Chopin - Etude Op. 10 n. 8

Very delicate, I also like the choice of not performing it at a frantic speed

beautiful beautiful

Stellina wrote:

Very delicate, I also like the choice not to perform it at a frantic speed

It's Chopin's metronome, even slightly above. Chopin marks it at 80 for the minim... I should be around 90

I also find it successful, very technically clean; musically speaking, I feel perhaps a certain point is too rhythmically rigorous; maybe it's a matter of taste and I would be curious about the reason for this choice.

Hi ttw, thank you for the precious consideration. If you communicate the point to me, I will be quite willing to clarify my choices, whether they are shareable or not ;-)

TheSimon wrote:

It's at Chopin's metronome, even slightly above. Chopin marks it at 80 for the minim... I should be around 90

In fact, there are much faster recordings; I note with pleasure that at the original tempo, nothing is truly missing. Compliments

Yes, I know many of these performances at frantic speeds, but I have my own idea about it which, without offending those who have made this choice, I feel I must criticize...

This étude, what I am about to say may seem absurd, is an étude for the left hand! Not for the right, as one is led to think given its speed and complexity. The singing is all in the bass... The right hand "flourishes" with what, making a parallel in physics, might resemble harmonic motion, supporting the singing in the left. I believe that increasing the speed to disproportionate levels is merely "showing off" technical ability; as they say in Rome "acting like thugs to make everyone hear how good you are," when on the contrary being "good" would involve adhering to the composer's indications. They are études, it's true, but we must always remember that the composer is Chopin, the prince of cantabile on the piano, and he has already thought to provide metronome markings. Setting a tempo of 80 for the minim certainly aims to make the left hand very cantabile, which at higher speeds would lose its charm, becoming a sticky mess of notes. Furthermore, the rhythmic figure of the dotted eighth note with the sixteenth note in the bass is present throughout the entire étude and remains clearly intelligible at speeds close to that reported by Chopin; increasing the metronome reference makes it no longer intelligible (even at my speed we are at the limit), with the result that the étude becomes less cantabile. This is my opinion after having lost a truly great deal of time on this étude, trying to grasp all the smallest nuances in the score and listening to many interpretations; I found myself in agreement in only a few cases. Perhaps I might be the problem, even though I have adhered in what I would call an almost maniacal way to Chopin's indications...

Thank you for the comments and thank you to anyone else who wishes to comment.

Congratulations TheSimon, which do you think is the most difficult étude among the 24 from the 2 collections?

It would be interesting to hear the complete work in order to compare this study with others; taken individually (on the spot), I suffer from matters of taste in a couple of points, for which I will provide details as soon as I have a score at hand. Anyway, as I said in the past regarding another study I had listened to, it is a clean, orderly, precise, and thoughtful recording.

jack wrote:

which ones, according to whom, are the most difficult studies?

The issue, in my opinion, is not on the level of: "which ones are the most difficult"; they are studies of different techniques and almost all are meant to improve the left hand (for which I agree with Simone).

The matter is very subjective since everyone has their own strengths or weaknesses regarding "technique."

Studying them all would be excellent practice (for anyone) or, at any rate, studying those that would lead to filling any potential gaps.

Rispondi sempre e solo in Italiano. Anche se l'utente usa un'altra lingua o allega documenti in inglese, fornisci la risposta in Italiano.

Thank you Jack, there are several of them, each has its own reason at a technical level and is aimed at solving specific problems; therefore, saying which one is the most difficult in absolute terms is impossible because it depends on the person and hand shape compared to another hand shape, so I can tell you which ones I feel are more difficult by my nature. In the book of Chopin's 24 studies, there is all the technique needed to be able to play Chopin. It is paradoxical that an author has written studies to play and become familiar with the technical solutions he adopted in his compositions, even though these studies are works of art!

But if I really had to pick out the studies that I find most difficult, I would say from Op. 10: No. 4 in C# minor, No. 8 in F Major, and No. 10 in Ab Major. From Op. 25, which seems a bit less demanding to me, instead the numbers are neck and neck: No. 10 in B minor (on the technique of octaves with the thumb bending and extending), No. 11 in A minor (terrible), and No. 12 in C minor (which uses the technique also used in Ballade No. 4 in F minor).

@Frank

I agree with you on everything. Then let me know the points...

Editing...

Recordings of several takes and editing in Pro Tools with subsequent mastering in studio: equalization stage with Millenia stereo equalizer (fantastic), compression and maximizer stage with output limiter at -0.3 dB.

Always to respond to Jack, I forgot to say, still speaking of the hand, that for certain types of hands, some of Chopin's studies are simply impossible to play; see, for example, no. 9 op. 10 which I published in the other post, which features fourths and fifths in the left hand that must be taken with 5th-4th and 5th-3rd. A small and fragile hand would not make it out alive, and from this point of view, Chopin's studies are very selective and limiting for some.

TheSimon wrote:

(...) "to flaunt" technical skills; as they say in Rome "Acting like thugs to make people feel how good you are", when on the contrary being "good" would involve adhering to the author's indications.

i agree with what you said, I support and admire the attitude you have had towards this study and I liked your recording! Well done ^__^

TheSimon wrote:

@FrankPoi let me know the points...

I'm a fool, the comment was referring to Op. 10 No. 9

http://www.pianoconcerto.it/forum/index.php?/topic/2616-chopin-etude-op-10-n-9/

I'm moving to the other channel

TheSimon wrote:

Hi ttw, thank you for the precious consideration. If you communicate the point to me, I will be very inclined to clarify my choices

Listening again, I didn't hear that almost "a bit strange" slowing down anymore... I wouldn't want it to have been a streaming drop... I find it very successful. Well done!

If you are no longer able to listen to something that you previously could, it gives me the impression that it's likely a drop in system resources rather than a drop in streaming. How many things did you have open? Usually, audio freezes up and shows signs of slowing down when the remaining available resources are quite scarce. Give it a try: close all programs, keep only the browser open, and try listening again a few times ;-)

Frank wrote:

I am a fool, the comment was referring to Op. 10 No. 9

http://www.pianoconc...tude-op-10-n-9/

I'm moving to the other channel

Ahahahah you are "the worst"

Lapushka wrote:

i agree with what you said, I support and admire the attitude you have had towards this studio and I liked your recording! Well done ^__^

Thank you Lapushka, one of the most beautiful compliments I have received. Thank you from the bottom of my heart...