Revolutionary Etude

[BoliverAllmon]

Here's a question for you. In every recording I have heard of Fantasie Impromptu in the measures where you accent a 16th note on every beat. It gives the effect of quarter notes with the bass flying like crazy. Shouldn't the same effect be produced in parts of Revolutionary Etude? I haven't heard it played this way, but was thinking that it should be done the same way.

BoliverAllmon

[chopinetta]

i don't think so. it's just like playing a scale, accenting a note every 4 notes...

[BoliverAllmon]

The same goes for FI, you accent every four notes. HOw would one know the difference when to make the accent more noticeable or not?

BoliverAllmon

[ted]

Do you accent some notes in the left hand of the Revolutionary ? I don't think I do. I can think of only one place offhand. I usually go for a smooth, sweeping effect.

[Reoreo111]

I have played this piece for several competitions and have won $350 in award money with it.  I accent each quarter note beat on the third run (both hands) going down.  Accenting also helps you stay on beat.  Most recordings don't accent the first 2 runs, by i do sometimes, depending on the speed i play it.  

[frederic]

I think making those accents, when playing at the right tempo, as the hardest thing to do in the whole piece.

[BoliverAllmon]

I agree that it is hard to accent the notes and not either play the whole piece soft or accent every note. What I did was record the opening passage at a slower speed making sure to accent, even over-accent, the quarter beat note. I would then speed up the recording and it really sounds great. Something that has helped me with the accenting is to think about accenting every time your 2 finger in the left touches a key. The same goes for the right hand. This really gives a more defiant war-like feeling.

Boliverallmon

[Diabolos]

Well, I didn't play this piece for quite a while, but I usually give each quarter note beats in the three first runs a slight accent; while trying to accent the other parts, watch out - it's rather important to have crescendos and decrescendos in the left hand movement - but an accent on the very first note of each might give it a nice effect.

Regards,

[Franz_Liszt]

I believe it is best to draw from Chopins own performance of the piece.

[BoliverAllmon]

Can this be done? I thought that he wasn't able to play his pieces up to his standards because of his frailty?

boliver Allmon

[Franz_Liszt]

 Some Performances of his own pieces was a Ballade of and an etude, the Aeolian Harp, and these were considered superhuman performances; the  first was performed 1 year before his death. So I guess he could perform his pieces quite well.

[BoliverAllmon]

Then how did he perform it?

Boliver Allmon

[amp]

Chopin was not too frail to play his pieces. He was somewhat sickly some parts in his life, but lived fairly free of dibilitating sickness. He felt he had weaknessess in finger strengh, but who doesn't? I read a book on Chopin, and it said Chopin could play his pieces with out practice. When he would perform a concert, he would practice like crazy the other pieces (Bach, Mozart) that he was performing. He was considered a strong pianst at that time.

[chopinetta]

aha! so that's why chopin only practices for 3 hours!!!!

hey, hasn't anyone noticed anything? i'm back! i've resurrected!

[JTownley]

I noticed, Chopinetta. I noticed you were missing too.

[amee]

Welcome back, Chopinetta!

[chopinetta]

thanks!!! i thought you were missing as well, amee. now i know you're not!!! yehey! we're complete again.

sorry joe, i made you worry  

i'm so off-topic... i apologize for being absent for 2 whole weeks!