Chopin Prelude in E minor | In-depth Tutorial

[antune]

Hi guys,
Here is my new video on Prelude in E minor by F. Chopin.
In this video, I give an idea on how to approach with hands separate & both hands and tell you about my view on interpreting this music.
It is usually the first or the second Prelude from Chopin that I would offer to a student.
I hope you enjoy it.
Good luck!

[lettersquash]

Very nice, I learned a thing or two there, antune.

One thing I would suggest would be to cross to the fourth finger from the thumb at the start of bar 13, so 1 on the G, 4 on the F#. This avoids shifting from 2-1 on the C in order to reach the B, which seems awkward and could lead to missing or having less control on later note(s). The F# will be played with the fourth finger later in the phrase, so if you get on it from the G, you're already lined up to play the whole phrase without that shift.

[antune]

Very nice, I learned a thing or two there, antune.

One thing I would suggest would be to cross to the fourth finger from the thumb at the start of bar 13, so 1 on the G, 4 on the F#. This avoids shifting from 2-1 on the C in order to reach the B, which seems awkward and could lead to missing or having less control on later note(s). The F# will be played with the fourth finger later in the phrase, so if you get on it from the G, you're already lined up to play the whole phrase without that shift.

.

Thank you!
The fingerings you suggested are very logical. I do have the Eiker edition of the Preludes where he implemented Chopin’s fingering(Besides his own). Chopin himself use to switch from 1 to 2. For me it worked quite okay but I do agree with the awkwardness of it and your suggestion seems to fix that for anyone who struggles with this passage.

[lettersquash]

I have this one https://www.bookdepository.com/Frederic-Chopin-Sheet-Music-for-Piano-Alan-Brown/9780857756008

I couldn't remember how I played that phrase and had to go and check (but I knew it wasn't like you did it), and I use the fingering in that book, at least for that bit - there are a few places I don't. Sometimes fingering suggestions seem nuts.

Indeed, I'm sure when you're more skilled and used to playing it with the switch it's fine, especially with a slow piece like this. And yes, it's 1-2, as you say, not 2-1.

[antune]

I have this one https://www.bookdepository.com/Frederic-Chopin-Sheet-Music-for-Piano-Alan-Brown/9780857756008

I couldn't remember how I played that phrase and had to go and check (but I knew it wasn't like you did it), and I use the fingering in that book, at least for that bit - there are a few places I don't. Sometimes fingering suggestions seem nuts.

Indeed, I'm sure when you're more skilled and used to playing it with the switch it's fine, especially with a slow piece like this. And yes, it's 1-2, as you say, not 2-1.

I like trying the fingerings when written by the Composer.
It gives a little more clear image of what they intended when I try it myself.
For example, Rachmaninoff's fingerings are very very good in my opinion.
I find Chopin's fingerings also interesting, but it is more old school, I would say.