Tips for learning Chopin Third Scherzo....

[fehrle]

any help?

[Rach3]

Okay, I play this one. The runs (you know what I'm talking about), you'll need to work on a relaxed, rotational motion from the wrist until they're second nature (your teacher should show you). Extreme precision. Your LH might refuse to cooperate, work on it by itself and get it to be flexible. The hyperoctaves are easy to play, if you think octaves are easy: relaxed wrist is essential there, and pay attention to the dotted rhythm as you bring it up to tempo (the eight note is really, really short). The coda should have no surprises, keep the RH wrist flexible and mobile, then it'll feel almost easy.
The most important thing with this scherzo is to get an incredibly rich, full sound out of the heroic chordal passages. Everything else should contrast that - the descending runs are soft and 'watery', the beginning is dry and mysterious, the coda is dark and agitated, etc.

Hope this helps.

-Rach3

[fehrle]

Yea, the runs seem tricky.  I've only just scratched the surface of this piece but i have a feeling it's a bit more incosiderate than i imagined.   Thanks for the great advice Rach  .

[nomis]

The main thing is to list all the phrases that are repeated, so that you only have to learn one phrase. This piece is quite repetitious, and the first phrase after the intro is repeated a gazillion times, so that if you learn that one phrase, you'll have learnt quite a bit of the piece already.

A good octave technique is required, but are nowhere near exhausting as the famous LH octaves from the Heroic Polonaise. Practise them hands separately if you don't have the technique. Also read this post by Robert Henry on how to play octaves: https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2230.msg20682.html#msg20682 Make sure the top note i.e. RH pinky note comes out above all the other notes, and make sure you phrase as there will be an urge just to play them as quickly as possible. Physically satisfying, yes, but it will play havoc on other people's ears.

As for section B, the Arabesque in the top register should be played pp and have a shimmering quality, but it's also important to shape it too. It'll still sound lovely without shape, but it'll sound that bit better with careful balancing of the hands and the various pitches of the chords.

[Rach3]

This piece is quite repetitious, and the first phrase after the intro is repeated a gazillion times, so that if you learn that one phrase, you'll have learnt quite a bit of the piece already.

But beware that the phrase changes its ending often.

Make sure the top note i.e. RH pinky

The best fingerings are a mixture of 4 and 5.

[nomis]

The best fingerings are a mixture of 4 and 5.

The best fingerings are dependant on the individual and the musical effects that are trying to be created. Efficiency is also a big factor too.

[fehrle]

1

[jon]

Hi, I brought this topic back up again because I was hoping that somone might  have a few more tips.The hardest part for me and most people are the quiet, waterfall like passages.The first few times it is pretty manageable with the flats but then when it gets to the sharps and then the white keys it gets pretty tricky.My main problem is keeping the hands completely even and together.I think this is mostly due to the left hand.I have tried many many ways like playing slowly,hands separately,forte ,and dotted rhythms.It has helped somewhat but I still want to be able to play them extremely clear and even the way it should sound.If anyone has any tips for getting it to sound fluid it would be appreciated.