Fingering for Gymnopedie No.1

[evilyn]

Hello,

Do you know where I can get music for Gymnopedie with fingering? I'm quite puzzled by the range covered by the notes at one instance of time. Eg, in measure #5, the notes range from G to A that spans around 3 octaves. My handspan is just a meagre 1 octave for right hand, 1 octave+1 note for left hand. Am I supposed to use pedal to hold the first note (in measure #5)?

Erm sorry if my description is a bit undecipherable. Pardon this newbie 

Anyway, if you have the music with the fingering, that'll be great! Thanks!

[quasimodo]

Wow, That's cool, I was myself about to ask a question about that piece. Here I go :

In the score, the chords are split between both staves, does that mean the chords are played at both hands ? (most of the time they are manageable only at LH with "Bass-Chord" jumps).

Thanks for your help.

[mikeyg]

Well, fortunately the piece is supposed to have that murky sound, and it is relatively slow, so you can use the pedal for the entire piece.  I use the left hand for the low note, and all of the chords (even in the first 4 measures. 

Measure 33,  RH: 3, 1, 4  Measure 34, RH: 5
                                    1                             4
                                                                   2
                                                                   1
 

Measure, 33 LH: 5, 1, 1  Measure 34, LH: 1
                               5  4                             5

[xvimbi]

Do you know where I can get music for Gymnopedie with fingering?

Check out the various editions in your local music store. There are quite a few, and it's not only the indicated fingering that might be different, but also the way the notes are distributed between lower and upper staff (which is an indication with respect to fingering). In some editions, they are arranged in "weird" ways that are not very intuitive. There is a book called "Focus on Melody" by Faber that has a good version.

I'm quite puzzled by the range covered by the notes at one instance of time. Eg, in measure #5, the notes range from G to A that spans around 3 octaves. My handspan is just a meagre 1 octave for right hand, 1 octave+1 note for left hand. Am I supposed to use pedal to hold the first note (in measure #5)?

Nobody but a gorilla has such a hand span. In measure five, you play the bottom G and the following chord with the left hand. The single bass notes should have a gong-like sound throughout the piece. Change pedal on every "gong". The main melody is then played with the right hand. As mikeyg said, you can play the opening chords with the left hand (you need to play them with the left hand later anyway), but I prefer to play them with the right hand, but that might be a personal choice.

[evilyn]

Thanks mikeyg, using pedal for the single base note works. Haven't been as far as measure 33  , will try ur suggestion when I get there.

Yep thanks xvimbi, those are very clear directions. Now that I discovered the pedal, I shd be fine with the other fingerings

Nobody but a gorilla has such a hand span.

LOL. Yea silly me huh!
 
Could gymnopedie mean gymno + pedie = let ur foot do some gymnastics with the pedal ? 
Pardon the ignorance again there!

[BoliverAllmon]

I just learned this piece. All chords should come with the LH. pedal on the first beat of every measure and you will be fine.

boliver

[xvimbi]

All chords should come with the LH.

Debatable, very debatable.

[sznitzeln]

Play it with your nose, if you want to follow the advice of Anton Rubinstein
Mozart is the inventor of that "technique"

[BoliverAllmon]

Debatable, very debatable.

really? when I look at the music, that is what I saw and how I played it. HMMM....

[xvimbi]

really? when I look at the music, that is what I saw and how I played it. HMMM....

Most editions put the chords in measures 1-4 and similar in the right hand; likewise, and particularly, with the chords in measures 9-12 and similar. The latter measures require some thought as how to play them in the first place, because of the "extra" F#. Also, in some editions, some chords are printed such that they look like four-note chords, but they are actually best split between the two hands (e.g. measures 24-26).  To be complete (and facecious), the chords at the end of the two sections must be played with both hands.

I can see the following reasons why one "should" (see below) play the chords with the right hand wherever possible/appropriate:

1. one should avoid big jumps and cross-overs when they are not really necessary.
2. in some chords, the notes belong to different voices. Playing them with different hands allows for easier/better shaping of the voices.
3. avoid large stretches.

The counter-argument is that the jumps are necessary when the right hand plays the melody, so one might just as well do them throughout.

So, there is no real "one should play all chords with the LH", which is a quite strict instruction, but rather a "one may play...", which leaves room for personal choice. That's all. 

[mikeyg]

I just play all the chords with the left hand because I just think it sounds better.  More even.