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I have a student learning this piece. I am unsure how to have her play measure 41. The only way to play the C# and reiterate the bass A is to have the RH come down for the C#. This fingering seems to be too awkward for her. If the LH plays the C#, we lose the A for the next 4 measures.

Any advice?

Dear Karisofia,

I would take the C# with my right hand (along with the A - ignore the fingering there. Your student would be twisting dangerously. Let go of the E,take finger number 5 on A and 1 on C#), half pedal, take the Bass A with finger number 5, then continue up to C natural etc...

The A is still gently there, but fades quickly. If you find the pedalling too smudgy, just add a very light touch of pedal. It's all you need.

Hope this helps.

Best,
Grace

I haven't played that in years. I really loved it once! I wonder if I can again? Or have I lost my naiveté?

Sorry chaps ... IMHO it’s eyewash to believe that the lower keynote A can be sustained over measures 41-46 as depicted on the attached copy of page 2 of MacDowell’s haunting "To A Wild Rose" ... a brief touch of the pedal to the LH arpeggiated strike of the A/C# is all the keynote A gets to support the score ... what is vital is the arpeggiated upper C# connection to the LH downward note sequence C, B, A, G#, F, E over m41-44.

In btb's excerpt...I have my students clear and put down the sustain/damper pedal at the beginning of the fifth bar, while still holding both the RH and the LH 'E'. This ensures both 'E's' are captured by the pedal (as they are tied to the next phrase). The C# is played by the right hand and the pedal stays down for as long as the LH 'A' is tied...as the music dynamically diminishes during his time, there is a drifting of the music into obscurity, only to be clarified and resolved in the bars that follow this passage, marking the the work's completion.

That's my take on it