Chopin Scherzo No.1

[brillante]

Hello

I have studied this scherzo ever since september and have most of it memorized and clean.
The only problem is speed. 120 per measure is pretty fast and signs of exhaustion are showing up.
I am playing hanon exercises 1-31 plus a few others, all scales major and minor harmonic and melodic, and arpeggios and this is all for technique of course.

What would be the minimum tempo for this piece to be played in a competition?
Would Czerny books of velocity and dexterity help me?
Are there any dexterity and velocity exercises that could help me?
Any tips would be appreciated.

[chopinlover01]

Have you just now started scales? If so, that's quite a handicap, if you're not used to them already.
What other long pieces that require much endurance have you played before this scherzo?
What I would do is clearly define which parts need finger strength, and make sure to ONLY use your fingers there. Not only does it produce a much more fitting tone, it keeps you lighter on the keyboard

[quantum]

When considering the refinement of interpretation needed for a competition, IMO speed should not be the limiting or determining factor.  There are many more elements of the music that need to be considered. 

Work at bringing a successful musical delivery of the piece, no matter what speed you are playing at - this includes being musical during slow practice. 

[faulty_damper]

With your current movements, you won't be able to play faster - you've already reached the speed limit.  You shouldn't be straining at all so if you want to be able to play faster, you have to change and incorporate more movements.  Some of these movements you are unlikely to be aware of and it's incredibly unlikely you'll figure them out with more hours or more exercises.

[brillante]

I have not just started scales 
     But I use them everyday to incorporate even sound of each note and for warm ups.

This scherzo is actually quite demanding for me, but I would like to overcome this demand.

I have reached into the more advanced pieces and have been recommended by a professor to play the scherzo.

I am polishing Beethoven Op.2 No.3, Bach WTC1 P&F #5, and consolation 3, plus others.

Faulty damper, what movements are you quoting?

And to add on to this, should I change the way I warm-up and build technique...I often think that this isn't the best way and to gain technique, one should do so in the music and not exercises. If so, what can I do to improve overall in technique and eventually musicality.

Thanks.

[diomedes]

If you want a superior realization of it, it'll probably need time. Hanon and scales are not the solution, it's just a capacity to manage it with ease. Come back to it after some time has passed and you've taken on more demanding projects.

For example, 4 years ago the 1st Scherzo would have been a moderate challenge for me. During those years i worked on countless repertoire, some of it extremely challenging (Chopin g sharp minor etude op.25, scriabin sonatas, Rachmaninov etudes etc). Now I'm working on the 1st scherzo and I consider it to be less than a challenge and don't make time to work on it because my focus is on bigger repertoire along with the 3rd Scherzo which is somewhat more substantial than the 1st. To give further context, I used the 2nd Scherzo as a distraction to achieving my ends with Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit recently.

So, again, work + time and you'll return to it and it will be a joke (pardon the pun).

[symphonicdance]

How fast you are going to play is determined by how well you want and you can deliver the material.  Too fast, the material cannot be fully projected.  Too slow, the tension is lost.

It is also important to understand the structure of this work, and strategically think about how to deal with each key section.

There is a masterclass DVD on this scherzo.  Prof. Boris Berman is the coach.  See if you can borrow from public library or university library.  See below link.