The Chopin Technique

(1)

^S^M^^S^jfej

To

Arthur Friedheim

SCHIRMER'S

SCHOLASTIC

SERIES

VOLUME

9 THE

CHOPIN TECHNIC

A

Series

of Daily

Studies

Based

on

Difficult

Passages

Taken

from

the

Preludes

and

Etudes of

Fr.

Chopin

By

HENRY

LEVEY

«

(2)

PREFACE

"The

fitudes of

Chopin abound

in passages

which

may

be turned into exercises."

Lecouppey,

in _1878,

was

among

the first to suggest that these beautiful passages

might

be so utilized. [Lecouppey,

"The

Virtuosity,"

Schirmer's Library, Vol. 70,

page

_15.]

The

great technical value of Chopin's compositions, apart

from

the

intrinsic greatness of his music,

must

be apparent to the student

who

seriously

endeavors to master the purely technical difficulties so constantly encountered

in their study.

The

author of the present

volume

has not

aimed

at completeness, as this

would

entail a compilation

of

almost interminable length; but

he

has

sought to extract,

from

difficult passages, the very essence of

what

is

most

likely to be the cause of trouble.

The

transposition of every exercise is absolutely essential,

and

in this

respect the author lays claim to a completeness not

commonly

found

in

books

devoted to technic. Unless written out note for note, teachers

know

full

well

how

hard it is to get a student to transpose even the simplest of exercises.

The

use of the

same

fingering in all keys has the sanction

of

almost all

authorities.

This

difficulty is at

once

exaggerated

and

simplified; simplified,

because the pupil is not

compelled

to study

anew

a fingering peculiarly

adapted to another key;

and

exaggerated, because of the obvious difficulty in

frequently placing the

thumb

on

the black keys.

Octave-passages have not been included, as in Kullak's

method

the

subject has

been

admirably

and

completely treated.

The

order in

which

these exercises are to be studied is left to the

discretion of the teacher.

The

mastery of these special difficulties should enable the student to

conquer

the purely

mechanical

side of all great composers, as it is almost

universally conceded, that of all writers for the piano,

Chopin

remains

technically, as well as musically, preeminent.

H.

L.

New

York,

1908.

nwi

HAROLD

B.

LEE LIBRARY

BRSGMAW1

YOUNC

ERS1TY

(3)

The

Chopin

Technic

I.

Exercises

for

the

Equal Development

of the

Hands,

for

Turning'

Over

and

Under,

and Extension

of the

Fingers

[Etude

Op. 10, No. 12]

Henry

Levey

3

54 i

4 5 3 4 a 3

1

1 "'"•"•H

I

JH^TtH

f

H

fl

Ff

**^-*

f

3 ggJt

I

ii

I

*

1

(»-"k

m

#->i

*

: :&>

*

:uk*

ss

m

3 5

123512

^

ii

«

ii'"'

l

J

W

J.

J J

W

J.J

'"V

^

PftJ.JJ

^

:

1 R

ill

1 •

3*543

54 0-0

i

_\1

Bpjjjji

1 J

J J

J^TJ

: ii : tt

itH^J

J J

^

_{J J}

:ii :

i

J

ij

J

H

J

; il

#

•i

i

iJ"

J

»J

:||:U

r ,

. * r

- .

: |

|^[»^j|

r

»

gTgp

j

sa> I 'J

J»

'<

JU

J

"II

-yHtj

p

-If**-1

sH

2

^i

*

"l

1 t

=^i

^#

Practise with each hand separately, at first; the left hand an octave lower.

The fingering

-given in the first measure of each exercise should be strictly adhered to in all the keys.

(4)

1 5 4

ISS!

a^:

ii

v

r

ff^^

*w^

fe^i

_?

?i

m •

i

#t

I

*

tyflM

fy

tgffi

j

l

M

l

E

fi

P*

#

-£#-2 8 * 1 2 :

^

3 '

7.3t

4 ₅

£

1

i

1 3 « 3 t ^ ₄ ₁ ₂

*

i^ii

N^i

if

gf

cJtiLT'tt

fJJri

rfl

1

i

jif

Sir

^

'

i

t*e

b

£e*

fe£*

20197

(5)

[Etude

Op. 25, No.2~]

&

>

_F

_m

_l*

#

i

I

£

CS31

I

s

b

J

B *1

j

n

j

Jt

H

r

rr

tj

^M

t

jj

jjjiir'rrfrr"

!

*

jujp

rrr

vr

r*y]W

ms

!

^

i

4 nznvfttvm

*

_*

m

nfrr^rr

i

tete

te

:II:pi»

r »

« •

£

9.

