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Topic: Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1. (Read 3843 times)

soultrap

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 46

Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1.

on: June 04, 2017, 03:31:37 PM

Hello everyone.

This post will be updated, as often as possible.

I will keep updating it with my current progress, and any questions/problems I’ve been encountering. Please give any suggestions you may have to give me. So far, I finished the theme. And I’m already getting a bit stuck on variation no.1, lol.
I’ve played La Campanella with ease right now, I’ve played many etude and virtuoso pieces. but this one is just taking it to a whole, another, level.

Theme: Been playing it with some fluency now. little to none slips are made. Moving on the variation 1.

Var. 1: hates the parallels in both hands, but is a little under control.

Var. 2: Right hand is no problem, Left parallel sixths seems horrible.

Var. 3: Almost impossible to play with the score, took me the longest time compared to everything else- so far.

Var. 4: Right hand trills fingering problems, otherwise not so difficult

Var. 5: 2 against 3 rhythm annoying, but easy

Var. 6: Simple

Var. 7: Somehow the most frustrating one.

Var. 8 under work

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Pieces I'm working on:
Beethoven op. 109
Chopin Etudes op.10
Tchaikovsky Seasons June & October
Tchaikovsky Russian scherzo op. 1 no. 1
Tchaikovsky concerto 1
Mozart K 488
Rachmaninoff sonata 2

louispodesta

Sr. Member
Posts: 1077

Re: Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1.

Reply #1 on: June 11, 2017, 11:09:51 PM

Quote from: soultrap on June 04, 2017, 03:31:37 PM

Hello everyone.

This post will be updated, as often as possible.

I will keep updating it with my current progress, and any questions/problems I’ve been encountering. Please give any suggestions you may have to give me. So far, I finished the theme. And I’m already getting a bit stuck on variation no.1, lol.
I’ve played La Campanella with ease right now, I’ve played many etude and virtuoso pieces. but this one is just taking it to a whole, another, level.

Theme: Been playing it with some fluency now. little to none slips are made. Moving on the variation 1.

I have a reply to your post, but it will not happen here. In the past, I asked the same question regarding the fingerings for the trills associated with Var. IV. I received no replies.

So, I can help you by Private Message, if you so desire.

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perfect_pitch

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 9205

Re: Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1.

Reply #2 on: June 12, 2017, 11:36:21 AM

Quick piece of advice - Variation 1 is a cakewalk...

...compared to Variation 2. Start that one straight away, same with the one with Octave glissandi in the RH - I HATED that one.

And Var 14 with the coda is a b@#$h.

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https://www.youtube.com/c/EpicPianoArrangements (Videos)
https://www.musicnotes.com/sheet-music/artist/epic-piano-arrangements (Sheet Music)

louispodesta

Sr. Member
Posts: 1077

Re: Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1.

Reply #3 on: June 12, 2017, 11:03:09 PM

Quote from: perfect_pitch on June 12, 2017, 11:36:21 AM

Quick piece of advice - Variation 1 is a cakewalk...

...compared to Variation 2. Start that one straight away, same with the one with Octave glissandi in the RH - I HATED that one.

And Var 14 with the coda is a b@#$h.

Thank you for relating your personal experience with this piece. However, the morphology of the human hand differs significantly from person to person, and that is not a unique/singular/exclusive opinion.

Therefore, Variation I is NOT! a walk in the park, due to the fact that not everyone can play octave double notes with 1-4 and 1-5 fingerings.

As an example, Rachmaninoff, as referenced in Earl Wild's Memoir, used to make a big deal about sliding back and forth with his thumb (even though he most certainly did not have to).

Accordinlgy, Wild makes a very big deal about various concert pianists throughout history adapting pieces per their own hand morphology. It was not a rare occurrence, it was common and expected.

Just today, in polishing up "La plus que lente," I personally used a fingering in a slower passage to slide off on the forefinger, from 2-2. This was opposed to putting the thumb on the same black key because the next chord was 1-3, and then up to the fifth finger.

Therefore, once again, I encourage the OP, if genuine, to contact me by PM so I can share with you the solution to your post.

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perfect_pitch

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 9205

Re: Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1.

Reply #4 on: June 13, 2017, 11:26:17 AM

Erm... Wrong variation - Variation I is the one with 6ths in the hands... (although not always the same time)

Variation II is the double 8ves & 6ths in each hand. Var I is a cake-walk compared to II.

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https://www.youtube.com/c/EpicPianoArrangements (Videos)
https://www.musicnotes.com/sheet-music/artist/epic-piano-arrangements (Sheet Music)

rachmaninoff_forever

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 5038

Re: Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1.

Reply #5 on: June 13, 2017, 12:06:28 PM

Quote from: louispodesta on June 11, 2017, 11:09:51 PM

I have a reply to your post, but it will not happen here. In the past, I asked the same question regarding the fingerings for the trills associated with Var. IV. I received no replies.

So, I can help you by Private Message, if you so desire.

hey hey hey spread the knowledge I'm learning it too! after I stop procrastinating

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Live large, die large. Leave a giant coffin.

soultrap

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 46

Re: Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1.

Reply #6 on: June 14, 2017, 02:37:15 PM

Quote from: louispodesta on June 11, 2017, 11:09:51 PM

I have a reply to your post, but it will not happen here. In the past, I asked the same question regarding the fingerings for the trills associated with Var. IV. I received no replies.

So, I can help you by Private Message, if you so desire.

Thank you very much! I am having a little trouble with the fingering of variation IV... i would appreciate it if you can PM me.

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Pieces I'm working on:
Beethoven op. 109
Chopin Etudes op.10
Tchaikovsky Seasons June & October
Tchaikovsky Russian scherzo op. 1 no. 1
Tchaikovsky concerto 1
Mozart K 488
Rachmaninoff sonata 2

soultrap

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 46

Re: Brahms Paganini Variations- book 1.

Reply #7 on: June 14, 2017, 02:39:31 PM

Quote from: perfect_pitch on June 12, 2017, 11:36:21 AM

Quick piece of advice - Variation 1 is a cakewalk...

...compared to Variation 2. Start that one straight away, same with the one with Octave glissandi in the RH - I HATED that one.

And Var 14 with the coda is a b@#$h.

I’m glad that you have replied. I think variation 1 is slightly tougher than Variation 2, but that’s probably just a difference from us. I feel the constant parallels between two hands quite difficult, but I can never seem to get Variation 2 Legato enough. I tried the one with the octave glissando, it wasn’t that bad... besides the fact my fingers hurt for a few days after a few glissandos. LOL

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Pieces I'm working on:
Beethoven op. 109
Chopin Etudes op.10
Tchaikovsky Seasons June & October
Tchaikovsky Russian scherzo op. 1 no. 1
Tchaikovsky concerto 1
Mozart K 488
Rachmaninoff sonata 2

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