This piece is WAY too difficult for me to at this point, and I probably shouldn't even be looking at it, but this measure (21) has me interested...



Every time I've seen a video of this piece (by professionals and amateurs alike), they all play with the left and right hands broken, in effect playing every other descending interval in the treble staff, which is, of course, much easier.

But to my [grossly undertrained] eye, it would seem that everyone is playing it wrong.

Somebody set me straight!

(for clarification - here is how everyone's performances sound (and appear) to me)



Sorry, I have the tendency to completely over-analyze.

well if so, those students who use this piece in competitions would be marked down by judges, would'nt they?

and actually you aren't even allowed to change the piece

Huh???

There are other places in La Campanella where you can "cheat," but I don't think that's one of them. For example, the ridiculous 2-octave leap can be simplified by having the left hand play the bottom note.

I play it this way too--because that's how it's printed in the copy I learned the piece from!

Which edition do you have? I'm using Peters (edited by Sauer), but when I learned it I compared the Peters to a few others, and they were all the same in this respect. Also, every edition I've seen has the piece in G sharp minor, not A flat minor!

The second version is in g# minor (1851, S141/3).

The first version is in a flat minor (1838-9, S140/3).


Mel

It seems like the OP is learning the orignal, more difficult version. I like this version better BTW.

Liszt called the first version of the set Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini.

And he called the second version Grandes Études de Paganini.


Mel

Hm, I didn't even entertain the notion of there being a different edition (must've been very tired last night ). I'm referring the CD sheet music version, btw.

At that level, judges don't really care that much. They're listening to details, but in terms of how the details add to the overall character and effect of the piece. It's not like figure skating where bobbles and such cause a .1 point deduction. (There's no standardized point scale in piano, thank god!)