appassionata trouble

[bekka]

Hi all, im new here, but have been reading postings for a while.  I have recently undertaken beethoven's appassionata, probably something of a landmark in any pianists life.  I am having exceeding difficulty with the 5th section (star of bar 64) of the 3rd movement. the tremolo in the lefthand of this section, how should i approach this?... does anyone have any adivce on how to do this at a pace on par with the rest of the movement? 

[lostinidlewonder]

Drill the action of the tremolo by neglecting notes. Practicing playing all the notes can make it hard at first, but if you neglect one of the notes then it all of a sudden becomes very easy.

Swap which note you neglect around the place until you can finally "trick" your hand into playing it with all the notes. The hand should be calm and controlled if you reduce the number of notes and as you add more notes you have to maintain that control. Pin point what combination of notes causes your discomfort and then practicing the action between those notes away.

So In your example:
Lh tremolo = (F Ab)  (C C) where the C octaves encompass the F Ab chord.

Practice it with:
1) F then C octaves
2) Ab then C octaves
3) F Ab and the lower C
4) F Ab and the upper C

Observe the movement of the hand when you play these four. Why is the 3rd and 4th practice variations so easy but the first two tougher? One would observe that 3 and 4 is more of a see saw motion (3rd one is middle of hand to bottom and back continuosly, 4th is likewise but from middle of hand to top), the hand can shake side to side quite happily without disrupting the physical action required to produce the sound comfortably.

However with the first 2 you find difficulty striking the octaves since this cannot be a part of a shaking hand, and in fact if your hand attempts to give bais and tilt to the left or right while playing the octaves you will disrupt the physical transfer required. It must be a middle to outside fingers action which requires controlled balance.

So when we play the inner F Ab we have to maintain balance with our hand not turn the hand to the left or right. One might be tempted to turn the LH to the Left a little since the F Ab shape, white to black can encourage a slight turn in that direction. This might not seem all together bad, but increase the speed and it is obvious if the hand is not keeping its centre.

So if you can simultaneously apply the relaxed touch you find in all 4 seperate practice drills then the tremolo should be easily played without strain.

[bekka]

thanks for the advice lostinidlewonder, very constructive... in my addition of appassionata the only advice the editor gives for this section is "this tremolo, of extreme difficulty for hands incapable of wide stretches, can be facilitated by no variant which would not produce disfigurement"... not all that constructive

[quantum]

I also add a slight "shaking" sensation to the wrist.  This helps relax the wrist and keep it from tensing up.

I'm also interested in how other people excucte this difficult passage.  Please add to this post. 

[dinosaurtales]

Yup.  These were a tricky bit of coordination all right.  I just did lots of slooooooow practice, concentrating on playing the notes in pairs, so they didn't "roll" at all, and playing them as evenly (in rhythmic sixteenths) as possible.  Once I could do the "basic" move, adding the little jump was another trick, because it has to fit into the even sixteenths as well, but you have to get your hand position onthe  tremolos just right after the jump or you'll blow the rhythm and chords -

oh, and concentrate on the pulse beat - i.e. the jump, trying to do the tremolos softer.  This is nasty also.  There are severl similarly frustrating bits in this movement, but trust me - it's a total blast to play once you get it to speed!