Pieces marked agitato often feature rests on the downbeat, a compositional technique employed to convey restlessness or intensity. This piece is a typical example in that regard.

If one only focuses on the melody line, it is easy to fall into the illusion that it falls on the downbeat. A crucial point to observe in this piece is to avoid taking extra time in unnecessary places. This piece is already prone to misinterpreting the beat, and consuming additional time will further lead to a loss of count.

Point of Caution 1: Understanding the Melody Line

Grasping the melody line, articulating its notes clearly, and shaping the line appropriately are indispensable.

The first note of each pair of right-hand sixteenth notes constitutes the melody line. However, when searching in this manner, there are passages where it becomes unclear whether a note belongs to the melody line. For instance, in measure 9, is the melody line D G A B or G A B? Listening to this B section reminded the author of "Consolation" from the same composer's 25 Etudes. The melody line of that piece is C D E E D C# D. Considering this, the melody line in measures 9-10 is likely G A B B A G# A, not D G A B B A G# A. Therefore, the D on the first beat should not be included in the count.

If so, in measure 1, the B on the first beat should not be considered part of the melody line; rather, the melody line begins from the B on the second beat. What do you think?

The melody line of the A section concludes in measure 8. Of course, the first beat is the final note of the melody line, and beats 2-4 are merely accompaniment. Please consider this similar to the part in Chopin's Op. 25-2 where the first section ends, the left hand ceases, and only the right hand, with the pedal sustained, gradually fades (measure 19).

Point of Caution 2: Timing

This piece should be played without rubato throughout, moving steadily forward. As mentioned earlier, there is also the issue of beat recognition, so avoid taking extra time in unnecessary places. A typical spot is the transition from beats 2-4 of measure 8 to the beginning of measure 9. The first note of measure 9, the left-hand G, must descend from a high position, which tends to consume time. If necessary, one approach is to play beats 2-4 of measure 8 with only the right hand, keeping the left hand ready to play the G in measure 9 immediately. For your reference.