![]() ![]() There’s more of a rhythmic tension, which is the effect the composer goes for. You don’t get that obvious synchronisation when playing 4 against 3. Those synchronization points definitely do help to keep the hands together. The first 16th note of each beat falls together with the first 8th note and then you have the third 16th note nicely landing together with the second 8th note of the beat. ![]() You can synchronize the right hand 16ths easily with the left hand 8th notes. ![]() When you have 16th notes over 8th notes the notes nicely land together. Easy peasy, right? No – at least not for me. The right hand plays a stream of 16th notes, the left hand accompaniment consists of a steady flow of triplets. The “Fantaisie Impromptu” main theme – notated to clearly demonstrate the 4-against-3 polyrhythm There could be various tuplet combinations, but let’s focus on the 16ths-over-triplets rhythm as needed for the “Fantaisie”. A polyrhythm is the simultaneous/parallel application of different rhythms and/or unrelated subdivisions. In the end, what’s the point of taking the effort to learn a piece incorrectly? Step-by-Step Approach Definition of Polyrhythmįirst, let’s define “polyrhythm” so we are on the same page. Especially since it’s a bucket piece, I was definitely willing to go the extra mile to ensure that I’d learn the piece correctly. I didn’t want to fall into the trap of “programming” my mind and fingers in wrong patterns and wanted to tackle the polyrhythm hurdle in a more methodical, step-by-step fashion. All you need is a good reference by a true master pianist and that sloppiness sticks out and you can really hear/feel the difference quite easily. While researching lots of performance and tutorial videos to get a better understanding, I couldn’t help but notice lots of sloppy performances that emphasized speed over accuracy and were full of incorrect rhythms. It doesn’t look that difficult on paper, but when you haven’t played pieces using that polyrhythm before it’s a frustrating initial experience. Triplets in the left hand accompaniment while the right hand plays 16th notes. The big hurdle however is the polyrhythm between the left and right hand. Don’t get me wrong, they are still hard to play, especially when you bring them up to speed and try to maintain the required lightness and elegance. Due to his deep understanding of the piano and the idiomatic writing many of the passages actually are not as difficult as they initially seem. But there are also extremely beautiful lyrical and flowing passages.Ĭhopin is such a master. ![]() Arpeggios, runs and speed – all the necessary ingredients of a virtuoso showcase. Similar to what happened with one of my other fav pieces, the Adagio by Albinoni (or not?), which I wrote an article about a few years ago: The Albinoni Adagio Mystery.Īnyways, the “Fantaisie” is a virtuosic piece. After reading the CD liner notes, I became intrigued and then researched the source. The funny thing is that I heard the “Fantaisie” for the first time either by Tony MacAlpine or some other neoclassical shredder. I’ve always liked the elegance and that nostalgic, yearning, melancholy quality in Chopin’s music. Frederic Chopin – photo taken in 1849 by Louis-Auguste Bisson ![]()
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