I

14212

3 1 2«2 3 1

]J

JJJ

H

O

^#

£

1 2

4^l2

* 3 P

#

J

y

Ji'J

J^U

_^

L^iXJ

tfJ^

tJj j,

£B

*

^

J

£

y^t

_fip

iJJ^n^JJJctfgJfl^

ttrr.

_u

.^

b.-J>

::«

«***

10. iM

143 234143234

7 2

r%

3 2 7 2

;•;

2

^^

^r-

"ff

I

a

*-ffi

• »

• » m

A

m

Hi

^1

w

I

J J * J * J J J

jS

| •

4 »*

eh

g

#--#

_Xf

_*

#"»

^

j!!

• p * « m

0-^h^p

\'n

>

i

l

^£

^m

0=^

I

(6)

'Ill

11.

,<

3 4 2

i^

1 4 2 5 i o

i

*

t*fc

H

f

«

» J

*

• 1**1,1*

*T**

If*

*

E

_gjBEfi

i

l»

ffr

I

F=^

«^*^

«H*

P

rti

fctt*

Hi

I

#£=£

ffle

i

f¥fV

p*

S^

f

£

4 I

_I

.b

r

r'Tcrrrfr

:|:<

^

llr<>rr|,<t i ,

r

il rriti-ftr

a

«H»

p5

**-•

*

i

te

_llirr

_r

r r

: ii :

r

1 1

S^^^B

1

1 ^tfr

^

r r

r^

\>

,

..

£$m^

#

fete^

[Etude

Op. 25, No. f]

2 3 2 3 |?

It

₄

b

irf

r

aJ£Jg

,r

H

f>r.

p

F

13.

•

» _-J[

IIHII

HSH

_i

1 f

_£

i ₃ ₂ ₄

n

*

1 I

I

a

i

* 3

L?

3

t

jfc b

_k.

b*

14 IT

₁

—

₁

1

gg:

J

; <p p :||:

₁

I

p#-jE* Z

p#

§

3

2*43

5

p#

^'0197

(7)

5 ₂ 15.:

±A

2 in

mmm

_§

i

£

₁

*

J:

_||;

JbJ

p|

$

#

'•

«

fc

4**4

5 2 _fc

£

4 I

bi

1

is

*

i

p^pff

t

te

^E^

1 I

^^

•

.11.

*

g:

—

jr

5 _s

F

16 *

a*

1 _$

p#-

1

11 q

1 k

₅

£

^

1 mm

»

—

_r=: v, 4

w

4

k

i

I

b.

i

#

J

-ll-Tl.

>

b.

li§S*ili^E§iSsil

i

ji

_S

i

r

—

e

o <> .,

—

'la

17.

t

#

i

1 i

8*-.

5 "£

j

I:' »Jli

T[]]

fl b,

1

Ot-Xiz

!fc

b

!P^P

i

^^

_S

«=p

CO

2 1 3 5 a *

18 _isE

M=a

a>

j>,»,

'

I

"bj*

w^t

I

_w^^fulf^iii

^tj

h

•ttp

I

4 ₄

H

g£g^

(8)

2i

4 [Etude

Op. 10, No.

_5]

fJjJIt'Cli feJ

s

P

t^W*

i - 2 4 a

^

-

Tif

&a'

g

pS

1 ₅ ₁

—-«

5 S

HB

O-m-w

m

^g

PPFP

g

IS

*

$

t^rjj'J^J^

F

ji

ii

^r

^

!

jjj

J

3 ]*

_^eL-J^PI

fl'wi

J/i^I^

i

(9)

23 •pi

2 *

m^J

l

0^i

5 0-

m

-0

2 4 4 «

-r*

i

*-4TT»

2 * ₂ _„

^4

4

SI

1 Q b:

&

E

ifeg

_b 5

^^M

cif

MU

31 ^

^'S7i

rf%

^-^H

#^%

• » * I b 4 5

a

SJi^if

qn

jflff**t

_fo

ff

f

^*^

fo

fffl

%

sa

£*=

_«^s^e

ii

m

—

i

b

f

ff^

p

p,pj

ii

Fff

—

ftp

f

i*»-g-,

T.ii

SH

*

ttr

r

ju

f

IF

is M=

ffl=P

f

"B3

j 4 2 3 1 2 ° a 2 4

(10)

8 [Etude

Op.

10, No. l]

26. I

I

« 3

_r*

* 4 . i 2» 4

27M

s 2

IS

i

k

I

£

_&PJ^

1 uk

Uffii

SS?#^

pw

m

*F

S^

4 * * ₅

^W^

U

^F

g^

^l

to

k

te

I

PS

ftfflCaLT*,^

i

1

b

i^si

*|3pa

"K 5 o _ ^^*S U0197

(11)

[jEtude Op. _10, No.

