Chopin Sonata 3 - bar 63-64

[chris warren]

Hi,
Have been learning this piece and having difficulty with the triplet passages in the alternate beats of these bars.... however watching videos of professionals playing this they seem to be missing out the triplets (or maybe they're just too quick for my eyes/ears!). Could someone confirm whether missing out these second notes in these triplets is accepted practice?

Many thanks,
Chris.

[anacrusis]

You're supposed to play them. The passage is often played as if the octaves are the melody and the middle notes of the tripled are not, so you play them much softer, but they're still there. Can you post a video of someone who you feel does not play these notes. I'd be curious to hear.

[chris warren]

Try this - quite the best rendition of the Sonata I've heard. Around 7.30 ....

[lelle]

He's definitely playing those notes, if you listen closely!

[stringoverstrung]

Hello,

Have you tried watching interpretations on Youtube with Google Chrome? You can set the playback speed to 0,25 . This can be very instructive on how exactly these guys and women are "hitting"  the notes.

[lelle]

I think you can set the playback speed in any browser   

[arda152]

Start by just playing a single note of the melody, like an outline of the whole thing. When you do that, the triplet is of course not included. These professional pianists have such a clear idea of what they want to show, that even when they play the triplet, the melody line doesn't get disturbed. That is the challenge that Chopin put in these measures. To play the triplet without mixing it into the melody.

When you get a clear idea of the melody, try the following motion (I am looking forward to reading your feedback of this):
Imagine a clock facing you, hovering in front of the keyboard. So at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock create a line parallel to the keyboard. 12 is above the keyboard and 6 at level with the keys. Your wrist begins at 3 with the first octave. There, it goes down until 6 o'clock and you play the triplet. When your wrist goes up to play the last octave, it reaches 9 o'clock. You drow a small arch with the wrist, starting above and on the right side, dipping into the middle and rising from left.

Now, the best way to talk about it is to sit at the piano and play together, but this is more or less how I felt when I was working on that section. Do you find it helpful?

[chris warren]

Many thanks Arda - both those ideas - the single note melody line and the vertical movement of the wrist are  both going to really help I think.

I did try slowing the videos right down, and even watched all the ones on the Chopin competition this year - but I still couldn't see them clearly playing the triplets - however, I'm sure they are and I'll get there in time. Thx again.