Pieces for clarity

[bmortega]

Hey y'all! I'm a casual player looking to improve my technique. I haven't played much classical or baroque recently and to be quite honest, I did not enjoy playing those genres since my technique was all over the place. I've since been working with a different teacher and we're working on technique more than we are on building a cohesive program.

I am currently playing Scribain Deux Poemes Op. 32, Florence Price Sonata in e minor, Debussy Suite Bergamesque prelude, and the Rameau suite in e minor. These are for the most part performance ready and I'm looking to start something new for the next school year.

I have never played a Chopin etude and do not know where to start. However, I am open to all recommendations. Especially Baroque and Classical as I think they would help with my muddled playing issue.

[brogers70]

Apart from choosing repertoire, here's a suggestion I found helpful in working on clarity in fast Baroque things. Move the piano bench an octave to the right and play the piece an octave higher. It's impressive how much easier it is to hear alignment and timing issues when everything is up an octave. And moving the bench to the right insures that your body is in the same position relative to the notes you are playing as when you play it normally in the original register.

[lelle]

I think it's an important point that there is no particular piece that is going to give you clarity per se. Clarity comes with the territory of improving your technique, and you can improve your technique with any set of pieces with appropriate challenges for your level and the right information/teaching about how to improve how you use your body to play.

Basically, for clarity in fast Baroque and Classical music, I'd advice playing Baroque and Classical pieces that are appropriate for your level with the support of a good teacher  You can of course also play some technical exercises, Czerny etudes etc if you want.

I'd wait a bit with the Chopin etudes if you struggle with clarity in baroque music. The Chopin Etudes kind of assume a certain baseline of technical development. This will just give you an easier and more pleasant time with them. Without it, you can still work on them but you may struggle a lot.