Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange
Musical Practice and Performance Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [chopin]

Chopin was a romantic composer who lived from 1810 to 1849 and wrote mainly - almost only - for the piano.

Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin was a romantic composer who wrote almost only for piano (he wrote a small amount of songs). He lived from 1810 tot 1849 and was born in Żelazowa Wola (Poland) but migrated to France due to the war with the Russians. He was buried in France, but because his heart had always remained in Poland, his heart was immured in a church in Warsaw as was his dying wish.

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Is it recommended to learn a piece you really like, but is way above your level?

For example, I really love chopin etude op 10 no 11, but it's way above my level. So is it recommended to play a piece you really like, but is way above your level? (I have been playing for three years)
Stallmp
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Chopin: marche funèbre bar 15 impossible place

Chopin sonata #2 Opus 35: Look at the left hand: Db from small octave and F from 1-st octave. Neither I, nor anybody of my acquaintances can stretch the hand so far. My idea was to replace F 1-t octave to F small octave. But this is a hack of…
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Mastering double trills

After many years of playing piano I recently encountered the double trill in Chopin's Barcarolle. I'm having a hard time getting my fingers to actually play them. Although I do have what could be called "slow fingers", I don't really have trouble…
codedude
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What are some tips for battling forearm fatigue for performing long passages of fast notes (keyboard)?

I am unable to play, for example Chopin etudes (most of them) and Fantaisie-Impromptu because less than 30 seconds in, my forearms fatigue. I slow down a lot and it is physically painful to proceed even at slower speeds. I can play any short passage…
Mickael Caruso
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What is a B-flat major chord doing in the key of A minor?

The piece is Chopin's waltz in A minor op. 34 no. 2, measure 70: We seem to be in the key of A minor due to the cadences in measures 71 and 73. But B-flat major is not in the key of A minor (right?). Is there a concept in music theory that…
J. Lenthe
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Chopin op. 28 no. 4 - bar 16 symbols

There are two symbols I do not recognise below the stretto in this excerpt: What are these symbols? And also, form what I read the stretto here should be interpreted as an accelerando, am I correct?
iddober
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Trill in Chopin Nocturne

Chopin's nocturnes have always been some of my favorite pieces of music to play. However, I was working through No. 17 when I came across this particular complex couple of bars. Particularly, the trill that is played over most of the notes in the…
codedude
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Was Cortot right about Etude op. 10 no. 1?

I was reading through Cortot's edition of Chopin's op. 10 no. 1 etude "Waterfall" (link) and on bar 25 (page 10) he gives this note: referring to these bars: I was shocked to see this because I have always thought this particular section sounded…
chopinliszt
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Chopin's Etude op. 10 No.1 - why the D sharp in bar 8?

In Chopin's Etude op. 10, No.1, bar 8, why does Chopin choose to have D sharp (D♯) in the purple square quoted below? Why not choose the more natural D there? Is there logic, a good reason, and expression behind it?
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Meaning of left parenthesis notation on chords

As an example, in the Joseffy edition of the Chopin Nocturne op.62 no.1, there are many instances where a "left parenthesis" is used in front of a chord. I have always assumed this means a rolled chord, but the usage is inconsistent as oftentimes…
MICHAEL WALTERS
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How should I play strikethrough notes?

I'm currently practicing Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G minor. In my Edition at the last page, in the sixth last bar, there are some strikethrough notes: How should I play them? I have never seen them anywhere else and in other editions I found (for…
Jakob W.
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How should I practice the piano piece Fantaisie-Impromptu?

It has always been a childhood dream of mine to play well the piano piece Fantaisie-Impromptu. Unfortunately, I was not able to learn the piece with my piano teacher while I was learning the piano. Recently, as an adult who is almost 20 years…
I Like to Code
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Beginning of Chopin nocturne no.20: slur and tie confusion

In the opening bars of this c-sharp minor nocturne, we have the famous descending scales that are played twice, first in piano then in pianissimo. Here's a snapshot (source) of the part in question: Question: The lower curved line connecting the…
Ellie
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How would you train for Chopin's Étude op. 10 no. 2?

This Étude is really painful for the right hand. Difficulty comes from medius, ring and little fingers playing chromatic scales while thumb and index fingers punctuate. The thumb cannot be used as a pivot while playing it. After a single execution…
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Ballades (Chopin) Harmony Question

I don't listen to much classical; however, I recently found this beautiful work by Chopin. I am wondering if you could help me explain a particularly amazing moment in the piece. Please refer to minute 26:00-26:10 for reference in the attached…
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