LvB Op. 81a

[aquariuswb]

Has anybody played "Das Lebewohl" (a.k.a. "Les Adieux")? I'm just starting the first movement, and I'm finding the first 20 or so bars after the Adagio intro quite difficult. Specifically, here are a couple trouble spots:

bar 24, left hand dips down to that low B flat suddenly in the midst of those Alberti-ish figures that already span a 10th... I can do those 10ths no problem, but when it drops down to that B flat I have a hard time hitting it and then accurately hitting the B flat and F that follow.

Also, bars 29-34: those right hand chords are so hard to play quickly! I'm slowly getting the hang of it, but it is difficult, especially while doing that scalar run in the left hand.

Any suggestions for working on these spots would be greatly appreciated, so thanks in advance.

[Rach3]

I've played this one (and performed it) - the greatest challenges in it are musical, definitely. Anyway,

bar 24, left hand dips down to that low B flat suddenly

You need  a very flexible wrist - your hand should be directly above each of these notes as you are striking them. You make a legato 'strech' across the octave B-flats, and on to the F, as if you were thinking of all three notes at once and arpeggiating them. Fingering is obviously 521.

Also, bars 29-34

The hardest measures in the piece - slow legato practice, both loud and soft.  (edit: don't tense up on the thirds, keep relaxed no matter how angry you get). Ultimately in the RH most of the work is done by the wrist, no thought to the fingers at all. Don't forget LH is hard too -  it needs to be coordinated with the RH, and voiced correctly.

[Rach3]

Update - went back to the piano, confirmed that the best fingering is the obvious one:

(m29)

5 3 1 2  3 4 3 4 5      5 4 3 4 3  etc.
1          1 2 1 2 3      3 2 1 2 1

(watch the thumb legato)

and LH

1  212313123432143    2132132
5

Wish you lots of luck with this great sonata.
-Rach3

[aquariuswb]

Wow, thanks a ton!

Yeah, I'm at the point where I can "play" these tough spots but am making frequent errors when trying to play this section through. But it's getting better every day -- I think by two days from now (I don't think I'll have much practice time tomorrow) I'll be able to play through THE WHOLE FIRST PAGE!!! hehe, but seriously, the rest of this movement doesn't look too tough, except with the two final appearances of the original theme, the first of which I noticed is shorter by a bar because it does not repeat the right-hand thirds an octave higher, and the second of which is transposed to a minor key and extended, thus necessitating my relearning those left-hand 10ths (and a drop down to C instead of B flat).  ----> see? I know this piece like the back of my hands, now I just need to learn it on their front. (or insert a better bad piano joke here)


P.S. we use the same exact fingering, except where you put "131" in the left hand between A natural and A flat in bar 29, I do "121"; potato, potahhto