Quest to Complete Chopin Etudes - op 25 no 1

[ahoffmann]

I changed the camera angle so you can see my hands better. 
It's nice to do one of the beautiful etudes for a change.
Still hoping to inspire more people to join me with this quest. I can't exaggerate how rewarding it is. Since I've started it, I improved more than in 4 years of college.

[briansaddleback]

They didn't make you do the etudes in college?


Well done man! Beautifully played.


Although I believe all the other etudes are just as beautiful in their own right. This one is conventionally beautiful as an etude yes.

[ahoffmann]

They didn't make you do the etudes in college?


Well done man! Beautifully played.

Thx
I did only two or three at college. The only etudes they "made" us do was to pick any two so I picked Debussy and the Revolutionary. In hindsight I should have spent more time doing these.

[briansaddleback]

Which debussy did you do? I love the accords no 10 one.

[ahoffmann]

Which debussy did you do? I love the accords no 10 one.

I did the arpeggio etude. I thought the chords was the last one? I'd never have done that in an exam. But it's a fantastic piece. Love all the debussy etudes actually. Might be a nice follow up quest. Unlike Chopin, they're more like etudes for the composer than the performer.

[josh93248]

Very good work, I think your etudes are improving as you go.

I remember working on this a while ago (I abandoned it for reasons...) but being told to make these idiotic exaggerated circular motions with my arms that made me feel like I was flapping like a bird. I've left that teacher ages ago, only had a couple lessons, he was a good keyboardist I think DESPITE a lot of his ideas of how to play.

[ahoffmann]

Very good work, I think your etudes are improving as you go.

... but being told to make these idiotic exaggerated circular motions with my arms that made me feel like I was flapping like a bird. I've left that teacher ages ago, only had a couple lessons, he was a good keyboardist I think DESPITE a lot of his ideas of how to play.

Thx. Yes these etudes massively improved my playing and my feeling able to play. After finishing one, and moving on, very soon I feel I could do the previous one better. It's tempting to go back and revise but then I'll literally never get to the end.

I actually started off doing quite a lot of arm movements. And this piece does need some of that. But lately I moved away from it slightly - not consciously though. It was more just a natural progression. It's not the hardest etude but it's definitely more difficult than its reputation will have one believe.

[kawai_cs]

As always very NICE ahoffmann! I liked the relaxed way you played it and your technical ease which is admirable. At 0.52 and 0.58 there is beautiful voice in the LH that is worth bringing out.
I also did the exaggerated arm movements which get gradually minimized as speed is increasing.

[ahoffmann]

Thanks kaway_cs 

I know some people like to emphasize that middle voice. I prefer to not emphasize it. It's just a question of taste I think.