I played this piece in the past, well enough to enjoy myself, but not well enough for others' ears, so I'm trying to polish it up now. However one bit that I always just glossed over was Bars 43 and 44 - the trills at the end of the scalic passage in Bar 43 and the one between the two delicatissimo bits (for want of a better way of describing them ) in Bar 44. Anybody who plays this well - exactly how many notes do you play for these trills? My copy is Henle, by the way.

Also, what is the best recording of this to get hold of? I had one at one time, but it has vanished off the face of the earth, and I can't even remember who the pianist was. If I was to buy another, what would be the best?

When I play it, the number of notes I play in those trills depends on the tempo of the whole piece so that it sounds appropriate and I don't really count how many notes I actually play - I play at least five notes for the trills in the latter bar, any less and it sounds inadequate.

I have always loved Perahia's recording of it (in his Chopin impromptus CD).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chopin-Impromptus-...7084&sr=8-1

I don't play this piece, or have the music for it, but there are times when i like to know how many notes i'm going to play in a trill and other times when i don't, this usually depends on what the left hand is doing in the accompaniment. As for a really good CD, it's on Barenboims EMI recording of the preludes, widely available and only around six pounds.

Michelangeli plays it on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUnf19MQOdo

He does somethng annoying in the right hand part in the first few bars. I have not yet figured out exactly what - but it makes an odd sound. After that it is excellent. My only other criticism (who amI to criticise Michelangeli!) is that it seems very controlled and precise, and after a while you start yearning for a more carefree and relaxed delivery.


Well if you want to depress yourself, there is a good one of those on YouTube too. A phenomenal performance by a young prodigy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cH-GVcGvgc...feature=related

On repeated listenings Michelangeli is MUCH better, but heck EIGHT YEARS OLD!



You can count the notes in the trills for yourself!

I can't get any sound from YouTube at the minute. I've no idea why; the kids tell me that it just goes like that sometimes and then comes back again for no apparent reason, so I'll let you know what I think of the above if it starts working again! I'm looking forward to hearing the eight-year-old; I struggle to get eight-year-olds to understand the concept of ledger lines at all, never mind all the ones in this! In the meantime, I'm ordering the Perahia cd - thanks for the suggestion.

Having spent a little more time on this over the last few days, I'm realising that the number of notes isn't actually all that important, as long as they're light and the LH maintains its momentum. Being more of a classical player most of the time, maybe I just have a thing about knowing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing!

Thanks for the replies.

I got the sound working again on the computer and listened to these - and to be honest I'm not entirely sure that I prefer Michelangeli's performance to the eight-year-old's! Is the funny thing he does to have rubato in his right hand but not in his left in places? I don't think this works here - not that I'm one to criticise either, because I have a long long way to go before I play this half as well as either of these performances! But I agree with those who commented that it's most unusual to hear a child play Romantic music with such feeling. That child-like innocence suits for this piece. Michelangeli is more precise and has more consistency in his delicate touch - and some sections are inarguably altogether 'better', but on listening to each once, I have to say I enjoyed the eight-year-old more!

By the way, are you the MadMadMadTom who posted a comment? (I'd agree with it, by the way!)

Yup. That was me. Cheers.