Pedal and Staccato/ Slur, Staccato and Pedal

[will]

1. If you see a passage of music with staccato notes and a pedal marking how do you interpret this? 

     For example the second bar of Chopin's 'black-key' etude, Op. 10 no.5 the LH consists of three quaver chords each with a staccato mark. Underneath this is a Pedal mark which last throughout these chords. If you follow this pedal marking exactly then these chords will not sound staccato, so how would you play this?

2. If you se a series of notes marked staccato which are all under the one phrase mark and also marked to be pedalled how would you interpret this? For example RH throughout Chopin Op.10 no.9.

Thanks, Will.

[anda]

1. If you see a passage of music with staccato notes and a pedal marking how do you interpret this? 

     For example the second bar of Chopin's 'black-key' etude, Op. 10 no.5 the LH consists of three quaver chords each with a staccato mark. Underneath this is a Pedal mark which last throughout these chords. If you follow this pedal marking exactly then these chords will not sound staccato, so how would you play this?

use pedal, play staccato with your hand.

2. If you se a series of notes marked staccato which are all under the one phrase mark and also marked to be pedalled how would you interpret this? For example RH throughout Chopin Op.10 no.9.

it's not exactly staccato - more like a portato. the arm should behave as if you were playing legato, and the fingers should just let go of the key sooner.

there are many types of staccato - not everything should sound like a scarlatti sonata.

[will]

use pedal, play staccato with your hand.

anda -  specifically with Chopin's Op. 10 no.5: why would Chopin bother to write staccato marks then?
   If the pedal is fully down won't the LH notes sound connected since the pedal will do this, regardless of how long we actually physically hold the notes for?
   Would you play with less than full pedal, say putting the pedal 1/2 or 1/4 of the way down?

[anda]

anda -  specifically with Chopin's Op. 10 no.5: why would Chopin bother to write staccato marks then?
   If the pedal is fully down won't the LH notes sound connected since the pedal will do this, regardless of how long we actually physically hold the notes for?
   Would you play with less than full pedal, say putting the pedal 1/2 or 1/4 of the way down?

1st. you can't play chopin op.10 no.5 using one pedal one each bar! you anyway have to change it all the time - otherwise the harmonies in the right hand will mix (and it won't be too pleasant...). personally, for this etude as well as for op. 10 no.2, i prefer using the pedal as little as possible - but that's just my personal option.
2nd. try this: chose a chord (i.e. ges moll, the first chord in op. 10 no. 5). now play it three times like this: 1st play these three chords staccato holding down the pedal (fully down). now play them again long portato without any pedal. all the time listen carefully. need i say more?

[chopinguy]

I agree with the 1/4 or 1/2 pedal... Chopin's piano was not as resonant as the one's today.  But also, articulation does come through the pedal, assuming the pedal is fairly clean.  With staccato comes a certain attack, and maybe that is what composers want in general with a pedal/staccato.  I'm not specifically referring to that Chopin etude, just what I think in general.

[will]

With staccato comes a certain attack, and maybe that is what composers want in general with a pedal/staccato.  I'm not specifically referring to that Chopin etude, just what I think in general.

Hmmm...Interesting. Thanks for that.

In my experience one can only change the attack of a note by changing it's volume. I think of the difference between staccato and legato in 2 ways (1) as a difference of length of notes and (2) as the impression of staccato or legato by relative volumes of consecutive notes (regardless of the actual lengths of the notes).

Chopinguy - How does a staccato attack differ from legato attack? How would I go about achieving this effect?