Piano Forum

Piano Street Magazine:
Watch the Chopin Competition 2025 with us!

Great news for anyone who loves Chopin’s music! Piano Street’s Chopin Competition tool now includes all 1,848 recorded performances from the Preliminary Round to Stage 3. Dive in and listen now! Read more

Pages: [1] Go Down

Topic: Legato in opening of Brahms 116/7 (Read 1410 times)

rosejaune177

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 38

Legato in opening of Brahms 116/7

on: June 27, 2021, 01:30:42 PM

Hi, I'm about to learn the final Capriccio from Brahms' op. 116, but I'm struggling to see how to achieve legato in the opening bars. Maybe it's my small hand span. I just can't hold from the first crotchet to the second using the fingering that appears in most editions (as above) - it feels too stretchy. I can go to a 5-2-1 on the chord if I cover with pedal. Then I have the same problem in the LH, but most editions don't put pedal there... Would it be okay to just pedal every crotchet, and use whichever fingering I find least difficult, even at the expense of finger legato? Can anyone advise me please?

Logged

lelle

PS Gold Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2625

Re: Legato in opening of Brahms 116/7

Reply #1 on: June 27, 2021, 01:53:33 PM

Is it playing a sixth with 5-2 that is stretchy?

Honestly, you can just slide your thumb from the last sixteenth note to the bottom/top note of the chord and practice until it sounds legato. You can create the illusion with a minimum of pedal. Is it possible for you to play the chord with 1-2-4 in the right hand?