Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Schumann Recital Supportive Thread.

I don't know what strategies you've been using but if you've not done this in block chords yet that would be my first port of call. Block chords means moving the whole hand over the chord at once rather than one finger at a time so the speed isn't really an issue. If the hands are already over the keys nor should lightness be.

Using chords you're more likely to use arm weight than fingers. Larger muscles can control the dynamics better and you'll be able play very lightly then gradually start rolling the chords, up in LH and down in RH, again leaving fingers out of it.

I suggest you work initially in groups of three then four chords, starting at each half measure just for a line or two. You don't have to do much to develop the right arm action. Once you can slow the roll down to the time it takes you to change chord, there's your tempo.

Wimpiano

zrtf90 is right on the money.
Block chords is the strategy number one, so your hand gets used to sequence of chords instead of thinking about each single note.
Once you have the block chords done properly, the rhythmic variations on the group of 3 notes to gain speed and control at the same time.

+2 on block chords, and practicing in rhythms.

Often if it's a problem of evenness, it's an issue of fingers being uneven, or rather, flatter. Since you have to hold down a note with your thumb in the RH while playing other notes with fingers 3-4-5, it may be that the fingers aren't contacting the keys at the same level and some some are pressing down sooner than others. I would practice playing without the thumb and see if you can make the moving 8ths even. If those are good (and if not, practicing in dotted rhythms will help), then the issue is the thumb. What Id' do is play the thumb as if it were 8th notes too, so every time I play a note in the top voice, I also repeat the thumb and make sure they are playing evenly that way. Then work on holding down the thumb but keeping the same evenness in the top voice.

Be especially careful of any collapsing joints on the top fingers (3-4-5), and that you are not playing finger 5 on the side, but the tip like the others.

Today's recording efforts seemed like an experimental verification of Murhpy's law. I completely expected the difficulty that I'm having performing the piece acceptably, but I'm a little surprised that there seems to be an additional infinite number of things that can go wrong.

It seems I have a problem. I've had an elbow pain for a couple of months now, it comes and goes. What I just realized is that it comes from practicing this Schumann piece which is a real challenge for my right hand. I spend about an hour on it yesterday and woke up with pain again. Sigh...I should do very small sessions but there's so little time left...

Many people will recommend glucosamine and chondrioton sulphates

+ MSM supplements for effective relief from arthritis pain.

They are used by vets on arthritic dogs and cats although not conclusively tested for humans. But dogs and cats don't lie. . . .

Robert Schumann himself suffered from a severe hand injury which prevented him from pursuing a concert career. It might have had to do with his own music. (Although possible mentioned reasons include: A mechanical device he built to help him train finger independence and syphilis medication.)
Yes, some of his pieces hurt me too but somehow it goes away after I've been playing it long enough..

Robert Schumann himself suffered from a severe hand injury which prevented him from pursuing a concert career.

Nope, I am not, however my better half is (still) less advanced at the piano. I have no doubt however she will catch up soon and leave me far behind .

well, I got the bad thumbs too. Diagnosed with arthritis (doctor never even looked at it properly) piano is the best thing for it IMO. But not Schumann. Or Grieg. Or Tchaikovsky. . .Mendelssohn was OK ha ha

We could start a Schumann related injury club!

Class action suit?!

We could start a Schumann related injury club!

Class action suit?!