I was thinking of different ways to share some reflections after my recent Chopin lecture-recital in western Massachusetts this past summer, and finally settled on this blog post. These were some lessons learned…
- Piano pedaling isn’t just important in Chopin repertoire, it can be critically important. An entire passage can utterly transform itself upon minute attention to pedaling, such as with a very-played piece that could, otherwise, be taken for granted, like the Prelude in A Major Op. 28 No. 7. Ironically, Chopin didn’t leave as many directions as scholars would have expected as to how to pedal his pieces, so players are often going by editorial suggestions which can run the gamut. Let us also remember that the Pleyel piano that Chopin played sounded a bit different from our modern day piano and this could have impacted the way Chopin heard his own pedaling. For example, the piano in Chopin’s time was smaller at 78 keys, unlike the 88 keys found in today’s pianos.
- It’s possible to play some of Chopin’s repertoire faster than it needs to be played, and, while dazzling, this can compromise the profound singing nature of so much of Chopin’s music. As a singing piano player, I was delighted to learn that Chopin enjoyed opera singing immensely. See my post on practicing the Chopin Waltz in D flat major
- Even the littlest Chopin pieces can pack a musical punch such as the “Cantabile in B flat Major” and, while they stand in the shadow of Chopin’s longer or more famous works, it’s still a poetic experience to play them.
- The sheer range of ways in which pianists play Chopin repertoire can present a formidable challenge when one is trying to discern if there is some kind of universally accepted way to play a particular piece. I was very grateful to prepare for my concert with the help of virtuoso Chopin player, Josh Wright, as it forced me to do some degree of musical dead reckoning (with his blessing) at the piano, after all my research of individual pieces. Even some of the most virtuosic players of all time can still have their own interpretations of Chopin disputed by other pianists. So the playing of Chopin repertoire can present to a player a subtle hotbed of daunting controversies that are probably all best forgotten about in order to finally summon one’s own conviction to play Chopin with expression. Do analysts talk about this enough? Be welcome to share your thoughts on this in the comments.
- The detailed demands of actually playing Chopin repertoire can deglamorize the grandiose, traditionally-communicated “romantic” experience of his music. My longtime view of myself as a musical “romantic” was transformatively shaken in the course of preparing for this recital. After having spent so much time technically studying his works, I came to feel a bit deflated of my romantic reveries of playing his music, and finally had to gather myself up and stay connected to my heart in order to emotionally deliver the music as concert time approached. I will just share a secret that I had a certain heart-shaped charm on me that day that helped me to remember to play the music with as much love as possible.
Hi! I’m Isabel Marcheselli, an artist teacher. If you liked this post, please “like,” “favorite,” leave a comment, or “share” it with others to show your support – it really helps me to reach others out there – thanks! Also follow this blog and visit my links at: https://linktr.ee/marchesellimusic
