Ahh ... well, it's not virtuostic, it doesn't show off any technique, and it's only a clip (1 minute) recorded quite some time ago ... but I just felt like sharing some music

Chopin Nocturne op 72 nr 1:
http://f2.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/pshao01

There's a messy pedal at 0:25, hope it's not too bad. Hope you like it!

I like it so far! I'm learning the same one right now, so it's nice to hear another forumite's rendition. You play it a lot differently than I do. I think yours is probably a bit more what a nocturne should sound like. I would love to post a recording once I have it polished.

Question: Did you find it difficult to master the trill passage and the chromatic scale?

I love that piece! One of my musical goals this month is to get a recording down that I am not ashamed to share with close friends. I would not post if publically here though. Too critical. It's a beautiful piece. I've yet to *master* the 11 note chromatic run. I can do the first 3 runs and trills pretty well, but that last one with the 3 descending F's is a bear!

Thank you for your kind comments.

Luckily I did not find the trills and chromatics too difficult. Let me share how I practiced that section: First I messed around with it a little with the RH only; then I turned on the metronome and tried to match the notes with the metronome beats. Then I added the LH and pretended the LH was the metronome counting the beats. And then I worked on getting it up to speed. One thing I tried was splitting the long runs into sections, like, "ok this beat gets these notes, that beat get those notes" and sometimes it happens to be 3.33 notes per beat or 4.7879823409834 notes per beat (kidding) and that's ok. Also it's not detrimental if you use a little bit of rubato in the LH to wait for the RH. It sounds better to slow down and wait for the RH to finish doing its run than to rush the RH in furious pursuit of the LH.

That sounds like a good idea. A bit more realistic than trying to go by the mega-virtuoso recordings of Rubinstein. He just zips up that scale like nothing.

My problem is that the recordings I have of the piece just rip that 11 note run on page 3 off like lightening! It's breathtaking! I should probably back off and not try to meet such a high standard as well. I'm actually quite pleased with my ability to do the rest of the piece. I think that part falls at measure 31?

If you mean the one just after the descending run, then it is measure 35. The trill and chromatic scale are measures 36-37. I actually cheat on this one by skipping the 2nd have of the 2nd trill, and starting the chromatic scale when the lower voice in the right hand drops to the A#. Even then I still cannot pull it off properly! Lots of slow practice, I guess.

Yup - that's the one. I don't have the music in front of me. The ascending 11 note run with the descending Fs

Hi teachum,

The upward chromatic treble run in measure 37 is closed in measure 38 with a B octave chord - where are the "descending Fs?"

In playing through the nocturne I picked up on two notes subject to change - wonder if your edition makes mention of measures 24 and 48 - which should have the top note of the last beat flattened by a semitone - C# to C and F# to F respectively - the difference is like adding a spike of tonic to gin. Very subtle.

btb, teachum means descending F#s, and their in the left hand, while the right hand runs up to the octave Bs. I don't have a problem with the left hand so much as playing the right hand run without tensing up. This passage is, in my opinion, what makes this RCM Grade 10 material.

As for me, I run up the chromatic scale fine i guess

but i pause a little before playing the next octave

The real problem is playing the octave after the chromatic scale .. in my opinion

My favourite piece to play.

I'm so glad I'm not the only person to struggle that run. Took nearly 2 weeks to learn it!!

Teresa

Thanks for clarifying NAK - I should have said the descending F's in the left hand. I agree that is what makes it a 10. I was playing it for my 3rd graders today in class and I looked up and several little girls around me were swaying back and forth. It was pretty cool. They were really into it and so was I!

You know I have been thinking of those F #'s as F's for so long that I didn't even catch what I had said. Yes, they are F#'s. What a dolt I am. I do play them a F#'s!