debussy's Island of joy, Tempest Sonata (all with a teacher's guidance). And recently on my own Ive played Bach/Busoni's chaconne and Chopin's etude op 25 no 5 (which I am able to play, decently, without much problems). In the past I've learned Op 10 no 3,4,5,12. (okay, 4 was still hard, but I plan to go and retackle it someday). I know I'm a little pushing it by attempting this monster but I really hope to be able to learn something from this piece and hopefully be able to play it.

Also I'm just an amateur, and I'm playing for fun. This is my first post here. Be nice to me.

Thanks for reading and have a great day

[flashyfingers]

If you are playing this piece for fun, then you have the right idea of fun!

**The big deal about this etude is the disjunctedness between each note, except every other note is to be accented for it's chromatic line, if you count the right hand in 12/8. This happens for the first part of the winter wind, which also then repeats before it does some other sections and a coda.

So, after the chromatic part in 12/8 comes the arpeggios up and down, before starting the chromatic line again and changing mode/key. The reason I say it changes mode is because there is a different set of notes and the pattern seems to disappear, instead the only thing that seems to stay is the odd 12/8 feel in the right hand.

***First thing that I really wanted to say about this etude is that the intervals of the disjunct notes are quite awkward, SO you will want to NOT stretch your hand much, but at faster speeds you will want to make sure you rock your wrist back and worth, especially if you want to accent every and every odd note TAdaTAdaTada TadaTAdaTAda

And to contradict the fact that the right hand is in 12/8 even more, you will want to play the entirety of each bar completely legato, so that really, the entire bar is a slur, and the left hand should tell you that this piece is in simple time.

**As you move your wrist, make sure you are not "holding" it above the keys, that could cause injury. The technique in this piece is not really about anything specific, but how to sound all notes effortlessly and still make the piano sound to it's full capacity. Also, the range of the piano that is covered in this piece does keep the pianist at the edge of his/her seat, where the intensity never really stops until the end of the etude.

Most importantly, I would sketch out the form of the piece, marking each section and dynamic change. I would practice all these sections separately. Then practice the transitions. Practice at different tempos. Etc

Also, I used some really awkward fingerings in some of the passages, but as long as they work for you, then I would stick to them. You do the fingering that works at the tempo that you are going to play the piece at. And of course the one that also sounds correct, and not dynamically or imperfect or broken fingering. If it is slowing you down and you have actually practiced the fingering, then consider asking about the fingering, make sure to give an example of the fingering and music, and see what responses you end up getting.

I actually auditioned with this etude to multiple colleges, and I ended up getting scholarship offers to a few, and rejected by one institute. I also played the Rigoletto a half a year ago. Tough piece, not easy at all.

Good luck and pm me if you seek other suggestions.

[ikako]

Try to play it staccato! Then your fingers will start to flow.