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I have still not recovered from by right hand elbow injury. So meanwhile I thought I would revisit this left hand etude.

Before injuring my left hand too, I think it is better to post a recording and move on.

Hope you enjoy.

https://app.box.com/s/ac80bvyj91pv37pdqqye

You certainly have remarkable facility and agility in the left hand. The clarity of the playing is quite commendable.

While I think your basic tempo is not only appropriate but also shows off your remarkable left hand technique, I would like to have heard a little more "breathing" at the end of some of the phrases. It occasionally sounds rushed and breathless and, even at that tempo, it could have more openness, more "space" to it, if you know what I mean.

Nevertheless, a dashingly bravura performance; thank you for sharing.

Regards,

It certainly sounds like you have it under control, but like BruceD mentioned, there is a rushed sound to it. To me it sounds top-heavy meaning the right hand is serving more as the pivot than the left hand. The torrent of notes in the left hand should have a richer and more rooted/grounded sound. This has a very light touch, again, probably due to the tempo.

It is a very clean performance though, certainly the type that would make for a good CD collection.

Actually my main motive was Chopin's tempo marking.

Although today some etudes including this one are often performed under Chopin's indicated tempi because of the heavier actions and slightly wider keys, my intention was to imitate the period instruments of Chopin, hence the articulated and less sustained sound. Chopin indeed had to use the speed to create the torrent effect without the extra sustain available on today's modern grand.

I can understand that we are so accustomed the way this etude has been executed on the modern grand piano that my particular interpretation is different, but it was meant to be different.

Thanks for listening and your comments. I really appreciate the feedback.

https://app.box.com/s/b3d0g028zip0dln7g346

And for the intrigued, this is how my performance would sound in a very large room with very high ceilings. Typical of palace ball rooms of Chopin's time.

Great work with the left hand, I only wish it were louder.

Thank you for the comments.

I will give it another try and post again.

Hopefully next time it will be more expressive, dramatic and I will try to play the left hand more legato, also probably with a little bit more pedaling and with little rubatos where appropriate. Of course I will try to maintain my current overall tempo, with little ritardandos and expansiveness in pace with the harmony.

Dear Hakki,

I hope your right elbow will soon have recovered completely. In the meantime, your left-hand technique does not seem to suffer! Very impressive, good work.

I agree with some of the other comments, I would like to hear some more breathing which will also help to avoid the slight feeling of being rushed that it has at the moment. I personally wouldn't be obsessed about following the exact metronome markings. I am on a different instrument than Chopin and want to tell the story in the right spirit; following a tempo marking for me is just something on the surface. But of course there can be different opinions about that.

In any case, good to hear you playing. And best wishes for ongoing recovery!

I like the ball room idea! Never thought of it! Why wasn't I born in a earlier age... say, Romantic Era?

Took the words right from my mouth. Or rather keyboard...

Bumping a worthier post.