Group 4
Unlocking A deeper Understanding of Chopin's Music!
Together we will work on four etudes which can transform your approach to Chopin’s music as well as expand your concept of piano playing! In the first Etude from Op. 10 I will give exercises for tackling the right hand arpeggios, which will develop your ability to hear sonorities build upon one another across the entire keyboard. Through a discussion of Chopin’s use of the pedal and exploitation of the piano’s natural overtones, you will learn to pace yourself through this famously difficult work and achieve unity of sound within one harmony.
I will then focus on the Second Etude of Op. 25 where the lens will zoom in on Chopin’s use of polyrhythm and how this is integral to the fundamental “problem” of this Etude.
The discussion of the third Etude of Op. 25 will talk about the use of the thumb versus fingers 2-5 and how to achieve lightness and speed in this charming work.
Finally, we will revisit my lesson on Op. 10 No. 2 and dive even deeper into the secrets to being able to play this famously difficult work!
Improve your Chopin Etudes in Two Weeks with Henry Kramer!
- Sign-Up : September 14, 10 am PST
- Course Period: September 19 - 30
- Class Size: 4 Groups á 10 Participants
- Optional check-In via Zoom: tba
- Livestream: September 20th, 11am PST
FIRST TASK: SAY HELLO TO EVERYBODY!
Assignments:
Watch Henry's first of four assignment videos!
Download Cortot’s edition of Chopin etudes at:
- Choose 3-5 arpeggios in this Etude (eg c major, augmented 6th, a major etc)
- For each arpeggio show at least two octaves of playing each note of the arpeggio where you bring the thumb to the first finger joint of fingers 2-5 immediately after striking the key. For the thumb notes you should just play staccato
- Choose 2 of the Cortot exercises on pages 4 and 5 and apply them to your 3-5 arpeggio choices
- Share a video of you performing these exercices!
Watch Henry's second assignment video!
Watch Henry's THIRD assignment video!
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I practiced the first few measures. Moving the thumb in was much harder than I thought it would be.
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Henry kramer Thanks for the feedback! Will try again.
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I just posted Henry's video for the next Etude!
kramer group 4
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martin where can we find it?
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martin i cant find it!?
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Jazzmusehlers Let me see if I can share it here for you… https://youtu.be/qGNY6MIuHXc
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Andrea Buckland thank you Andrea
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Jazzmusehlers you are welcome
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Here is my endavaur….Rasmus
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I'm waiting for the host to start the meeting right now and its 8:36 AM. Did the meeting change or are there internet/zoom issues?
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Karen Monroe Hi Karen, I'm also waiting to be let in.
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Karen Monroe me to
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Karen Monroe Same problem here Henry kramer Dominic Cheli
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Maybe create a new link?
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Hi Everyone...just an update - I think they may be having some technical difficulties because I also can't get into the meeting. I'm trying to reach them. Standby!
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My body gets in the way of the last two notes of each arpeggio. Can I play those with my left hand?
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Grace Do you notice your right shoulder rising as you descend? Try instead allowing the hand to travel further into the key toward the fallboard. This allows the weight to transfer fully into the keyboard rather than go the other way up to your shoulder. You might also try experimenting leaning slightly to the left from the base of your torso as you go lower in register.
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Henry kramer andrea and i is on this link https://us04web.zoom.us/j/74528922787?pwd=4B4vwpanaZKY8RgFkPeCGIZdSGZQXP.1
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Henry kramer Yes, I’m trying to keep my shoulders down and avoiding stumbling over the black keys. I think I’ll try sitting more to the left of middle C…
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We could meet here https://us04web.zoom.us/j/74528922787?pwd=4B4vwpanaZKY8RgFkPeCGIZdSGZQXP.1
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I am going to my gp's office to get a cortisone shot in a finger at 2pm today. Will the Zoom session with Henry be recorded and posted here? I'll try to join in when I get home, but I won't be able to play with my right hand for a couple of days.
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Grace Oooh, I've needed cortisone also! I hope you are all better now!
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Hallo Henry and group 4! The focus on op10/1 was good for me. Get it almost in my mind. Not perfect, but much better than before. Couldn’t come to the zoom meeting, because I had to work. LG Kerstin
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Kerstin Sounds great Kerstin!
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Kerstin That sounds so good, so fluent!
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Natalie Peh Thanks. It is still a lot to do, but it needs some time. How did you do with it?
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