Video: "Cheating" with Moszkowski, Etude Op. 72 No. 11 - Thoughts?

[masterraro]

Hey everyone,

First post! 

Really looking forward to your feedback.  Just a note:  I chose to "cheat" by rearranging some of the notes between the left and right hands  but I did of course initially study this piece as written.  What are your thoughts on such an approach?

Hope you enjoy!

[fftransform]

Always play it the way that gives you the best sound, who cares if it's 'cheating'?

[lelle]

My personal view is that for Etudes in particular, the whole point is to study it as written by the composer, to study playing a particular technical pattern with comfort and ease. If you "cheat", you cheat yourself out of a valuable lesson. I'd also argue, if you need to cheat to play the piece well in front of an audience, have you really mastered the technique?

However, at the same time, I think you can do whatever you want when performing it, because all that matters in a performance is that it sounds awesome and that it is a great experience for both the audience and the performer. Your playing of the piece is certainly very enjoyable 

[frodo1]

Brilliant, flashy and fun!  Great performance!

[masterraro]

My personal view is that for Etudes in particular, the whole point is to study it as written by the composer, to study playing a particular technical pattern with comfort and ease. If you "cheat", you cheat yourself out of a valuable lesson. I'd also argue, if you need to cheat to play the piece well in front of an audience, have you really mastered the technique?

However, at the same time, I think you can do whatever you want when performing it, because all that matters in a performance is that it sounds awesome and that it is a great experience for both the audience and the performer. Your playing of the piece is certainly very enjoyable 

Thank you! I definitely agree about “cheating yourself” out of the education that comes out of struggling with an etude. I guess my concern is mostly about the licensing one does or does not have outside of the practice room, when it comes to actually performing an etude, or any other piece. I think people’s feelings would be more stirred up if I did something similar with one of the sacred Chopin etudes 

[frodo1]

I do not have any problem with someone changing a composer’s intended fingering in an etude or other piece.  It all comes down to sound.  Here is 1 possible exception:  A composer writes a piece for left hand alone and the performer uses both hands throughout the performance.  But in this case, it would be apparent to all that the performer is cheating.  In the case of your performance here, it is only apparent to those pianists that are familiar with this piece and have a good view of your hands.  As long as all the notes are there and the sound is great – who cares?  I actually view it as using your head rather than cheating.  What gives the composer the right to mandate fingerings? But left-hand alone pieces are a different matter.  Just my personal feelings here of course.

[frodo1]

I guess my concern is mostly about the licensing one does or does not have outside of the practice room, when it comes to actually performing an etude, or any other piece. I think people’s feelings would be more stirred up if I did something similar with one of the sacred Chopin etudes 

My opinion for outside the practice room: Unless you are performing at a competition, you have a license to finger your etudes as you like.  If you are performing at a competition, the judges may take away points for creative fingering.

[masterraro]

My opinion for outside the practice room: Unless you are performing at a competition, you have a license to finger your etudes as you like.  If you are performing at a competition, the judges may take away points for creative fingering.

Totally agree, in a competition you would most likely just be giving the judges an easy excuse to eliminate you. Left hand only pieces, of course: one expects left hand only! The Bach/Brahms Chaconne, for example, really demands one struggles with left hand only, as it sort of simulates the struggles of leaps and rolled chords of the violin, as Bach initially wrote for. The Bach/Busoni Chaconne is a different matter  😆

Cortot arranged the left-hand Ravel concerto for both hands, BEFORE the  concerto even premiered. It apparently really pissed Ravel off 😂