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Would you in general split between two hands an inconvenient run, that was written by composer for one hand for some reason, or play it as it is and keep the original “character” in tact (as suggested by Anton Kuerti and others) ?

If it sounds good, do it.

If you can play with your nose, and it still sounds how you would like it to sound, and it's easier for you, then play with your nose!

balalaika

Several years ago when I was learning the Un Sospiro, I divided some passages between the hands that at the time were difficult for me. However, my current teacher insists that I play the notes exactly as they're written in the score by the composer. So, I re-learned some passages and now they generally don't pose a problem. However, if I found some passages in a work that I simply couldn't negotiate any other way, I'd probably do just what you did. Generally, though I try to play them as written. Good luck!

You bet I'd split it. And I'd be in good company. I have seen a film clip of Myra Hess playing Beethoven's Apassionata sonata, and in the first movement she definitely splits certain runs between the hands in a manner not indicated by the score.

The character of a run is preserved by how it sounds, not by how you finger it. You should always choose a fingering that preserves the run's character.

Chris

I appreciate your response, Sam! But I won’t go for such an extreme as playing piano with a nose, especially on stage . Now it would be very interesting to hear from somebody from the other side of the barricades .

You spelled it very well indeed, Chris!

Many times I heard an opinion that you’d better play the place with one hand. It would sound tense and not as smooth but you would preserve the original “character”. Where are those who think so???

Only reason not to split to make it easier is if the piece is an Etude. Then there would seem to be a definite reason to play it as the composer noted.

Otherwise, "ad lib".

I've seen things divided between hands differently in different editions, so one should proceed with caution when playing "as the composer intended."

I usually try to play pieces as written - it's easier for my brain to play it how I see it. But, my teacher often tells me I'm being ridiculous and should split things up...

playliszt

So, if you are playing an Etude and your hands are small, than taking with another hand the note you can’t reach is no-no! I see…
:rolleyes:

Is playing notes in pices for which my hands are too small with my nose acceptable?

Not a recommendation, merely an observation.

When first learning Rach op23 D major I shared out the left hand in all kinds of ingenious ways - I soon found it easier not to. Similarly, yet to me surprisingly, I had always as a matter of course shared the filigree in Beethoven op110 1st movt between the hands - now I'm not so sure. Last time I played it I quite spontaneously and naturally played them with just right hand. I found easy.


John

It is sometimes necessary to re-organize fingering and the division between hands to suit your own hand size. But you have to be careful not to split the melodic line or get wrong accents as a consequense.

Surely it is better to split runs, arpeggios and even chords in a way that makes it comfortable, than to try in vain to make it with one hand as written.

I have even reorganised 10 % of the chords in Rachmaninoff's prelude Op 23 Nr 5 in order to shorten the jumps, which are my weakness. This I have described in details in a thread some months ago.

It is true that different editions can present different solutions. Urtext or Original should reflect the composer's intentions.

Remebemr that a piece for performance should not be a finger excercise but made as easy to play as possible.

Chopin: "Le tout c'est de savoir bien doigter"

dnephi

We are talking business here . Why won’t you open a new topic on playing piano with someone’s nose?

Bravo, Jan-Eric! I am furiously agreed with you !
John, we are talking whether it is OK to split. Nobody said that one have to

I think that as much as possible you have to play as written. I try to do that as much as possible.

But if it poses a great problem, I think that's fine.

sweet_melody
I understood you as if the original fingering takes the precedence over the end result :rolleyes:

I have heard several teachers at masterclasses at Mannes say the same thing. All the great composers knew exactly what they were doing when they wrote a passage a certain way in terms of how the notes were distributed between the hands. Therefore, they say that one should not redistribute passages except in the most rare instances.

Of course, one might respond that most of these teachers are highly talented performers and thus do not find it necessary to redistribute passages in order to make them playable. Yet I think that their point of view is the correct one.

Perhaps the most notoriously difficult spot that can be played easily by changing the hand distribution is the opening jump of the Hammerklavier Sonata. Yet every article I have on this piece has said that one should perform it the way Beethoven wrote it.

The objective of the Etude is to help one overcome inadequacies in techniqe so it would make sense to adhere to the composer's ideas.

As I stated before, if you are working on something other than an Etude (for a specific technical goal) then any scheme you devise to help you master that piece is not cheating; it's making music.

At the risk of sounding a bit shallow, I would add that splitting a passage should also be considered if it makes your playing look nicer.

Especially at the end of the piece, I often play the last note of an arpeggiated chord with the opposite hand, crossing one arm over the other. This looks rather nice and some people are impressed that I played by crossing my hand over.