The hardest repeated notes in the piano repertoire-Ravel: Alborada del gracioso

11:02 for the full performance
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[@kew65]

I am astounded that you do not have more subscribers. Your playing of this piece is absolutely unmatched in my opinion. Great video!

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you!

[@jessturner6886]

Incidentally, also some of the scariest repeated notes in the French horn and trumpet standard orchestral repertoire.

[@grahamtwist]

W O W ! What a stunning performance of Ravel's 'Alborada del gracioso', Cole! Such flair . . . such panache . . . such virtuosity! In those fiendishly difficult passages with the repeated notes, you advised "go with it!" and boy, you certainly delivered. It is the most extraordinary piece of piano music - a mesmerising burst of Spanish energy - and I am just in awe of your ability to play so magnificently such a challenging and captivating piece of music. I've read that in his 'Spanish' compositions, there is a sense of homesickness for a world Ravel never knew, yet felt compelled to represent in his music. I can't imagine how much work went into preparing this piece for public performance, but you transported me all the way to that imaginary Spanish world so adored by Ravel: B R A V O !

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thanks Graham!

[@dennisgustafsson1206]

great vid as usual! don't you think Scarlatti D minor or Liszt HR#13 are worse when it comes to repetitions?

[@TheIndependentPianist]

It's all subjective really, but actually I found both of those pieces to be a bit more ingratiatingly written for the instrument. The Ravel is particularly awkward in the 1st section with all the interspersed chords and jumps-maybe again a sign of Ravel's keyboard genius mixed with a little bit of a lack of practical performing experience. He puts a few more stumbling blocks in the way of your fingers compared to the Liszt and Scarlatti which pretty much play themselves once you have learned them. They are still really hard though!

[@supasayajinsongoku4464]

Ive already told you this so this might just be annoying but you have a stunning jawline its incredibly sharp you could cut meat with that Okay im getting carried away Clean glissandi 16:25

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Haha, thanks! I can stop my jawline sharpening regimen soon in that case...

[@JG_1998]

Another great video! I don't plan on tackling this piece any time soon, but I have been wondering about how to do 3rd/4th glissandi going up the keyboard in the right hand. I have absolutely no problem at all doing them going down, but going up is impossible for me. I can even do an octave glissando going up the keyboard, but for 3rds/4ths I can't seem to get enough strength in my 4th finger or something. It just gets stuck.

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thanks for watching! Yes, these glissandi are a bit of a problem. It isn't necessarily surprising that octave glissandi are easier for some, since most pianists tend to have more strength built up with the hand in that position. You can try fingering all of them 1-3, avoiding the 4th finger, or you can also try Richter's trick. He used 2-3 for all the upwards glissandi with the hand turned over i.e. 2nd finger plays higher note and 3rd finger plays lower note. It's weird at first, but actually much less painful/difficult once you get the angle right.

[@JG_1998]

​@@TheIndependentPianist Definitely going to try Richter's trick! It's totally genius. I saw it in the video and was unsure, but it seems worth a shot. Thanks.

[@mkryu]

I just started this piece recently and I use 2-4 going up for the 4ths and 3rds. My fourth finger still has a scab on the other edge and my index finger’s nail has thickened lol. The trick for me was solidifying the left hand by playing it with the first interval in the right hand and sliding up silently (making contact with the keys but not puting any weight down), then playing the accented intervals at the top matching the left hand. Once you get the timing down, the glissandi will come naturally. I was able to get it after a few days spending several minutes/day practicing it this way. It was the first day that I did most of the damage to my fingers before realizing this trick. I also have my wrists high and have the back of my hand turned out towards the audience slightly so that the nail of my index finger is making contact and not the flesh. It’s going to look like you’re giving the middle finger lol.

[@sparkle1272001]

Your performance was amazing! You made one of Ravel's many difficult pieces seem so effortless to play, bravo! :)

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you!

[@nsk5282]

What a complex piece, and these glissandi! It looks easy when YOU play it, but when I tried it, it was painful! Richter's trick makes it a bit easier, but still...You are truly an extraordinary pianist, and I'm so happy to watch your channel growing!

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thank you!

[@hermodnitter3902]

Cool! I'll stick to my Bach partitas and let professionals do the crazy stuff... Awesome piece and video :)

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Gotta do what you love-Thanks for watching!

[@kerawelt2008]

Wow ! Wo ! Great !

[@funkygh]

Very nice job on the repeated notes. I continually tell students "The tempo at which a difficult piece should be played is the tempo at which you can successfully execute the hardest passage'. I have watched many dozens of pianists slow down at the repeated note passage, or simply flub it - turning it into an inarticulate mess. Obviously the most important factor of the passage is RHYTHM, and if you can't hear the rhythm, you've lost the thread. This piece is a DANCE, and if the tempo is moving around willy-nilly, the dancers will have no choice but to sit down in protest. Turn on your metronome and NAIL this at whatever tempo you can, and the next day bump it up one click. It's a mystery why some of the most celebrated pianists don't get that. Finally - I often prefer the orchestral version because the trumpet, horn and flute players often nail the repeated notes with triple tonguing. Just my $.02

[@MrInterestingthings]

The evocative nightharmonies in this music are incredible - my jaw fell when u did the glissandos ! Enjoyed the slow bits more than usual. Barque sur l'ocean and L'oiseaux tristes I've worked on in addition to Ondine .I'm sure I have no business trying this music !What make/kind of piano did Ravel play ? Deep bedded keys on Kawai and Steinway make glissando difficult .Beethoven's Waldstein octave glissandos on a Broadwood are possible -somehow many pianists have been filmed doing them in one hand . I don't yet know how to do it . I will be reaching you soon for advice on several /some piano music I've written years ago .

[@shubus]

The first time I head this piece it was played by Alicia de Larrocha and even though that was some decades ago, the Spanish flare she gave to this piece is unmatched and forever in my memory. That being said, you did a very fine job on it, Cole.

[@joanneswets.]

🤗 What a mastery! 👐

[@TheIndependentPianist]

Thanks Joanne!

[@markgoode4109]

Such a great piece; have always loved it.

[@Ilikerawfish]

Stellar!

[@tedallison6112]

How about the plethora of repeated notes in Scarbo from Gaspard de la nuit?( @ begin. & in re-exposition mid-point? This set is 1 of my great achievements along w Petroushka & Balikeriev's Islamey. I play all 3 in the order mentioned daily. I recently finished all the Liszt Transcendental Etudes which helped enormously in securing those 3 repertoire beasts. ( double note glissandi are in the Hungarian Rhapsodies)

[@tedallison6112]

Worst glissandi are in the RH of Brahms Paganini Variation #13 1st book( in octaves many times.) Petroushka LH glissano ( 3rd mvt. in octaves def takes some fortitude & ryhymic vitality