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Months after I 'finished' this piece I still play it regularly and I think I'm still improving a bit.
The hardest part to play well is still by far the middle section. Especially at the end of that section: the downward chords and the couple of measures before that.

And the physical part is quite true. I definately 'trained' some specific arm and hand muscles with this piece ... or maybe I somehow greatly improved my technique. Because at first I really couldn't play the third section forte, without getting terrible strain in my arms.
Today I have much less problems playing octaves/big chords for a longer period.

I can say the same about my technique with fat chords - my stretch and comfort improved a lot. I have, however, observed a certain thing in my playing. I HAVE to rest from playing this piece a bit. After getting to the peak I started playing the middle section worse and worse... I guess it was just too much. Unfortunately, the recording wasn't done at the peak, as I didn't know then it will get worse ;-)


M.

I agree with you all. I haven't played this piece consistently since I finished it, and now when I do, I can't quite make it to the end at tempo. It's much more physical than other pieces I have played. I'm glad people are still working through it.

I went to a symphony concert last fall, and at the end the pianist (Garrick Ohlsson) was called back on stage for an encore, and this is what he played. It was the first time I had experienced this--a piece I can actually play was performed at a professional concert! It was a great feeling of satisfaction, and I really do want to keep this one up.

Nancy

This piece is really taking a back seat for me, I've been fiddling with it for about 3 weeks, when I started it I thought I should have it down in 6 months, but I'm starting to think that a year or longer is a more realistic goal. This piece is way above my playing level. It's frustrating to try to play something I can't comprehend so Ive just been going over it a little most days, and as slow as progress is, it is getting easier.

Bump!!! Hate to do that but as this is a "Study Group" I guess its OK?

I never really finished this piece, I just didn't have the chops for it way back then! Recently the fact that it was unfinished has been nagging away and so its time for a second attempt. Previously the 4-staves section proved my Achilies heel and I never could get to play fluently.

So I've been working hard drilling away at the 4-staves setion for the last two-weeks. I'm going to re-learning it back to front. So now its on to the Agitato section...

Is anyone else working on this piece?

Hi Elwyn,

I have not played this piece in perhaps half a decade, but I do remember the troubles that I went through with this piece.

Just like you, at the time I didn't think I had the ability to play this piece. I made the jump from Mozart's Alla Turca to this montrosity!.

Needless to say it was the best decision I made in my musical life, because it made me understand that no piece is out of my reach if I set realistic goals and fulfill them through practicing (and motivated to learn it).

As for the Tempo Primo section (4 staves), the two big problems I found with that section were stamina and fingering.

This section needs to be played fff to ffff, which pretty much means the maximum that a human can play =p. But since you are learning this piece, it may be easier for you to forgo the dynamics and get the notes right first.

I can recall that there are some questionable and tough chords to be played. Sometimes its ok to remove a note here or there, just make sure its not the note that carries the melody or deconstructs the harmony in a significant way.

Once you slowly begin to memorize the chords and you are comfortable looking away from the notes, you may want to try inserting the dynamics.

I always felt that the Agitato section was the most difficult. It's hard to play the notes soft while emphasizing the melody (E, D3, D, c#).

<<Once you slowly begin to memorize the chords and you are comfortable looking away from the notes, you may want to try inserting the dynamics. >>

I've successfully memorised the chords for the 4-staves secion, but cannot remember them fast enough or just not necessarily in the correct order ;-)

I'll give it a go.
I printed the version from "misc" on page one but notice that there are several versions and the one I printed doesn't seem to have the full chords at the start. Its going to take me a while to catch up. (I'm currently working on several other things) Maybe some of the folks from "Clair de Lune From Scratch" that are waiting for lessons to resume will join in while they are waiting.
Julius