How to play Chopin Étude Op. 10 No. 1 — Step by Step

Bar 30-31... Any great tips on landing those accurately and reliably?

I'm also completely stumped by Measure 31. 

Dominic, thank you for focusing on this particular étude.  I flog myself into submission on a daily basis with it (in a good way).

I have a million questions I would like to ask but will focus today mostly on what seems to be the goal of the study.  I do not believe it is about speed but rather about playing legato while navigating wild open and closed hand positions. 

If you recall, I've asked you previously about those handful of accents and playing legato was actually the deeper question related to this.  I'll try to ask these questions again with the following points / questions:

1)  Playing legato doesn't preclude one from accenting individual notes?  Legato is specifically about how you join one note to the next?  Is this correct?

2) Can you give some advice, if you haven't already, on transitioning from the 5th finger to the thumb (usually).  I often hear, even in my own playing, a package of groups of four springing up, releasing and reloading on each beat (the thumb) rather than a smooth connection between the reload, if you know what I mean.  Any advice on this including articulation and the volume of the notes transferring between these groups (same or loud to soft etc) in regards to legato.

3) Can you speak about the role of the left hand in context of legato and voicing given the focus seems to always pull to the RH.  Should it play a more important role and how?

4) I believe I have confusion as to how to interpret time signatures and hopefully this question also points to how to play this étude better.  I'm generally confused about the difference between common time (C) and cut time (C with a line through it).  I know it's 4/4 vs 2/2 but mainly I'm wondering how you count this (the feeling of beats).  Both have four quarters but does it make a difference if you count 1+2+3+4+ vs. 1+2+ (as half notes)?  Should this étude feel like four beats per bar or rather two beats per bar?

A few less than a million questions but I'll stop here.  Thank you for your help with this.  I've had a last minute conflict with time so I'm still not sure if I'll be able to join you here live but will follow up with the recording if I can't make it.

Regards,

Doug

Sorry to add on here as Dominic might probably cover it but I just wanted to give a general PSA that often is not talked about until it is too late and that is about injury.  In my case, this particular étude has led to more injury and problems than anything else I play (which is very little)

Many decades ago I had carpal tunnel syndrome and shoulder/back injuries (and still do) and this étude tends to make playing it a continual problem.  If I'm not careful it flares up immediately if I overdue something and am not relaxed enough.

I remember before my injury by about the second page my arm felt like it was going to fall off combined with actual pain.  Being young I kept pushing and pushing despite the pain.

I'm no expert but I think it is safe to say that you should never play onward if you experience pain in your hands, wrist or arms etc.  For others it may be another piece but this étude seems to be the one that tends to reactivate my old injury.  

I unfortunately missed the livestream, but I mostly need advice on how to get my fingers to the right keys at full speed (I can play it at 50-65% of the original tempo) without sounding disconnected and staccato. 

Czerny's harmonic reduction of this etude: