Chopin Scherzo no 2: Create a master plan to bet to this level.
Path to the second scherzo by Chopin.
I’m absolutely in love with this piece and dream of playing it someday. I believe I can get there eventually, but I know my limits and that my motivation thrives on long-term goals.
For context, here are some of the more advanced pieces I can play well (with feeling and solid timing): Chopin Waltz Op. 64 No. 2, Op. 34 No. 2, Debussy’s Arabesque, and Clair de Lune. I haven’t tackled much Bach—only the Little Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999, and that was a while ago.
Right now, I’ve started Chopin’s Etude Op. 25 No. 1, hoping it’ll strengthen my lyrical playing for this piece. I’m also working on scales and arpeggios, aiming to aggressively boost my speed and technique. I’ve attached a couple of arpeggio excerpts from the scherzo that I’m focusing on.
My plan is to target the toughest sections of this piece—parts that stretch beyond my current skills—and improve them alongside complementary studies like the etude. I’d love to build a structured regimen to make this happen within a year. I understand that i am not virtuoso yet, but will need to be in this practice.
Would any professional players/teachers be willing to share tips or help me craft a practice plan? I’m happy to post videos of my playing if it’d help you advise me. I’d really appreciate any guidance!
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During the pandemic, I decided to try and learn Chopin's Ballade #1 in g minor with a background similar to yours. I spent hours taking lessons on ToneBase and at times got specific help to solve technical problems. Like you, I also took the long view and worked on this every day for a couple of hours. I never got bored because there were so many problems to solve and I was conquering them one by one. The piece is also very beautiful. After 2.5 years I can now play all but the coda , which is about half the tempo I would like. I finally started branching out to Rachmaninoff etudes, some easier Liszt and just started Chopin's Barcarolle. Ben Laude personally encouraged me when I started this journey and said that learning the Ballade would teach me how to play other pieces of similar difficulty. He was right!. Let us know how you are doing from time to time. I wish you luck!
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I’m a fellow amateur but can tell you about what I did that took my playing from about the level you describe to the point where I feel I could learn the 2nd scherzo in a reasonable time. For instance, I learned the 3rd ballade in the past 3 months to a level where I can play it at tempo, even if it rather lacks polish.
It took me about 4 years but since the pandemic I decided I’d fill in the blanks of my technique.
The first two years I focused on the well tempered clavier. Playing Bach fugues just does something wonderful in terms of connecting fingers and brain. He was also Chopin’s model composer.
Then after I could play 6 preludes and fugues pretty well, I moved to Chopin. First, I learned the Berceuse which aside from being a musical gem also provides a series of studies of Chopin’s go to figurations.
Then I decided to learn all the Chopin preludes. This is still work in progress but I’ve got there with well over half of them. The great thing about the preludes is they give you a great variety of technical challenges in very small doses, as well as being great music.
I kind of prefer taking the approach of waiting until things look easy to accomplish before putting a lot of work into something, rather than hammering away at a piece that is beyond my level, especially when it is a big piece. But that is just me.
That said, I think you will find the 2nd Scherzo relatively approachable until the last 3rd of the piece. From playing through it before, it generally lies well under the hands until the frenzy picks up towards the end.
We all learn in different ways and you’ll learn best doing whatever motivates you to keep going, but just wanted to share my experience.
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Jenny Harrison Leon I hear what you all are saying. I think this piece is approachable except for the speed. However, you’re right the frenzy at the end is pretty wild and maybe I haven’t considered that yet. Honestly, there’s always some sort of frenzy in one of Chopin’s pieces of music. It seems easy and then there’s some sort of section that’s real difficult.
I think you’re right about Bach. I can pick up invention eight, which I attempted a few years ago and got annoyed by my troubles, but I’ve learned a lot since then and as far as a well tempered Clavier, this is not sent me follow an order right? Should I not do the inventions first?
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Hi Micheal! I can understand you fully. Felt in love with the piece after I have heard it in the last Chopin Competition. Took me 2 years -on and of - to play it in a master class with Jarred Dunn.
What helped me a lot was to get more technic - had some lessons in rotation technic. And you need the right fingering. When I started to play the scherzo and right now I am on the 3. Sonata, I have a lesson one time a month.
Wish you a lot of fun with the scherzo. If you have a special question, let me know.
LG Kerstin -
How does one find the right fingering? Can you possibly post a copy of yours? That would be truly awesome!
