Piano Forum

The left hand of 10/9 is much more difficult to manage simply because of the awkward shapes of some of the harmonic progressions, and the range the left hand must cover rapidly among a key that has a relatively equal balance of black and white notes. The need to gesture around some of the black notes is no easy task in this etude. Add to that the fact that the left hand is much busier than the right in this piece requires careful control of the dynamic balance so that it doesn’t overpower the melody. Granted, Chopin indicates an aggressive treatment of the melody through most of it, but the left hand should still be treated as a dark murmur underneath to get the intended effect.

I have always been pretty baffled by the general assumption that 25/2 is “easy.” It isn’t, and I have yet to hear a performance of this etude that is interpreted correctly. I posted my thoughts on this in another area here, but instead of searching for it I’ll just restate. The often found (and incorrect) interpretation of this etude involves the violation of what Chopin clearly indicates as the meter of the piece and how the rhythms within are to be treated. The “wrong” way is following the left hand as the metrical pulse and linking two eighths of the right hand to each quarter note in the triplets below. Playing is this way definitely makes it “easier.” However, this ultimately changes the meter to a 6/4 feel, which is not what Chopin wants. He clearly instructs us to feel this in a cut-time meter and follow the metrical pulse of the triplets in the right hand (1+2+), thus rendering the left hand as a rather disorienting cross rhythm against the right. The scale passages themselves are not difficult, but maintaining the correct metrical pulse is what makes this etude deceptively difficult. I know this issue might cause a bit of debate, but the directions in the score are solid and it’s our job to honor them to the best of our ability.