chopin etude op. 25 no.1

[macman1288]

what do you think about chopins etude op. 25 no.1 ??good piece? hard piece?

[nerd]

Good? Well, it sounds good it if it's played well
Hard? Depends on your skills. In my opinion it's one of the easiest etudes in Op.10 and 25, though.

[pseudopianist]

Good? Well, it sounds good it if it's played well
Hard? Depends on your skills. In my opinion it's one of the easiest etudes in Op.10 and 25, though.

Could someone rate the etudes and Chopin nocturnes in difficulty? Would be nice to know. :p

[bernhard]

Could someone rate the etudes and Chopin nocturnes in difficulty? Would be nice to know. :p

The relative difficulty of the etudes have been discussed ad nauseum in several threads.

Grade 8
Op. 10 no. 6
Op. 25 no. 2

Just above grade 8
Op. 10 no.3
Op. 10 no. 9
Op. 10 no. 12

Op. 25 no. 1
Op. 25 no. 7
Op. 25 no. 9

Very advanced
All the others.

Personally I think they are all difficult although different sorts of difficulty.

Here are the nocturnes:

Grade 6

no. 21 in C minor

Grade 7

no. 2 in Eb (Op. 9 no. 2)
no. 6 in Gm (Op. 15 no. 3)
no. 11 in Gm (Op. 37 no. 1)
no. 15 in Fm (Op. 55 no. 1)
no. 19 in Em (Op. posth, 72 no. 1)
no. 20 in C#m

grade 8

no. 1 in Bbm (Op. 9 no. 1)
no. 5 in F# (Op. 15 no. 2)
no. 8 in Db (Op. 27 no.2)
no. 9 in B (Op. 32 no. 1
no. 10 in Ab (Op. 32 no. 2)
no. 14 in F# (Op. 48 no. 2)

Just above grade 8:

No. 4 in F (Op. 15 no. 1)
No. 7 in C#m (Op. 27 no. 1)
No. 12 in G (Op. 37 no. 2)
No. 13 in Cm (Op. 48 no. 1)
No. 16 in Eb (Op. 55 no. 2)
No. 17 in B (Op. 62 no. 1)
No. 18 in E (Op. 62 no. 2)

Very advanced
No. 3 in B (Op. 9 no. 3)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[pseudopianist]

The relative difficulty of the etudes have been discussed ad nauseum in several threads.

Grade 8
Op. 10 no. 6
Op. 25 no. 2

Just above grade 8
Op. 10 no.3
Op. 10 no. 9
Op. 10 no. 12

Op. 25 no. 1
Op. 25 no. 7
Op. 25 no. 9

Very advanced
All the others.

Personally I think they are all difficult although different sorts of difficulty.

Here are the nocturnes:

Grade 6

no. 21 in C minor

Grade 7

no. 2 in Eb (Op. 9 no. 2)
no. 6 in Gm (Op. 15 no. 3)
no. 11 in Gm (Op. 37 no. 1)
no. 15 in Fm (Op. 55 no. 1)
no. 19 in Em (Op. posth, 72 no. 1)
no. 20 in C#m

grade 8

no. 1 in Bbm (Op. 9 no. 1)
no. 5 in F# (Op. 15 no. 2)
no. 8 in Db (Op. 27 no.2)
no. 9 in B (Op. 32 no. 1
no. 10 in Ab (Op. 32 no. 2)
no. 14 in F# (Op. 48 no. 2)

Just above grade 8:

No. 4 in F (Op. 15 no. 1)
No. 7 in C#m (Op. 27 no. 1)
No. 12 in G (Op. 37 no. 2)
No. 13 in Cm (Op. 48 no. 1)
No. 16 in Eb (Op. 55 no. 2)
No. 17 in B (Op. 62 no. 1)
No. 18 in E (Op. 62 no. 2)

Very advanced
No. 3 in B (Op. 9 no. 3)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

Thank you SOOO much. My next project will be F minor Op55 then. I love that pieces

[bernhard]

You are welcome.

[goalevan]

Bernhard are you rating these from personal knowledge/opinion or is there a party that rates all the pieces for the public? Would be really helpful to find grades of all the pieces to figure out the relative difficulties of what I'd like to play.

