'Impossible' fingering

Composers sometimes delight in giving us impossible things to do and I am wondering how members here get around fingering problems that appear to be physically impossible. Let me give an example:

There are many Chopin experts on here, so take his Prelude in A major op 28 no.7. at the climax to the piece in bar/measure 13. The RH chord is a stretch but is possible using the thumb across A# and C#. However the LH chord (in my Dover score) I believe to be impossible. My hands are possibly slightly smaller than average for a male but I don't think it possible for any size digits to play the top E and F# together (along with the lower F# and C#).

I'd be interested to hear from anybody who has achieved this! I cheat by omitting the E!

 

That's interesting...and baffling. I can understand your problem - but not mine! I just tried it again and although the F#-C#-F# stretch is no problem I cannot in any way get my 2nd finger on the E without hitting E flat as well.

I agree with your first paragraph and as you go on to suggest, chord rolling works sometimes but doesn't necessarily always sound right.

 

I can see a smallish hand having a problem with the the RH chord. If you can't make that stretch, you're hosed.

That LH chord however does not seem a hand size problem. If you can easily take an octave, you should be able play chords like this with some practice. Maybe your fingers are just not supple enough yet to move sufficiently sideways. Perhaps bending your index finger more inwards will avoid it hitting the E flat.

 

Hello, Paul.
I was unaware that I'd achieved anything!

But no, the chord is not impossible; with both hands, I play every note simultaneously. But I'm 6"3' (~2m) and my claws are pretty much out-sized. :wink:

Have you heard of the chords that Rachmaninoff could reach? That's something else.

Pete

 

I just had to laugh at this from Chris - although I have only been playing (in adulthood) for about 10 years I'm afraid at my age nothing is likely to get any more supple! I take your point though that with practice these things are achievable.

I don't appear to be suffering from this problem but I do waddle occasionaly...quack..quack.

Anyway, tonight's practice session is to make my index finger grow another inch - I'll report back.

Thanks to all for responding. [/quote]

 

Yes! And by "yes" I mean "no".

 

Hopefully, I'll find you again, MA. I can't be serious all the time. Or can I? No, I can't. And by "can't" I mean "will". Wait... what?
Now I'm acting like a fool. See what you started, Paul? :lol:
Curse my random sense of humor!

But seriously, I'm on vacation from my piano students for three whole weeks, the little brats. Kidding; I love them all! (I especially adore their soccer-moms and have an extra special fondness of their football coaches.)

But sure Monica, we'll put our hands together (along with Nathan of course) and see what comes of it. :lol:

But back on topic...

An impossible fingering can be encountered in Shubert's Impromptu in A-flat, in the first few bars of the left hand. The same half note is indicated to be held by the LH while being played as part of a triplet in the right. Just a trivial thing, really.

Pete

PS: Monica, I'm hacking my left hand off right now, where should I send it? The Navy Pier? Try and have it back to me by next month. You could borrow my right hand too but I seem to be a bit handicapped at he moment. :lol:

 

Yes...and I haven't finished yet! :x

I just cannot and never will be able to get my index finger onto that E. But wait...I have a solution.
For this piece only I will physically remove the E flat key. :wink: I bet that's never been seen on stage - except maybe by somebody like Victor Borge.

"I only know two pieces; one is 'Clair de Lune' and the other one isn't". Victor Borge

 

OK, I'm serious now. Or am I?

Paul, may I suggest the following: try playing just the top three notes of the LH chord (A#, E, F#). This is easy, no? Then, while holding these notes (using them as a pivot point) try to pivot your hand to the left while extending your pinkie (so that the bones of the finger are parallel to their corresponding bones in the hand), to reach the low 'F#'. Reaching the low F# while holding the little note-cluster at the top, is the technical problem to solve, not trying to reach that 'E'.

I could say it another way; if the E is giving you trouble, then build the chord around the E. Play E first, then try to reach the notes around it. Whatever notes you can't reach while holding the E are your problem notes.

Let me know if this helps!

Pete

PS:

You know, since I'm sans LH at the moment, I had an opportunity to examine my right hand. I tried (and succeeded to!) play the RH chord (of the above mentioned piece) with a fingering of 12345. Not sure I WANT to do that, it was awfully uncomfortable.

 

Pete

At the risk of boring the rest of the forum to death I'll persist with this...

I tried what you say above but with the help of a tape measure I find that the simple truth is that the distance between keys F# and E is 14cm. The distance between fully extended pinkies no.2 & 5 is 13cm. There is NO WAY I can achieve that stretch without E flat playing along as well! As you say, the technical problem is the lower F#. No problem with the A#.

Not to worry, I'll just play my version as before.

 

I don't get bored with this line of conversation! (I'm a teacher rehabilitating an injury that occurred months ago, so my patience is unnatural.)

Have you tried rotating your left forearm counterclockwise to about 45 degrees and playing the low F# on the pinkie's left edge? There's a bit of gymnastics involved but if one can orient the hand and arm and fingers in such a way...so that you play on the left edge of 2 and 5...the chord is likely reachable. Try experimenting with some unorthodox ways of extending your pinkie and index finger (namely, with a greatly supinated hand.)

Luckily, the reach between 2 and 5 can be increased due to the fact that the hand is stretchable (even if you're old!) but don't go injuring yourself like me. :lol:

 

At the risk of continuing the humorous replies to a serious question, let me ask if anyone has seen this approach to playing Rachmaninoff. It beats trying to stretch one's hands (or grow new fingers).

Ed

 

:lol:

 

...and it's only slightly more crazy than my idea of removing the E flat key during the Chopin!

Due to ongoing renovation in the music room my piano is currently unusable so I haven't been practicing finger torture lately. Soon back to it though.