Group 1
Unlocking A deeper Understanding of Chopin's Music!
Together we will work on four etudes which can transform your approach to Chopinās 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 Chopinās use of the pedal and exploitation of the pianoās 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 Chopinās use of polyrhythm and how this is integral to the fundamental āproblemā 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 Ć” 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 Cortotās 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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Thanks, everybody, for participating in this TWI with Henry! I hope you had a fantastic journey with the four Chopin Preludes and learned much over the past two weeks! See you in the next TWI, which we will announce next week!
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Hello everyone! Hope everyone is doing great. Look forward to following a recording of the livestream (I'm not able to join the livestream for the time zone I'm in) and look forward to hearing from everyone too.
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Hello everyone! Happy practicing Chopin etudes, 10-1 and 25-3 are new etudes, while the other two are review for me!
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Hi! I thought I would never dare to touch these things- so Iām very curious about the experience. Thank you, Henry (and Dominic!) for guidance and encouragement. And thank you, my fellow students to join me on the way.
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Hello Everyone! So happy to have this opportunity to learn more about piano playing. I love Chopin! Learning how to play is Etude it's a great challenge for me. Thank You for all this! I actually practice Etude op 10 #1 and #3. Cant wait to start those lessons with Henry Kramer.
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Hi springgrass Andrea Buckland Aline Valade ! I am trying to familiarise myself with these etudes, and it looks like 4 separate projects that will take me far beyond 2 weeks, but Iām excited all the same for this experience!
(Fun fact- Opus 10 no. 1 is the opening theme in the anime movie Forest of Piano. Anyone know if these etudes have been played in an other film or movie?)
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Natalie Peh I never knew about this movie. Thank you!
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kramer group 1
First Assignments are posted!
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Not quite understand the what it means "Choose 2 of the Cortot exercises on pages 4 and 5 and apply them to your 3-5 arpeggio choices" 3 arpeggio:
Am I on the right track?
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Great advices Henry Kramer, thank you for this. It helps me to understand more the use of the thumb and the 5th in this Etude. When I practice this Etude, I sometimes feel pain either in my hand or the 4th and 5th finger. Is it due to tension? Is it normal to feel that pain ? Is it like when we train, sometimes our muscles hurt, is it the same thing? Can you talk about that to us ? Thank you! I am from Montreal to!
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Aline Valade I'm having trouble with pain, also. I was going to post a video, but I'll take a break today instead.
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I am trying this out with few questions https://youtube.com/shorts/l0MbrlI-gRo?feature=share
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I probably posted the video at a wrong location before. So, repost it to our group
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Hi everyone, it is nice to have a group to practice with! Thank you for the informative video Henry. Advice on playing this piece if you have small hands would be helpful too (I can do an octave). Iām also looking forward to a video the livestream since I wasnāt able to make it.
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Alice Lin oops ignore the picture!
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Alice Lin Cute kid!
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Hi, here is my attempt. Please let me know if my movements are correct. I feels more comfortable to go up than down. Is it the pinkie that needs to āgreetā the other fingers when I go down? Many thanks for your help!!
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Andrea Buckland many thanks, Henry kramer ! Was great talking! Would be grateful if you could check in my video where I tense up. Thanks again!
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Hi Henry, and Group 1 friends,
I practised the regular arpeggios with the technique shown, and Cortotās exercises no. 1 and 9.
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I just posted Henry's video for the next Etude!
kramer group 1
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Thank you so much for your wonderful teaching which helps me greatly.
I have questions upon the thumb kissing position.
I wonder if I should play that position with completely relexed hand both up and down? How fast we need to play? If then can you show us how or let me know the ways.
I wonder if you apply that position for actual playing of Etudes or everytime?
I guessed one of the purposes of the positson is to have a relexed hand. Especially when we do not press or hold the thumb.
I do not know if it is right or not.
Also I agree it is a great way to have a stronger sound of fifth finger.
Please let me know what other cases we can apply this position when we play the piano and show us how.
Also please summarize the benefits of this position.
Appreciate it.
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Ko Hello - these exercises are really just to study how the hand must be on the keyboard. Therefore, do not try to play fast. It's a way to learn how to truly "stand" on your fingers 2-5. As a general rule, your hand should be relaxed at all times when playing.
"I wonder if you apply that position for actual playing of Etudes or everytime?"
- This exercise is like taking the microscope to what is actually happening in fast playing. Therefore, you wouldn't be able to necessarily see all these motions in fast playing, but you do the exercises as a way to begin to understand what the hand should feel like in rapid playing.
Ko said:
I wonder if you apply that position for actual playing of Etudes or everytime?Yes because in fact, this is a general rule about piano playing, that the thumb must release in order for the other fingers to sing.
We can go over it more at the next check in.
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Henry kramer Thank you so much!!
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Does anybody else in my group have problems with the zoom meeting? Did I get the time wrong?