[pseudopianist]

Bernhard are you rating these from personal knowledge/opinion or is there a party that rates all the pieces for the public? Would be really helpful to find grades of all the pieces to figure out the relative difficulties of what I'd like to play.

I've been looking for a page like that for an eternity.

[bernhard]

Both.

There are several parties that rate pieces, most notably the institutions that offer grade exams, like the ABRSM, the Trinity College, Guildhall, etc.

After a few years teaching you pretty much know which grade will be given a certain piece, give or take a grade.

Unfortunately there is no place (that I know off) where that whole piano repertory is graded. You can get all of the pieces' grades by the ABRSM on the UK piano teacher’s Group (you need to become a member to access the files, but it is free):

http://www.ukpianogroup.f9.co.uk

However, I myself pay no attention to grades for several reasons:

1.      The difficulty of a piece is highly personal. What may be very easy for one person may present insurmountable difficulties for another. A piece rated as grade 1 can feel like grade 8, and I have total beginners tackling successfully grade 6/ 7 pieces.

2.      Intitutions like the ABRSM disagree with other institutions in terms of gradings, sometimes even with themselves. Satie’s Gymnopedie no. 1 was considered grade 3 in the 70s and resurfaced four years ago as grade 6. This year Brahms Waltz op. 39 no. 9 and Schumann’s Fantasietanz Op. 124 no. 5 were both considered grade 5. I cannot really see how that can be (Brhams is far easier – probably grade 4, while Shcumann is grade 6/ 7)

3.      There are only two kinds of pieces: easy and impossible. And the difference between them is correct practice.

4.      Far more important than the grade of difficulty of a piece is the grade of love you feel for it. It is far more rewarding and meaningful to learn/teach a grade 8 piece you love, than a grade 1 piece you detest.

So do not worry too much about grades and ask yourself instead the question: Which are the pieces that I love so much that I will be prepared to go to hell and back to learn it?

After you answer this question, go and sell your soul to play it!

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[pseudopianist]

Both.

There are several parties that rate pieces, most notably the institutions that offer grade exams, like the ABRSM, the Trinity College, Guildhall, etc.

After a few years teaching you pretty much know which grade will be given a certain piece, give or take a grade.

Unfortunately there is no place (that I know off) where that whole piano repertory is graded. You can get all of the pieces' grades by the ABRSM on the UK piano teacher’s Group (you need to become a member to access the files, but it is free):

http://www.ukpianogroup.f9.co.uk

However, I myself pay no attention to grades for several reasons:

1.      The difficulty of a piece is highly personal. What may be very easy for one person may present insurmountable difficulties for another. A piece rated as grade 1 can feel like grade 8, and I have total beginners tackling successfully grade 6/ 7 pieces.

2.      Intitutions like the ABRSM disagree with other institutions in terms of gradings, sometimes even with themselves. Satie’s Gymnopedie no. 1 was considered grade 3 in the 70s and resurfaced four years ago as grade 6. This year Brahms Waltz op. 39 no. 9 and Schumann’s Fantasietanz Op. 124 no. 5 were both considered grade 5. I cannot really see how that can be (Brhams is far easier – probably grade 4, while Shcumann is grade 6/ 7)

3.      There are only two kinds of pieces: easy and impossible. And the difference between them is correct practice.

4.      Far more important than the grade of difficulty of a piece is the grade of love you feel for it. It is far more rewarding and meaningful to learn/teach a grade 8 piece you love, than a grade 1 piece you detest.

So do not worry too much about grades and ask yourself instead the question: Which are the pieces that I love so much that I will be prepared to go to hell and back to learn it?

After you answer this question, go and sell your soul to play it!

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

Best post ever.

Fantasie Impromptu here I come!!

[ted]

I have always loved this piece. (Op 25 No 1) I have played it since my youth and still I never tire of it. At his core, Chopin always addresses the heart and the eternal feelings, not the hands or the intellect. His piano language is at once intimate and universal.  Sometimes his pieces may contain physical problems, but nothing which cannot be overcome in the cause of music. Once the initial pains have been taken, the rewards of playing his music are immense and lasting, and the Ab study admirably exemplifies this fact.

[cellodude]

My hat's off to you Bernhard. You never cease to amaze me. You're  .

dennis lee