Mendelssohn Opus 30 No 1

[raymond2]

I play Mendelssohn's Song Without Words Opus 30 No 1 with the fingering given in the sheet music available on this forum. I sometimes stumble over the right hand fingering in bars 14 - 17, particularly the move from finger 4 on A flat to 5 and 4 (on F and D) in bar 14; similarly in the following bar from finger 4 on C flat to fingers 5 and 4 on A flat and F.  I was wondering if anyone has alternative fingerings that they find works better. Raymond

[bobert]

I've not played this piece (very nice music), but the published fingering in measures 14-17 has to be some kind of typo if the phrasing is to be smooth.

I'm a fan of using the easiest fingering as well as the same fingering as much as possible for similar passages, so I would continue fingering the first R.H. Ab in measure 14 with 4, but instead use 2/3 on D/F, switching finger 3 with finger 4 (or 3-5, whichever feels most secure to you) as quickly as possible. That leaves 1,2,3 free to smoothly play the lower F,Bb,D while 4 (or 5) holds the upper F. Measure 15 would be handled the same way, the switch being only slightly more difficult. The Andante tempo should easily allow for plenty of time to accomplish the proposed finger substitutions.

Hope this helps.

[raymond2]

Thank you.  Yes, it does help.  In fact, I was beginning to experiment along those lines.  I find the original fingering can just about work if you use the pedal. But I like to play this passage without pedal as none is indicated by Mendelssohn and it makes for a better musical contrast.  Without pedal, I can't get such a jump to work smoothly. I will need to work a bit on yours, but it seems far preferable.