Chopin Etude Op. 25 No. 12 in C minor - "Ocean"

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This was an old, fun piece for me.

Ok, I know it should have been cleaner and the phrasing lacked direction at spots, but this was just something that I wanted to record and get out and not have to put too much thought into it. Like don’t get me wrong, I really like this piece. But I don’t love it the same way I loved the Revolutionary Etude, and so I didn’t grind it the same way. Which makes sense, right? Like you can hear it? If not, maybe I’ll talk about it some other time haha.

But this was the first piece that I’ve played on this channel from my old repertoire, which is fun I guess. I mean, back in the day I practiced a whole bunch so lots of stuff stuck, but I didn’t have the same passion that I have now. Like I really liked playing the piano and it meant a lot to me, but now I really love playing the piano, and it means a whole lot more.

Be that as it may, I think I played this in 10th grade. I actually competed at an international Chopin competition with this in Connecticut, and I remember being excited that I got to miss school for a 2-day trip, but also very nervous and anxious about competing, because, well I also had to play a Brahms Rhapsody in G minor and Chopin Ballade in G minor.

In that program, I played this etude first, and going into it, I was worried that I’d get burned out because it’s so intense. Luckily, Brahms Rhapsody G minor came second, which was a bit of a reprieve before the Ballade, because, as you may know, that coda is kinda killer.

Needless to say, I didn’t do too hot. I don’t think I botched the etude, but it was definitely slower than it was supposed to be. Also, I don’t think I got any mentions at that awards ceremony, and it was definitely one of my worst competitions that season. Not that I competed a lot in general, but 10th grade was my biggest year with regards to that and the best I’ve placed at things. Afterwards I ended up being more focused on recitals, and then by 12th grade I was just ready for a break from piano, which I got at college. But now I low-key wish I didn’t take a break and put more time into it. Like maybe I could have made piano a career if I really tried.

Or maybe that’s just to set me up for now to make piano my career ;)

Anyways, I don’t think I performed this piece any other time aside from studio recitals or performance classes. But as my first Chopin etude, it was quite a ride.

I remember having to sit down with a metronome and grind out first the notes first to the quarter to get everything even, and then to the half to get the cut time feel and flow. I remember my teacher telling about how back in the day she would compete with her friends to see how many times they could run through the whole piece at max speed in a row before getting too tired to do so (I think I’ve only ever managed like 1.5). I remember the absolute swell in the sound that arose because of the held pedal and the expanse of the keyboard that is covered in a single measure. And I guess that’s why I came back to it after all these years.

The editor of the Schirmer edition, which is what I’m using, also has snarky remarks for this etude, too, saying that the moniker “Ocean...argues poverty of invention, for ocean-waves do not always run mountain-high”. I kinda agree with him.

I’ve heard it said that playing loud is not hard. Playing fast is perhaps a bit difficult to get even, but in and of itself is not a difficulty either. But, playing loud AND fast is really hard. And I think this etude exposes that.

Like there isn’t even time to think about the notes. When I’m playing this, I literally hope that all the hours of slow practice will pay off as I think only about the accented notes in the passage and swing up and down the keyboard. It almost feels like it’s a matter of luck whether or not the fingers will automatically move in the right way because I just literally can’t think fast enough to keep up. Maybe it’s because I’m slow or whatever, but it’s such an interestingly powerful feeling to get caught up in the sweep of a fast piece like this, where everything just rolls on and on and on while swelling over and over and over again.

This etude isn’t as emotional for me as the Revolutionary etude was. I picked it back up around the same time, but most of my frustrations were worked out in that one because it fit the bill more than this, but there is a strong hint of discord I think in my playing that’s reflective of that.

Overall, I wouldn’t say that this was a stellar performance or even interpretation of this etude by me. But, it was a whole lot of fun and again, I just wanted to get this in video form, so yeah, I hope you enjoyed it.

Until next time,

- WattKeys

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#Chopin #Etude #Op25No12 #OceanEtude #Piano