Week 4 – Play Through & Share

Astrida Astrida, bravo!  Wonderful!  Very impressive.  I enjoyed this very much.

Now just between me and you, what's the secret?  How do you play the f to c in the LH with 5-4 fingering?  And you do it looking very relaxed as if it's nothing?  This is a bit of a struggle for me.  I can comfortably do an f to b in the LH with 5-4 fingering but f to c is so tough.  And then to do it for nearly four pages.

Doug Weiss Thank you Doug! 
I think I rotate the LH, but there is some stretch that needs getting used to as well.

Astrida I totally agree with Doug here on your 4-5 LH ... it looks so relaxed and fluid, and I'm mesmerised by both your movement and the sound of the music!

Astrida Well done Astrida. Great sighing figure in the LH thumb and clean trill figures and octaves. Has a driving, agitated tempo. Great to listen to! Thanks for sharing =)

Priya Viseskul Thank you Priya! My teacher said he has never seen anyone play this with 5-4 in LH, but I somehow like the feeling of freedom and agility this fingering offers.

Dustin Anderson Thank you Dustin!

Astrida Great playing, Astrida! It's a real challenge, which you've met with a moving, solid interpretation. 

Juan Carlos Olite Thank you very much Juan Carlos!

Astrida beautiful! 

Astrida this is really great already Astrida.  It seems like this Etude is all about rotation and you've certainly got that covered,, showing us what good rotation looks like.  And I'm so envious of those beautiful long fingers and the relaxed (seemingly?) manner in which you navigate those rotations throughout.

David H. A. Fitch thank you! Yours is as well! 

Peter Golemme Thank you! I must say that my left hand actually gets tired after practicing. I have normally devoted one hour for this piece, but also not every single day to give my hands a chance to recuperate physically. Once details are done, I can generally play it through three to four times and then need to stop.

Astrida this is beautiful! Your LH is so relaxed and the tone really even on those endless low Fs, I really enjoyed listening to it. Thank you!

Astrida It's easy to see how this piece could tire out your left hand.  But now having learned it so well, it becomes the perfect piece for practicing and improving your rotation technique -- however one does that!  you can use it to focus on methods of relaxation and other physical mechanisms, without having to figure out the notes and the expression while you're at it, because you've already got those so well learned and under control, playing it very beautifully. Leave it to Chopin  -- even when he's trying to teach us technique he can't help but make beautiful music at the same time.

Astrida I love your playing, and your fingering! I think Taubman would approve.

Astrida Very impressive. Controlled, yet passionately beautiful.

Victoria Macdonald Thank you Victoria!

Astrida very lovely though!