From Nothing to Scherzo: A Beginner's Dream

[amsterdamcentraal]

Hi Piano Street! This thread will be about the first ever piano piece I've ever learned. Starting tomorrow, the 19th of April, I will begin learning Chopin's second scherzo: I'll use this thread to update you guys on how it's going, and if anyone has any tips for working on the piece, I'd love to hear them.

Like all great pianists on this forum, I have watched many youtube videos of great pianists, so I feel as if my technique and fundamentals are apt for this challenge.

I will tentatively schedule my first recital of this piece, Chopin's 2nd scherzo, on this day two years from now on the public piano that is located in Amsterdam Central station. Hope to see you guys there!

My work begins tomorrow, with printing out the sheet music and working on the opening theme.

PS: I'm serious; this piece is always something I've wanted to learn.

[mjames]

I don't get it. You're a beginner? Like a complete beginner? Dude, don't do this. It's better to waste two years gaining and improving your skills instead of wasting them on something that's completely out of your league. Just playing the notes isn't enough. There's a lot more to playing piano than you think. There're loads of works by Chopin that are suitable for beginners. You seriously don't need to rush.

[chopinlover01]

Have fun with destroyed hands and hearts in a few months!

Seriously though. You are not ready. It's a fact.
Study with a teacher. The B flat minor scherzo probably will make no sense to you as you learn it (seeing as you probably don't even know what B flat minor means), and even less sense when you try to "interpret" it, which will be near impossible for you.
Like mjames said, you'll be FAR better off by going on a progressively more difficult in these next two years.
If you stick with this, you won't have the scherzo under your hands in two years, I promise.
Work on some note reading, and if you're able to read, get the Bach Anna Magdalena notebook, and then you can start working on some VERY basic Chopin.
The difficulty with Chopin is playing him well. You can't do that if you have zero other pianistic experience. It takes years of dedicated study to play him well.

[pencilart3]

HI PIANO STREET I'M GOING TO START LEARNING FEUX FOLLETS AND I HAVE A RECITAL SCHEDULED AT CARNEGIE HALL IN 5 DAYS

 sorry pal, just... no

[chopinlover01]

HI PIANO STREET I'M GOING TO START LEARNING FEUX FOLLETS AND I HAVE A RECITAL SCHEDULED AT CARNEGIE HALL IN 5 DAYS

 sorry pal, just... no

Pretty much

[alistaircrane4]

I would say it's possible maybe it depends though. If you have an innate ability that is. I'm self taught but the first piece I ever learned was Beethoven Sonata Op.13. I just jumped into it. Then a few nocturnes then Rachmaninoff preludes and others. Maybe you'll be lucky.

[chopinlover01]

The Scherzo is far above the pieces you mentioned. And it's a rare occurence for one to play those pieces well- Not saying that you didn't, but it's more common for someone to learn it just by watching synthesia or figuring out note reading (the latter is far less common) and learn the notes (still often with mistakes) than to play something musically.

[outin]

Hi Piano Street! This thread will be about the first ever piano piece I've ever learned. Starting tomorrow, the 19th of April, I will begin learning Chopin's second scherzo: I'll use this thread to update you guys on how it's going, and if anyone has any tips for working on the piece, I'd love to hear them.

Like all great pianists on this forum, I have watched many youtube videos of great pianists, so I feel as if my technique and fundamentals are apt for this challenge.

You are not the first (or last) to attempt something like this. I will predict that one month from today you have already changed your mind

And that might be the beginning of an interesting and rewarding journey, if you still are interested in learning to play.

[alistaircrane4]

The Scherzo is far above the pieces you mentioned. And it's a rare occurence for one to play those pieces well- Not saying that you didn't, but it's more common for someone to learn it just by watching synthesia or figuring out note reading (the latter is far less common) and learn the notes (still often with mistakes) than to play something musically.

The particular Scherzo is no where near the first Ballade which was something I started a short while after the Sonata. But if this person has a natural ability he can probably do it.

[thalbergmad]

To attempt this would be daft. It would be like choosing K2 as your first ever mountain.

Disaster is waiting to happen, but can be averted by sensible progression through other works.

Thal

[stoat_king]

I think you're all being a bit negative.
Ive just looked at the score and from what I can see - like so much piano music -  its just a bunch of notes.
I picked up the first four bars in a very short time indeed.
How hard can the rest possibly be?
Bar 4 was especially easy - if it goes on like this I'll have mastered it in no time at all.  

Like all great pianists on this forum, I have watched many youtube videos of great pianists, so I feel as if my technique and fundamentals are apt for this challenge.

Also, this bit makes me wonder if the OP is entirely serious lol.

[chopinlover01]

The particular Scherzo is no where near the first Ballade which was something I started a short while after the Sonata. But if this person has a natural ability he can probably do it.

Fair enough (though you might mention it to make a stronger argument XD), but playing it well is far beyond most people's natural ability.

Haha, stoat_king... I'm assuming you're not serious?

[stoat_king]

Well ok, bar 4 doesnt actually have any notes in it.
But one has to be mindful of the silence.

[amsterdamcentraal]

Hey, that's part of the deal here. The silence must be in time. Play the rests, you guys.

PS: Today I worked through the first line. It went pretty well. Going to have to practice the octave Eb-F-Gb more in focus though, since my 4th and 5th fingers do get messed up!

Thanks for all the generous encouragement, you guys.

[pencilart3]

Thanks for all the generous encouragement, you guys.

If a friend was jumping off a cliff to his death, would you want to give him "generous encouragement"?

[michael_c]

This thread will be about the first ever piano piece I've ever learned.

Hi, amsterdamcentraal. I wish you lots of excitement in this crazy project.

I'd be happy to give you some tips as to how best to proceed, but for that I need to know where you are coming from: what is your musical background up to now? Have you any knowledge of musical theory? Have you already any experience in piano playing: improvisation, scales, exercises or other things that aren't considered to be "pieces"? Have you played an instrument other than piano?

[stoat_king]

Sarcasm aside, I too would like to wish the OP the best of luck.
Its certainly ambitious!
I hope you keep us informed about your progress.

[cbreemer]

It is a crazy project indeed. But there is nothing much to lose playing a public piano in a big city's central station. Chances are low that anybody will hear what you are doing wrong, if they hear you
at all. Most of people will walk straight past you (they did that when Joshua Bell was playing in
a station). Good luck and have fun. Personally I'd pick something easier though, something that
you can reliably master. Just in case someone stops by who does know about classical
piano playing - there's always that chance. Playing a hard piece badly is not going to impress any music lover.

[johsm]

Why do you want to do this, amsterdamcentraal? Do you want to work on the piece to "digest" it or to perform it for others?
Why did you pick this piece, of all the thousands of pieces that exist?