This is a prelude that I've been playing for a couple of months now. I've got the first two pages down without a mistake, but on the last page, I run into some problems. I can play it, but I leave out most of the high right hand notes. My fingers just can't always reach that far! I play only the bottom two notes of the treble clef chords, and the repeating G# note in the bass clef with my right hand. Getting the bass clef chords with my left hand is no problem. Are there any ideas on how I can improve on this?

jgoo:

This really is a problem, because in the last 16 bars of the c# minor section the upper notes of the right hand are[/b] the melody, and what you are playing is essentially the accompaniment. I can only surmise that you have a small hand, for, except for six chords where the reach is a 9th, there is nothing more than an octave to span.

This is a piece where I don't see that anything can be left out; the g# has to be kept sounding as it gives the pulse that gives this piece is gentle but continuous impetus; the inner changing harmonies are essential to the texture and color of this section and, of course, the RH fifth finger has to keep the melody plaintively singing above all the rest.

Now that I've told you that IMHO you can't leave anything out, I don't have any suggestions as to how you can solve your problem. I hope some others will have some insight.

Cheers!

Hi jgoo,

I think we may have the same size hand, as these octaves cramp my fingers sometimes too. But if you can span an octave, you should be able to get the middle fingers where they’re supposed to be. There’s two tiny tricks I use to make it a little easier: in bars 64-65 where the chord is g# a# c# and g#, you can take both the two lowest notes with your R-thumb, and where there’s a 9th reach in bars 72-75, I just skip the accompanying g# once; when you play it fluently, who’ll notice? I won’t let such a detail prevent me from playing this prelude altogether.

Hope this helps, regards, Thea