My Own notes on Several works of Chopin

My Own Notes On The Works of

Frederic Chopin

This section will include notes that I have made on several of the pieces that I have played and studied. The notes will include things such as: teachers suggestions, fingering, tips on certain passages, dynamics, and/or interpretation. I will mostly be reffering to the bar numbers of the pieces.

Fantasie Impromptu Op.66

Approximate date of composition (1834)

[Fontana]

The Fantasie Impromptu is probably the most passionate of all the impromptus. Some publishers divide the left hand bass into tripplets, it is much better to think of these broken chords as sixthtupltes to correspond with the phrasing; also visually, it is much simpler.

The question most asked about this piece is "How do you put the Left hand and the Right hand toghther?" When first learning this piece, I found you would learn the first section Right hand and Left hand seperate and memorize this seperately. When you get comfortable with it seperatly you can then put it together. When putting this piece together it is a mistake to do this mathematically. You must make starting points in each measure at the beginning of each beat and the hands will play simultaniously only at that point so as to keep the piece folwing. Only make an accent on the first and second beat with your left hand, this will help you. All you have to do is to remember where to start and end a beat or phrase. Keep repeating the first bar until your fingers develop independence, move on from bar to bar from there.

At Bar 11-12 although you can have the accent on the last note of every group of sixteenths(starting with the last note of bar 11), it is preferable that the accent be on the beat.

From Bars 13-16 the accented noted should be held for the value of a quarter note, thus to bring out the melody.

Then from Bars 17-22 the accented notes will just get the accent.

At Bars 23-24 the melody is at the first note of each group of sixteenths.

At the section labeled Largo, do not play this section to slow, as to make it seem dragging; or to fast as to make it seem hurried, but rather at a moderate walking tempo.

Home