Chopin 10/12 - strict legato, or whole hand jumps with pedals?

[asanoth]

Hello,
I am a hobbyist, playing just for my own pleasure. Some 5 years ago, I learned Chopin's Etude op.10 no. 12. Not really as well as I would like to, but listenable (if that is a word).
In recent years, I had quite long breaks, either not playing at all for many months when being abroad, or, after that, focusing on other things and playing just here and there for fun with very little practice.
I started playing more this spring, and would like to bring this piece to life, as it really fell apart. I was trying to find better ways to practice it, and came upon this video (I actually came upon it via 10/3, which I am trying to learn) by Greg Niemczuk:

He actually advises quite an opposite approach than to what I would have thought:
- do not play legato, play in groups in fixed hand positions, while the last note of the group is stacatto and you move your whole hand into the next position (e.g. the main run you play C-G-C. D-E-G-C. D-E-D. C-G-E-D. C-G|-C-G-C.)
- use a lot of pedal to connect the notes in both left and right hand
- do not practice slow for too long, as in slow practice you will do hand movements (like strict legato) that you will not do when playing fast
I quote: "I promise you all concert pianists are playing it this way".

While I would expect:
- focus on legato, connect all notes especially in the left hand as much as possible
- do not use nearly any pedal, just maybe half pedal to keep the bass notes going
- practice slow, than also slow, and after that slow again, with rythmical changes etc.

What do you think? Niemczuk's approach seems way easier, and I am a hobbyist, playing only home, so easy is good, but I also started learning this in order to improve my left hand technique.
My aim with this piece is a good articulation and musicality, not necessarily the top concert speed.

Thank you.

[jeffreybloomer]

Great video! This is helping immensely! I've been playing for a long while, but I plateaued years ago, coupled with life events that didn't allow me to practice for years, as well as some teachers whose behavior towards me made me not want to pursue my music degree. And it's only recently that I found my childhood passion for music again. I recently finished Chopin's op 64 no 2 in C# minor. And it feels great to finish a piece after such a long time.

[dizzyfingers]

Pianists practice pieces in ways that are not indicated by the composer's expression indications.  Chopin wrote "legatissimo" but I presume most pianists practice it staccato much of the time - - I know I do.  I agree it's all about hand positions.  I would practice it without pedal while learning and then introduce the pedal carefully and intentionally based on what sounds better for the piano and room at hand.  How much pedal is matter of interpretation.