_8]

4 3 _*

i * 3 ?

^tfr^Fefltnfr^Jgtiri

(12)

10 4 1 2 5. 4 1 * 5

i

I

•

D

C

i

1 IS

£

_I

₁

9-0

₁

_I

35.

.j 3 4 1 2 3 ^

—

-#

1 4 3 2

14

3 2

=3ES

t

.\>Jr

m

9Epi

I

^

-II:

JJ^

fitff

j

20197

(13)

1^

f

w

^

i

^

m0B

0^

i

^

i

4 3 l 4 3 i

P

tea

gg

i

#

>Tr

pIPrff

(14)

3

15

2 4 1

43

4 ^

5 2 4

14

2

i

»

i-

1

1 2"

5**35

4 9+~

&'

V

SEfi

20197

(15)

(16)

14

[Etude

Op. 25, No.

12]

51 i i-s * flu fi

P

—

-p-f

f

i 2

V

j

5 -*-*. 4

14

3

_*

_* _» 4

„!

5

!££«

fcL5 3 .5

^

2

1*

2 5 * 5

iT

ti

s

iai^M

#• #••

(17)

$

_\

_w

fl

i

V

w

*

\S.

T

£L£

^tf

ffl]

_i

J^

f

£^

L»_r'

^1

*

#

i

M>

I

tff

1 i

E£

b~4

f

w

k

^m

$

8-«r*

(18)

16

[Prelude

Op. 28, No.

3]

["Prelude Op. 28, No.

16]

•> ., 4 * ;* *

l"l

4 5

53. I

_rf

r

fiJJ

^J

J

J'f

f

^-#¥itrfFrJi^^

4

1 « 8 1 20197

(19)

17

M

, ._,

fr/

fS^r

>i,.l.. .. *jt.

p

.

t

*

&&*

r'ri'

_f

u

_f_» -i i_:n:

-M

i

gfe&g

_Jff

ta»

feeegtgg

_*5fei.

56.

5 4 ₅ 4'{

^T«

5 4 '*

ek

*

^#*tjg^#^

t

4his^u$^

PtrW^Jffd^fffti^F

1 #01

fttg#

(20)

18

[Prelude

Op. 28, No.

19]

57. £

5 _i

5i/i*

1

9

s

_^i

fc

E

S

1 k

_£

I

:«:>» « „ * 5 9-0-

P

ts

'T^j?

5 *

5

23 w

£>

j

t

^

%

[»

T

[j

fc

^

^y^tjir^^i

t

k

5 §P

^

k,

Ld#

l|

'J'

J

UfLd

; ''i

gIH

I' , i :

"

:

Vrffl

i

4 *

ift

111 $3

¥

4 '-2 » - . a k k,

k

1 I

*>

i

58 _I

$

s^

_I

₁

5

_I

its

1 5 ₂

33 ^a

4 2 5 *

k

t

ug

.

«

JiTjiJCutiu

rirLuCij

I

[jtfi

;

L£JLULcJ

i

I

fe

tef

-?

fejfife

*£

?

*

1 ₄

i

Jfe. .4 t

a

l

_i

I

4 (KHz

I

_I

M

4 m

ms

5 «

6Q

$

^

i

« «

^k?a

raw*

p#

I

J

SI

s

_*^k

t

1

i**#t

&

4 ^ini

1 ^

*Hl

J

fl:^

1 I***

20197

(21)

19

II. Thirds

(jEtudc Op. 25, No.

_6]

61.

4 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 -Jl E5-55-_{__n_}

!^f

,,

f!™_^^^

l_|f_

-

J|. -t

—

;|

-f-^^^^fr^W-i^

1

4 W

:

it'ttttt*

Ihi

b

i4H*H-\\

5 4 5 4 5 4 ₅ 4

J

1|: I

,«^I

1 J

p

» I p

:||: ti

_p

S i

^

•r

Ml

' "T "T""T

...

___

FpF:||:i

plt

i

4 J 4 a 4 5 4 „

4'M

54

,{ 4 5

gill

:ll :

^^

jy

j

1 _ft^*J

:ll :

^*fl

ttl =

^|:lflW

t lb

g

«:iL^«j.ll.^a1 cam

_«

t

a

i:z:i-

J.aLf

«

JUL

i

rtp:|_|:l>

p

y

^

t

lpp

^^

1 _—

tf

g

li#

^

—

s

ffl>

^

II

»

n

_r<u

3

434

_% _f ₅ 1 1 * i « _% « ?, * -

454

* 4 * ₄ 5

l

j

JJ73 ^JJT3

w

J^

J 1

g

JS

g

(22)

30

S t ? *

i-I

f 4 .-* 4 *-

—

f ' '

—

gn^ai

* * _* i 2 * _* 4 3 4 _?

