Hi,

Ive been working on this particular ballade for some time now, almost a year and ive almost finshed it =D. Essentially, i have learnt all the notes and memorised them and i can play from the beginning to the presto part with satisfactory results. However, i am having huge difficulty with the presto part and even though I know it back to front notewise, the technical part is still the issue here. I would appreciate it greatly if I can get some practicing tips for that section. Thanks.

When I learned this piece, the only thing that helped me was practicing at slow speeds for a long time and then gradually increasing the tempo. Or I'd drill on certain jumps and leaps many times. And having it memorized is the only way (for me anyway) to play it. Good luck with this amazing piece!

Well, I am still laboring on this piece too since months. Same situation in my case as for Pianolady, I need to memorize the whole thing, but it is worth the labor - in order to play it on suitable occasions from heart anytime.

The Presto part: I do practise it from time to time again hands separated (also from memory hands separated). You could give it a try to raise the speed hands separated first. Now I am trying with metronome, put on half notes (I am just on about 100 BPM half notes, not really presto, but let's see ...). I find the groove tricky, but not so much the speed. I think that the Presto part is not that difficult, because the notes are "ergonomic" to play.

Are there special bars what makes trouble? Which bars? We could share our fingerings, if you like!

In my case I have trouble with the last 2 runs with both hands. Especially the last run, played in a decime distant. Don't get those runs up to speed right now, perhaps some months later

Hi Mindenblues,
those last two runs was one time when I definitely practiced hands separate for a while. Then finally played it hands together at slow speed and gradually increased the tempo. Now I can play the runs fast enough, but when I practice them, I have to remain with hands together so they stay coordinated. Also, have you heard others play these runs with various use of the pedal? Some pedal all the way through and the runs sound like a blur. In my opinion, I like a little pedal and pedal two or three times in the middle of the runs.

Someday, everybody here should submit themselves playing this piece and we can compare our own intrepretations. Oh darn, I just remembered. I don't have a recorder.

Well you said you considered joining the Edirol Gang. So go out and buy it and have no excuse for not recording it !

I'm working on it.

Hey thanks guys!

The pedal bit regarding the two runs at the end, i take 3 or 4 pedal breaks between the bottom and the top and i find that to be a satisfying sound as it doesn't blur too much while at the same time, doesn't sound 'dry'.

I practised a bit at slow speeds and i find it a bit easier, its just that when i play at normal or fast speeds, it just feels very 'tight'. I remember a friend of mine noted that my hands were spasmodic during that part, as if im strangling someone. Im mainly concerned on the actual movement of the hand/wrist/arm should be done. Should i raise my fingers and play the notes normally or should i rotate the wrist side to side or perhaps even the entire arm when i play those jumpy quaver octave + extra note thingys.

If you mean the right hand movements in the presto part - those jumpy quaver octave - I think the whole arm should follow so that the fingers and wrist play in same angle in every octave part throughout that pattern. For sure it will sound better if the wrists remain more or less relaxed especially in those parts. I believe that the wrist and arm should follow the fingers along those jumps.

How do you play the last single run for the right hand (before the both handed run starts)? In my case it will look crazy - I play it all the way with right hand until the last note to the deep G in the bass. In order to do that I try to bend the whole body to the left side, until the face is on left keyboard side and down to the keyboard area, so that the wrist remain almost in same position in order to not loose smoothness. Because if I try to switch to left hand it sounds different, and the left hand is not so well developed, not fast enough. If I would not bend the whole body, it would not be possible to play the complete run with right hand.

Just for extra information, this might help:

http://epubl.luth.se/1402-1552/2002/01/ ... 201-SE.pdf