Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Rachmaninov c sharp minor for dummies....

i know this is a stupid question but...

i like Rachmaninov's c sharp minor prelude, the famous one with the big heavy chords, and when i asked my teacher is it worth trying, he sort of gave me his "maybe in the future..." look.

ive been playing for 3 years as an adult, not including a couple of years as young child...

i know my limitations, but i just want to know..is this something worth expending hours and weeks and months on, or should i be more realistic and stick with my beloved bach inventions...

i dont expect anyone to really tell me what i can play without knowing me, but i wonder has anyone else at vaugeuly my level tried it...

I played it after playing piano for perhaps 4-5 years... but BADLY. very badly. You know the thirds in the fast middle section, with a chromatic melody line on top? That line is supposed to be legato, and comparing to the other thirds following every beat, it should be brought out and the other thirds should be played quietly. I, however, played it with wrong fingering (no legato), and you wouldn't hear the melody because I played all three thirds as loud. My guess is that it sounded terrible...

It's a difficult piece, although none of Rachmaninovs most difficult. You have to watch out in the beginning to bring out the melody and not make all of the chords sound blurry. Same in the end.
I would wait a while with playing it.

Waiting a while is a good point. But you to get better, you have to push and challenge yourself.

All practice will make you better, but on this one you might just get frustrated. I'm at 3 years too, and that is one hard piece.

Maybe you could find a little simpler arrangement?

I just took up piano in February of this year and my teacher has just started me on this peice. Based on what I am currently capable of, he says I can do it. Hoepfully, he is right and I dont just get frustrated.

Clayton

I just took up piano in February of this year and my teacher has just started me on this peice. Based on what I am currently capable of, he says I can do it. Hoepfully, he is right and I dont just get frustrated.

Clayton

if u can play this after 6 months, consider yourself quite talented. how old r u?

for us adult(uhhh euphemism for ancient), i looked at heavy chords and the fast agitato middle part and wondered, why cant i do this...

i like playing pieces with dark emotions hidden (or not so hidden) inside... if only i could transfer that desire to my hands...

clayton

oh i see in your profile u r adult..my automatic assumption is that someone who learns so fast must be a kid.

i watch my daughters learn things in a few days, that took me weeks.

oh well...