page_title: Étude Op. 10, No. 6 (Chopin)
section_title: Technical difficulties
hierarchical_section_title: Étude Op. 10, No. 6 (Chopin) / Technical difficulties
caption_attribution_description: English: Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 6: Chopin's original fingering (bars 3, 7)
context_page_description: Étude Op. 10, No. 6, in E♭ minor, is a study for solo piano composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1830. It was preceded by the relative key. It was first published in 1833 in France, Germany, and England as the sixth piece of his Études, Op. 10. The tempo Andante in and con molto espressione indicate a more moderate playing speed than Chopin's other études with the exception of Op. 10, No. 3 and Op. 25, No. 7. This étude focuses on expressivity and chromatic structuring of the melody as well as polyphonic texture.
context_section_description: In Schumann's 1836 Neue Zeitschrift für Musik article on piano études, the study, together with Op. 10, No. 3, is classified under the category "melody and accompaniment in one hand simultaneously." Cortot states that the attention of the student should be directed to perfecting polyphonic playing, an expressive intensity of tone and legato and believes that finding the individual tone for each of the simultaneous melodic lines is a particular difficulty. He suggests to produce the tone of the upper part by pressing the keys to the bottom with firm and straight fingers. To ensure even action of the fingers playing the figure in semiquavers he recommends to start practicing in a non legato where the fingers do not lose contact with the key. For the final legato the weight of the hand should bear slightly on each semiquaver to produce a kind of portamento with a timbre that will not merge into the upper melodic line. Cortot also introduces an exercise for flexibility of the foot to produce an "uninterrupted quivering" pedal, but advises to practice the finger legato first without pedal. There are no original pedal marks by Chopin.
caption: Two examples of Chopin's original fingering (bar 3 and bar 7)
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