No. 6 "Apparition"

A crucial point when performing this etude is how to express its musical aspects. In other words, because it is a technically quite demanding etude, one's focus can easily be drawn solely to the technical challenges, leading to a performance that lacks essential musical expression.

First and foremost is the tempo. This etude is variational, with the initial theme recurring in various forms. However, the overall tempo should be singular. It is undesirable for the tempo to slow down simply because a difficult passage is encountered (though there are certainly many grandiose or other exceptional sections). Maintain a single tempo. This means avoiding different tempos for each section. It is advisable to base the initial tempo on the most challenging passage and apply that same tempo from the beginning (e.g., measure 48, etc.).

A common pitfall in performing this etude is a mechanical execution. Let's consider the end of the first theme at measure 12. When the theme progresses at such a relatively slow tempo, the shaping of the theme itself is often neglected. One method is to extract only the melody notes. Up to measure 8, it divides into two parts: D C# D B Eb D C B Ab Eb G F# and D C# D B Eb E F D D C B. Now, try playing this melody as a single line, beautifully, with pedal. Of course, you may add chords with the left hand.

You will then notice that the shaping generally involves an increase in volume as the notes ascend to higher positions, and a decrease in volume as they descend to lower positions. This remains true even when considering the harmonic progression. Now, keeping in mind the shaping you achieved by playing only the melody with your right hand, try playing all the notes as written in the score. Success is achieved if the shaping from your single-line playing is reproduced.

Now, let's add rubato to it. This allows you to vary the speed of the sextuplet arpeggios in the accompaniment according to the notes of the melody line. For instance, while the sextuplets move relatively quickly in measures 1-2, I believe they should gradually slow down in measures 3-4. The chord in measure 7 is a surprise chord, so you could also express it by playing the chord and then pausing briefly before entering the sextuplets. These are just a few examples, but the main point is to avoid playing like a metronome or a computer.

The shaping up to measure 12 now serves as a foundation and should be applied to all subsequent melody lines. Regardless of how complex the situation becomes or how forte the dynamics, never forget the shaping. Other points to note are listed below:

• In measure 28, the important notes are the downbeat of beat 1 and Eb on the downbeat of beat 2. Play these slightly louder than the other notes.
• From measure 56, the melody shifts to the left hand. Concentrate your focus solely on the left thumb to bring out the melody line clearly.