stephen Heller: Prelude in C# minor, Op. 81 No. 10

Having previously uploaded a few videos of Heller studies, I was interested to see that this prelude - a favourite of mine for over 20 years - is on the current ABRSM syllabus (2007-8). The piece is marked (per my Schirmer edition) to be 'thrown off swiftly and easily, like a pen-and-ink sketch', and it must be quite a challenge for anyone to go into an exam room and do that, from cold on an unfamiliar piano! I suggest that anyone playing this for an exam play particular attention to the last 11 bars, and expecially to the quality of the chords in the last 3 bars - which is the last thing the examiner will hear.
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Played by Phillip Sear
http://www.psear.co.uk

Category:

Music

Tags:

• stephen
• Heller
• Prelude
• C#
• minor
• piano
• classical
• phillip
• sear

[mymymyweb]

BRAVO!

[PSearPianist]

@mymymyweb Thank you!

[Htcgoodman]

My teacher sight read this in one sitting stumbling only once.

[PSearPianist]

@Htcgoodman Well, you have a very good teacher. I had to practise it to make the video!

[DrMyrnz]

You have such dexterity in your fingers!

[PSearPianist]

@DrMyrnz Years of practice, I guess!

[Htcgoodman]

@PSearPianist Haha I'm just giving you a hard time. I think this is a great video and it helped me hear the sounds of the Prelude at an exceptionally fast tempo! well done. She also has a Doctoral Degree in Piano Performance so it makes sense.

[SerephinaQ]

@daviddebonomalta The beauty of not playing for exams is that you get to interpret the song yourself instead of playing exactly like the royal conservatory cd. I am sure he obviously would have had no trouble slowing the song down if he wanted - personally I think it sounds amazing :)

Sorry for bringing up something from ages ago but I always find it annoying when people say there's only ONE proper way to play a song :p

[PSearPianist]

@thinkgreenlovepurple Thank you! I do think the composer wanted a fast tempo to give the idea of a 'dashed off sketch'. I wish you success with your study of the piece!

[thinkgreenlovepurple]

This is great, I'm learning this study right now and was looking for another interpretation, aside from the one on the RCM CD. I like the faster tempo, although I can't play it nearly as fast yet!