Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner What is your Achilles' heel in the piano repertoire?

Oh another piece that always "defeats" me - the Scherzo from Chopin's 2nd Sonata.

Parallel thirds, parallel fourths, octaves, rapidly repeated (large) chords, contrary motion, big stretches, awkward key. It's ALL there. :b: Intensive practice always left me feeling worn out.

I've actually performed it quite a few times, but never to my satisfaction.

Hmmm...

I have never been a very good Boroque player...

I would say the Prok 2nd is my Achilles Heel =D

My biggest Achilles' heel is strangely in a relatively easy piece. In the first movement of Bach's 3rd partita, there's a section where the main theme is transposed up a fifth (from A minor to E minor), and on the left hand, I have to play an A with 4, a D-sharp with 1, and the G below the A with 1! To play it, one would have to slide the hand over, but I always overshoot it, and I actually did so when recording it. I've never quite been able to pull that off, though I can do most things.

All of Gaspard de la Nuit by Ravel. I swear... I mean, my hands can play it fine, it's just my brain doesn't comprehend it. So in turn, when I play it for people they think I do a fine job of playing it, but they don't understand the amount of awkwardness I have to go through to play it.