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Topic: Left hand broken octaves (Read 3371 times)

zxiao9

Newbie
Posts: 22

Hi! I was having difficulty with a few passages in Mozarts d minor concerto (the broken octaves on the left hand). Like I can play it, but it sounds harsh and uneven. Any suggestions for improvement? -http://

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iansinclair

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 1472

Re: Left hand broken octaves

Reply #1 on: July 09, 2017, 03:35:22 PM

Good flexible fingering is your friend on this. The upper note can (and unless you have really really big hands) will have to break. The lower note must not break; the result will be heard as legato. You will need to swap fingers (4/5 or 5/4) in some places -- swap while holding the note down.

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Ian

marijn210999

Jr. Member
Posts: 48

Re: Left hand broken octaves

Reply #2 on: July 09, 2017, 04:22:48 PM

Play them as normal octaves at your target speed. Also play only the bass notes with your pinky finger as that is what will improve your accuracy and easy for these kind of passages. For right hand broken octaves that would be isolating the thumb notes.

Good luck,
Marijn

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perfect_pitch

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 9205

Re: Left hand broken octaves

Reply #3 on: July 09, 2017, 10:45:03 PM

Also... in this case, I would try and play the semiquavers like so:

Treat each pair as a Semiquaver, followed by a dotted quaver... do this a few times, slowly speeding up. Make sure that after the dotted quaver is played, you are mentally focusing on the next pair of notes to come.
Then treat each pair as the opposite, Dotted quaver, semiquaver to make it a little harder. Again, start slow and slowly speed up.
Then do them as normal semiquavers.

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

iansinclair

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 1472

Re: Left hand broken octaves

Reply #4 on: July 10, 2017, 01:22:21 AM

After a little thought -- and fiddling (I don't usually play Mozart!).

First, whatever works for you is best...

However, the fingering which works for me for the two measures plus a note: always thumb on top note. Bottom notes: 5, 4, 5 swap to 3, 5; 5, 3, 4 swap to 5; 4. Note the pedal marking for the last two notes in the second measure -- Mozart didn't have one, but I agree with it and would use it.

I might add that I have fairly big hands...

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Ian

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Topic: Left hand broken octaves (Read 3371 times)

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