Franz Liszt - La campanella

[stylerpiano]

I have been playing piano for 2 years now (in december) and my dream is that I will play La Campanella one day. So I have started to learn the piece.
This is a one minute part of it. I'm beginner and I know that this piece is very hard, but I love it so here is my performance:

I learned the half of it already but this part is good alone I think so this is the all I recorded yet.

[pianoman1233]

You play very well if you have only played two years. It's also one of my favorite pieces in classical.

[chopinlover01]

With all due respect, you really should wait on this monster. This piece is one of the hardest on the piano repertoire and it shows and you're playing. You're only a minute in and you have lots of tension in your hands and this is The easiest part of the piece. And I don't mean this in an aggressive or aggravating way; you just are holding a lot of tension in your hand and as a result the speed of suffering enough the quality of the piece.

[ajlongspiano]

I think instead of totally quitting, you should keep working on passages extremely slowly, and gradually speed it up throughout the years. I admire your dedication a ton, and don't think you should stop the piece totally. You remind me a lot of me, because I got a late start as well.

- AJ

[chopinlover01]

Yes, but you didn't take on some of the hardest piano repertoire out there after 2 years, did you? 

[ajlongspiano]

I mean, I've been at it for 3 years and I'm playing ballad 4. So yes.

[adodd81802]

.

[adodd81802]

.

[stylerpiano]

Thank you very much for everyone!

To answer some question: I started to learn this piece on friday, 3 days ago.

My hands have tension mainly because I made the recording after I played this 30 times in a row   But I must improve the looseness really.
I wouldn't like to learn the entire piece yet , just some part of it, because the technique is very interesting, what I find in it, and much more interesting than any other pieces what I learned. It's very different and other feeling.
It's an etude so the main thing is the technique, it's absolutely impressive, what this piece provide for the pianist.

[chopinlover01]

I mean, I've been at it for 3 years and I'm playing ballad 4. So yes.

And, no offense (and not that I could do it any better), but the technically challenging parts weren't executed the best they could be
In terms of pure technique, most all the Paganini etudes are more taxing than the 4th ballade.

[rubinsteinmad]

And, no offense (and not that I could do it any better), but the technically challenging parts weren't executed the best they could be
In terms of pure technique, most all the Paganini etudes are more taxing than the 4th ballade.

Most of Liszt > Most of Chopin
(In terms f difficulty, only.)

As someone who was forced to practice the *** ballade for a whole freakin schoolyear, I can tell you that: The Coda doesn't really take as much prior technical ability; you just have to practice it a lot and a lot at extreme tempi (very slow; very fast, etc.)

[schumaniac]

Most of Liszt > Most of Chopin
(In terms f difficulty, only.)

As someone who was forced to practice the *** ballade for a whole freakin schoolyear, I can tell you that: The Coda doesn't really take as much prior technical ability; you just have to practice it a lot and a lot at extreme tempi (very slow; very fast, etc.)

guys stop having discussion among yourselves.

I think you play beautifully, stylerpiano, even at the relatively slower tempo that you take. I think that's an important skill, to be patient and still be able to play in detail, even at a practice tempo. I would side with adodd here: work on relieving the tension in your hands (I think adodd's advice is also very good). And no, don't "give up" on the piece: do continue to work slowly at it (Rome wasn't built in one day)! At the same time, I hope you are learning other pieces in conjunction with this piece, right?

[rubinsteinmad]

IRome wasn't built in one day

Neither was Chang'an or Athens. (Which were arguably more beautiful than Rome)

[pianoman53]

If you want to continue playing this piece, you probably need to change a little. If your hands are that tensed, even in slow tempo, you'll have a problem.

You do the listening part fairly well, but you need to relax much more. I'd also play small parts in the real tempo, from time to time.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

your hand should not be tense and the jumps should be more like an semi-circle of the hand (in my opinion) of the notes bouncing between eachother.

Yes, the hand should not be tense, but the jumps should be accomplished through a minimal lifting and falling of the hand, more like the smallest of arcs than a semicircle. I suspect the tension is because you are trying to do too much by stretching the hand and too little through lateral horizontal movement of the wrist. Of course if you barely stretch the hand and do too much through lateral movement that is bad also, but it looks like the tension has arisen through stretching the hand to its fullest (presumably in an attempt to minimise the jumps) rather than leaving some scope for agility. Always dangerous to attempt diagnoses via online video of course! The jumps aren't as big as you think. Psychologically they appear to be up to two octaves - but a leap of two octaves which goes between thumb and fifth finger is really only a jump of an octave in terms of wrist movement.

In any case it's not bad, just a bit slow, and if you make it freer, it will improve. However don't fixate on this piece to the exclusion of others.

[stylerpiano]

Thank you all for your comments! They are very helpful!

I practice this pieces at the moment:

- Chopin Nocturne op.9 no.2  (full ready - just practice the dinamics)
- Pathetique 2. movement (full ready - just practice the dinamics)
- Moonlight 3rd movement (I know the half of the piece atm)
- Mozart - K545 1st movement (I learn this now)

I will work on my hands with my teacher to make them much looseness.

Psychologically they appear to be up to two octaves - but a leap of two octaves which goes between thumb and fifth finger is really only a jump of an octave in terms of wrist movement.

 When I watched my own movie, I saw that the jumps really aren't so big as they are in my head

[pianoman1233]

Don't care about these all negative comments that you should wait or something. The playing needs to come from your passion, and if you really love that piece then learn it! No matter if you don't play it as well as some other players. You play for yourself!

Of course when you want to get better, you need to train yourself also other ways than playing just hard pieces.

My first "proper" piece that I learned was Fur Elise. I loved it so much that I wanted to learn it, although I didn't play it well. But by playing that I got into conservatory here.

My advice is that play music that you love. But still do some practice (songs) in addition to it. If you only play music that gain your skills but you don't like it, you may be in danger to stop your hobby. I suppose it's a hobby to you that should be fun!

[adodd81802]

.

[adodd81802]

.

[adodd81802]

.

[pianoman1233]

my dream is that I will play La Campanella one day

you really should wait on this monster.

I know that this piece is very hard, but I love it

This piece is one of the hardest on the piano repertoire

I read only the first answer but for me this seems pretty negative approach.

you do not know the pianists' background to suggest he "plays for himself" is ill advice, when he could be hoping to make a career or compete

Based on that he tells he have been playing two years and his age (concluded from his face), I assume he's not hoping to make a career or compete.

it would be detrimental to keep learning a piece incorrectly not only to his performance but potential injury is also a possibility

I hope the injury was a joke. Everything is possible but I can't believe many pianist could do serious harm to themself in this way.

Please read what you type before pressing "Post"

Please understand what I'm trying to say.

[adodd81802]

.

[stylerpiano]

Please don't war with each other   I understand both of your points. Btw I'm 27 years old and I'm a computer programmer, and to play on piano is my hobby at the moment, but to become more than hobby is not out of the question.


I will notice it after a couple of years.

[pencilart3]

I thought it sounded pretty good, especially for 3 days into it. Just loosen up, listen to AJ, and practice like there's no tomorrow.

[stylerpiano]

I thought it sounded pretty good, especially for 3 days into it. Just loosen up, listen to AJ, and practice like there's no tomorrow.

Thank you very much!