Is anyone here playing the Elegiac Blues for the Grade 7 Piano Exam? Is it me or is there a huge reach in the left hand in the 2nd bar. Is it a low D to an F sharp and they are a ninth apart from each other. How do you do it?

Is D the lowest note in that stretch? why not play the D nearest F# or do you have to play the notes the distance it's written down in the music?

QUOTE (violingirl @ Jul 29 2004, 09:37 AM)

...a low D to an F sharp and they are a ninth apart from each other.

That's a strange ninth !

I haven't seen the piece but the usual approach when the chord is too large is to spread it (i.e. play the first note then the second one quickly afterwards). Failing that you can just leave out one of the notes, although it's best to avoid doing that if possible.

i agree... although, i can play a ninth..

My son has just played this for his Grade 7 - annoyingly he already has big hands at 14 and I don't think he needed to spread, though it certainly wouldn't be a problem in such a relaxed blues-style piece

Incidentally he played it with a "swing" rhythm which the examiner commented on - first saying it was a valid interpretation but then that it wasn't the "best solution". Still he got 27 marks for the piece so couldn't have been too bad! Good luck

It's actually a tenth
I found it easier to spread the chord quickly, holding the sustaining pedal and immediately releasing it. I got 26 for it in the exam and I too played it with a swing rhythm but received no comment on this...
Interested to know what others think about this...

Especially as I want to play it for my AS level music this coming year
The examiner did say it wasn't always "rhythmically absolutely precise"...