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Topic: Advanced Chopin Too Difficult For Me? (Read 1830 times)

flyusx

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Advanced Chopin Too Difficult For Me?

on: June 17, 2023, 01:52:42 AM

Hey all,
I recently performed Chopin's second ballade in a regional competition and won first place in my division. The performing venue didn't allow recordings, so I'll upload a recording of my rendition sometime in the future. I've attached the comments provided as proof.

Supposedly, the second ballade is somewhere in the middle of the Ballade difficulty scale (I've seen 3-2-1-4 and 3-1-2-4), and the earlier scherzos (the first and second) are considered slightly easier than the Ballades. However, when I try to do any sight-reading of the third ballade or the first two scherzos to gauge their relative difficulties, I find it to be more difficult than anticipated, and I'm not sure I have the capability of playing fast notes for such long periods of time. I suppose one reason I was able to learn the F-minor Ballade without too much difficulty are the interpretatively difficult but technically easy slower passages separating the Presto con Fuoco's. The hardest Chopin excluding Ballade No2 I've learned so far would be either the ninth etude in F-minor or the sixteenth nocturne. I have no experience playing Polonaises/Mazurkas/Waltzes, and even some of them seem to be harder than expected when I do the gauge-the-difficulty reading. Any advice as to what I should proceed to do with Chopin would be appreciated.

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regards

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Re: Advanced Chopin Too Difficult For Me?

Reply #1 on: June 17, 2023, 01:46:27 PM

You have stated that you are not sure if you can handle playing fast notes for a long time; therefore, you should build endurance by learning shorter but equally difficult pieces. Chopin, as with most romantic composers, stresses wrist technique (fast chords, arpeggios, etc.). Aim at learning music especially difficult for the wrist. Many of his Etudes are like this. His Nocturne in C Minor op. 48 1 teaches voicing and chords. Studying waltzes and mazurkas is important to acquiring the tone and style of Chopin. By playing smaller works that stress techniques of larger works, you can build to larger works.

Regards,
Regards

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bwl_13

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Re: Advanced Chopin Too Difficult For Me?

Reply #2 on: June 19, 2023, 04:10:36 AM

I think you can take the words of the adjudicator at face value and this may be a little imposter syndrome showing up. Clearly you are able to play an advanced ballade at a very high quality. The coda of the second ballade seems quite challenging, and you were directly complimented on it.

If you want to play the third, I'd recommend spending some time learning it. I can see where the difficulties in the third may be, but many fast notes is not really what makes the third ballade hard.

Congratulations on your competition, very well done!

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Second Year Undergrad:
Bach BWV 914
Beethoven Op. 58
Reger Op. 24 No. 5
Rachmaninoff Op. 39 No. 3 & No. 5

anacrusis

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Re: Advanced Chopin Too Difficult For Me?

Reply #3 on: June 19, 2023, 02:19:10 PM

Do you feel any fatigue playing the 2nd Ballade? If not, I don't think you'll have problems with the 3rd if you practice a bit. I found the 3rd easier to play than the 2nd.

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lelle

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Re: Advanced Chopin Too Difficult For Me?

Reply #4 on: June 24, 2023, 10:49:20 AM

Congratulations on your success in the competition!

To me, this sounds like you are overthinking and worrying a bit too much. If you feel like you'll struggle to play fast notes for a long time, work on your fundamentals, play more pieces with fast notes that are not too far outside your comfort zone, and just keep working at it. I think you could have a look through the Chopin preludes, there are many that are short but offer a technical challenge that might be what you are looking for.

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mcporter87

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Re: Advanced Chopin Too Difficult For Me?

Reply #5 on: July 08, 2023, 01:36:18 AM

I find your post somewhat odd. Is advanced Chopin too difficult? Personally, I’d consider Chopins ballade in F Major to be a VERY advanced piece. Yes there are many of Chopins works that are considered to be exceptionally difficult and will be more challenging than his F Major Ballade but if you are playing this piece in a completion and you have come first then I do not understand why you feel it necessary to ask this question?

Unless you plan to move on to his F Minor Ballade or perhaps his double 3rds etude then there is no I wouldn’t say advanced Chopin is too difficult for you.

If you are able to play his F Major Ballade at performance level then I’d say there is probably not much Chopin you can’t play. Perhaps do his G Minor ballade next if you haven’t already learned that.

…I actually find it easier than the F Major!

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lelle

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Re: Advanced Chopin Too Difficult For Me?

Reply #6 on: July 08, 2023, 12:50:39 PM

Quote from: mcporter87 on July 08, 2023, 01:36:18 AM

…I actually find it easier than the F Major!

Agree, I think the 2nd ballade is the second most difficult ballade to play. For me, easiest to hardest are 3rd, 1st, 2nd, 4th

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