Etude in C (Chopin); Op 10 #1

One of my favourite of Chopin's etudes, and one of the more difficult. This rendition isn't perfect, and also somewhat slow; the middle section more so (how DO these kids play it so fast?? ;) ), but I wanted to post a few things to show off (so far as my recording equipment can) the new (well, used, actually) piano. Though you can't really tell fully, it is a rather better piano than my old one.

I've been working on this piece since high school. Every so often I play it, then go and cackle at my partner "I've played this piece THOUSANDS of times...... someday I will play it correctly!"

Category:

Music

Tags:

• chopin
• etude
• op
• 10
• #1
• classical
• piano

[Jilly88888]

Good grief Kami!! How on earth did you do that??? Brilliant work. BTW, I'm hooked on your Nocturne No 18 and listen to it at least 4 times a night. Have it on in the background while I'm on other sites. So soothing! Again, this Etude is played brilliantly. Well done!

[Kamibambiraptor]

You're very kind! :) How did I do that? Thousands and thousands of times practicing this piece over the years. But still not fast enough! If you look at some of the big name performers doing this piece, you'll see some remarkable things. ;) I'm actually hoping to repost a faster version with better sound soon. (Piano's getting tuned this weekend.) Got it down to 2:30 with not-too-bad accuracy. :) Glad you like the Nocturne; I wish Chopin had lived longer to write more things like it!

[drangel4life]

Good work. It has worthy to spend many years in learning this etude.

[Kamibambiraptor]

Thank you! I am STILL bashing myself against this piece, after so many years. It's humbling to see younger pianists than I on YouTube who can play it faster than me, but I'm not bad for someone who is not a musican for a living. (I've recently been making a push to see if I can take 10 or 20 seconds off the time, but it is surprisingly hard to break the speed barrier!)

[starkey7uk]

I like.

This is a very difficult piece and I slogged hard at it for about half a year before I got anywhere with it. Nice work.

[Kamibambiraptor]

Thank you very much! :) It is indeed a very hard piece; like most of Chopin's etudes, it's hard to imagine something more difficult. I've been slogging away at it for, um..... an embarassing length of time... (Since high school, which for me is about 25 years. :( ) I'm hoping to post a higher audio version sometime soon (on a concert grand, and with hopefully somewhat better playing).

[jkws]

Lovely long, slender, arched fingers. Wish I had the technical knowledge to make intelligent comments but as you know, I only play by ear, and am full of shame but not of knowleged. But I can spot lovely hands, by golly! ciao jk

[Kamibambiraptor]

I'd never intend to surpass Richter (now I will have to go and listen to his interpretation ;) ), but I've liked this piece enough for long enough that I'll probably still be at it 20 years from now. 'For what it is', it's hard to imagine something more difficult, but that goes for many of Chopin's etudes. I AM finding it possible to play faster on the new piano (a reliable action helps), so I have hope.

(*Your comments about your life that you've made make me so curious at times!)

[sagalat]

Very difficult. Especially if you, like me, intend to surpass Richter's interpretation. But you kept some nice accents (0:50-0:55, for instance, though I like more stoccato at 0:32) and melodic trains while avoiding the embarassing savagery of Richter. Good that you have a Partner. I had those once. Friends and wives, too. All gone now. Who can blame them? Have you tried Rach Vocalise (Richardson transcription)? Not so hard as this, but beautiful