Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Rachmaninoff Opus 23 No 1, prelude in F# Minor - Help!

Hi everyone, this is my first post so not quite sure if it's in the right place.

I have recently picked up this prelude and expressed an interest in it to my teacher. It is extremely beautiful and probably my favourite from op. 23

It is highly chromatic and in some places my fingers get tied up. That's what I need help with. Has anyone played this prelude and could offer me some suggestions? Even if you haven't played it, maybe you could help me out by taking a look at the score; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bfbUlAXfGU

There are 2 parts I have come across that I am struggling with slightly. The first is bar 6. I struggle to jump to the last two chords (D#, F# and B#) and then (D natural, F# and B natural) with a c# breaking them. I use 5th and 2nd finger to play the A and C# that comes before (as a result of the progression downwards, I cant see any other fingers I can use) and then can't get my hand across quick enough to play the next chord. Any fingering suggestions?

Also having trouble getting into a comfortable position to transition between bar 14 and 15. It is hard for me to get comfortably to the root f# minor and then the a major inversion, whilst I have my right hand crossed over the top..

(Also if anyone has any suggestions on this; playing the alternate g# and a natural with the thumb, in bar 4 and 10, results in an accent. How can I make this sound smoother?)

I hope this makes sense, I haven't got to grips with all the musical terminology yet haha

I know its a lot to ask but I would appreciate any help Thanks!

I tried the fingering in my edition by Murray Baylor and it seems to work OK.

Last three LH chords of measure 6: 3(4)-2, 5-4-2, 5-3-2

Last three LH chords of 14 and first chord of 15: 4-2, 3-2, 5-3, 5-3-2

It may not be necessary to hold the lower note(s) in the LH chords with your fingers since one can hold them with the pedal. This might make fingering the more difficult spots doable or more comfortable.

I will try them out in the morning (It's too late here to be playing the piano hehe)

Just tried to run it through in my head and I think that may well work better, there's no finger markings in my boosey and hawkes edition.

Thanks for replying!

You might look at Ruth Laredo's edition from Peters. Not only did she go back to the first editions and autographs and correct a lot of errors propagated by the lazy Warner Bros. publishing firm and their ilk, but she added her own fingerings as well.