U

1 4 4 * 4 3 ₄ ₃ * ₄ .1 4 _H

^S^fe

20197

(23)

5 3 5 21 5 _* I * ₈ \ 4 S « 5 4 2

i*'i

j

_J7

s « 4 i 4 8 4 3 4 ;, 4 -i a ., * _a i a * « 4 * 'i 4 .'* 4 b

tffffHTOjj^

_t

a

f

P

r

rr

r

l

p

b

i

JTn

: «

^•y^f^tfMt^^^ctffto

_r

_p^fMMi

^*

i>*

toxtn

p*t

^Hp

jMjjjj

yttfffafFfFt

nr

?3

(24)

4 3

68.

(jg

gj

P

F

JOj

j

m

r

-'ri!

*

rf^f*^

«

_1?

H

o 7 »i 1 * 3 1 2 _ 5 3 ° ₃ ₇ _§ 1 ° ₂ ₃ _| ₃

*w»fl

.. 4 .. 4 3 4 tf 4

69. y

t

ytjjff.^f

p

f^'fff.^

4 ,'j 4 3 A ,J 4 3

g^'*^

f

a

FC-LU

1

i

ii

II r i

rn

1 1 1

n

ff r i r

n

hi

_ih

1

"^

T

3 ?£?£

fl##$£?

i*

b

£#?fltf

*t«f#fM^II

m

i

20197

(25)

III. Sixths

23

[[Etude Op. 25, No.

_8]

45454545

4

543

54

5 4 5

454

5 3 4 5 4 5 4 « ₄ 5

i

*/

_JI31

iifll

*

^f^

i

^

1

t :

1 kp

p

*

'EiEf

*EJ!Ei

*

E

t. «=p

4 e

b

_C.k

(26)

34

73. i

4 • i 4 ₄

S

ia

_Ejj

*

»

Wm

iy

:_l|:

£

p££f

: |

[r

^

^V>

I

£

«l .J 1 S * 5 1

11

.1 4

j

I

rtf

f

»

L^P

J J

f

j

||ggi

f

*

^

J

f

J

I

fe«

IV. Mixed

Passages

[Etude

Op. 10, No.

2]

mm

fflSggg

liii

«

I

5

.,454.

(27)

#

^

pra^

tt

'^

^A

i

^^

hOTr^

&

tft

3

i!

Z

"w

F=*=f

F

'/• i 8-

&

l\\$W$W^

_j#g?

9

*J <*

^

^/j^^

ggg

#'

p

s

S

jpi

^^

gg

j#^%

*

i

77.

4 - _{« K}4

essblJOTTJ

Fffi 5

ppsa

B

fffl . F=Fi

ma

sbbbuJCj

Pff

11 m'w^r im

&

E^

_PW

M

MMm

^

mM

M

m

MM

M

m

g

i

j

"#r

J

q

lE

^fa*

5 Pr-#^p#

i

^

^fflffl^^^

#p

piifg

(28)

26 [Etude

Op. 10,

No.7j

i4*FF

l,

fE7

l

_Ffl.^i'EJfo

fz

0-^

k

»

\>»

r

.. ii

*

f

it

tm

ftr

»±=

ft

p

V—

£-»

(29)

27

3 S 3 5 4 5 „ _K 2 1 | J 3 5 3 5 * 1 * 1

#

#-^c up

g

m

<!

p

i

t

|

Ffrfop

P

^t

P

' '

f

*P

:ii

^^^^^^^^^^^

(30)

28 [Etude

Op. 25, No. _5j For the rig-ht hand alone

I

82. _i

'

_"Ml;

ft

J

P

d

^

w

_»"

m

flm

p**

8-

8-4

^m

^

m

:

"

:

j

w

i

mmf

m

:h

#

fafc

*

fU'

sV

:

K-«Lf.

kA*¥

#

<?••

i^

±j

bt=»

j^

*

feMMfC

] ^ttfc*

I

20197

(31)

)

29

,ades, No. ₃

J

& 3 4 3 4 5 4 *a

fata

JJ:#.^

*+4

a

-fl

s^jfl

^^j^

^a^l

f

LAX.

w

_• _• _• _•

ll^^J^^I^

j

*

l^^S

r

£

A,

W

J

_g^l

_>w

_pi

[

T5

„Jja

ii

Ws,

ham

L^M

₄

w*

Si

»

#

I

r_» ]l

_»

1 S^£

• • • • • •

••

• * * 2 l ₂ l _i t 4 3 4 5

snTS

(32)

(33)

(34)