Any not so difficult show of pieces?

[elephant]

I won´t actually need it to show off, what I´m after is a piece forcing me to learn a more bravura style of playing, perhaps something in the style of liszt, with rythms, and quick breaks in the flow of notes etc. (It´s actually a bit difficult to describe what I´m after, but I hope I get at least the idea through...)

It won´t hurt if it sounds good, too

[liszmaninopin]

What exactly do you mean by not so difficult?  There's potentially a big range in that.

However, maybe you could play Liszt' Liebestraum.  It's not really very difficult, is very familiar, has some flashy cadenza and bravura sections.  At least in my experience, people react well to it.

[Stolzing]

You might find help in this thread:
https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=repo;action=display;num=1055250049;start=

[allchopin]

I think Widmung might be what you are looking for.. originally bu Schumann as a dedication to his wife, then transcribed into virtuosity (of course) by Liszt.  It starts with a slow, light section, moves into a leggiero faster paced section, then ends with bravura at multiple f's

[elephant]

Thx for the replies

I have not actually heard any of the suggested pieces, so until I´ve done some research, i won´t be able to comment on them specificly (is this a word?). I´ve been looking on sheetmusicarchives though, and found no Widmungs but several Liebstraums - which is THE one?

In the meantime, I can try to elaborate on a more general basis... I have not played the piano for much more than a year, so the most awesome whizbang stuff is probably out of my reach. On the other hand, I´m in for a challenge, and usually manage to accomplish learning the pieces I want to play, like WTC fugas, Images by Debussy etc.

As for the nature of the wanted pieces, I don´t know if I´m able to  express myself any less vaguely. Basically, showy, like a Liszt waltz, with more focus on "rhytmic stuff" than fast runs and such.

I´ll go check out the other thread now.

[donjuan]

Hey Elephant,

whizbang

 ----  (donjuan cracks up)

The liebestraume Liszmaninopin was probably refering to was the 3rd one- one of the most hideously overplayed pieces in existence today.

As for the nature of the wanted pieces, I don´t know if I´m able to  express myself any less vaguely. Basically, showy, like a Liszt waltz, with more focus on "rhytmic stuff" than fast runs and such.

I dont think Widmung is what you are looking for.  Try a Schubert-Liszt transcription - "Soirees de Vienne: Valse Caprice No.6"

I just finished working on this piece, and I found it really easy to learn and perform, compared to other Liszt I do.  There are no flashy cadenzas, although it still sounds impressive, and the focus is definitely on "rhythmic stuff"-There is a nice austrian waltz for you.

donjuan

[Sketchee]

Liszt's transcription of Maiden's Wish from Chant Polonais by Chopin.  It was my first performance piece.  It's not hard but gets progressively flashy through each of the variations.

Or Liszt's Valse Oubliee No 1 is short and sweet.  It's written on the page very simply but sounds brilliant enough.

[liszmaninopin]

Yeah, I was referring to the third Liebestraum.  It is highly overplayed, but that's part of the reason I suggested it.  Even non-musical audiences would probably recognize it; it really isn't all that hard, it has a melody-in short, a good show off piece.

Do you like modern stuff?  The Khatchaturian toccata might fit the bill.

[donjuan]

Or Liszt's Valse Oubliee No 1 is short and sweet.  It's written on the page very simply but sounds brilliant enough.

or better yet, Valse Oubliee No.4!  ...but I cant find the sheetmusic anywhere.

[bachmaninov]

Once again.. when it comes to not-so-hard... show off pieces... nobody is better than Ernesto Lecuona in my opinion  

-Although he is so unheard of on these forums!

[Swan]

Chopin's Minute Waltz?  Don't like it myslef, but most non piano playing people think it's pretty 'whizbang' and fits nicely in the hand, and if you've only been playing for a year is probably more accessable than other pieces that have been recommended. Speed of course will come with practise.

Something even easier?  CPE Bach's Solfeggietto.  Two hands sound like one.  Have a listen to it here

https://pianoeducation.org/solfeggi.mid

At any rate, it's a good 'warm up' piece. Gets those fingers working.

[elephant]

Thx for the suggestions - I´m coming straight from the library now.  I´ve identified the Liszt Walz I heard ages ago - it was the third Mephisto Walz. I it´s kind of what I´m after, but perhaps too difficult The Solfegietto, by the way, I wouldn´t touch with a ten feet pole, it was, I think, the second piece I learned, and is, I guess, much hated by my parents and our neighbours. Although perhaps I should try make an Elephant's Virtuoso Transcription

[bernhard]

Here are some really easy ones (grades 3 – 5, yet they sound impressive):

J. S. Bach – Little prelude BWV 999 – Play this prestissimo and mouths will open.

Benda – Sonatina no. 3  in A minor - In my opinion the nicest of his one-movement sonatinas – Fast arpeggios shared between hands and impressive crossing of hands.

Beethoven – Six Ecossaises – Rhythmic and uplifting, yet incredibly easy. Kissin often plays it (superbly) as an encore.

Clementi – “Grand Waltz” – the glissandi are the impressive bit. If you want  to be really impressive, play them as superfast scales.

Dacquin – “Le Coucou” – Lots of running passages.

Mozart – Variations on “Ah je vous dirais Maman”. Several of the variations are very impressive.

Albert Pieczonka – Tarantella – energetic, rhythmic, easy and very impressive.

Now for some more difficult ones, but still pretty manageable for common mortals grades 6 – 8+):

Scarlatti – There are around 250 virtuoso sonatas that are manageable by most students. Have a look here for my favourites:
https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=repo;action=display;num=1077145772

J. S. Bach – Giga from Partita no. 1. The crossing hands are spectacular, and you will needs lots of confidence, but it is not really that difficult.

Chopin – Polonaise Op. 40 no. 1 in A – The score is thick with chords, but this is actually pretty easy to play and pretty impressive to watch.

Handel – Suite no. 5 in E major – Both the prelude and the “air with variations” (The harmonious blacksmith) are suitably impressive.

Mendelssohn – “Spinning song” – This is Song without words op.67 no. 4 – Pretty impressive – sounds much more difficult than it is – Rubinstein used to play it as an encore.

Mendelssohn – Song without words op. 53 no. 3 – ultra fast arpeggio figurations on the LH, this reminds one of Chopin’s revolutionary study for which it is a good preparation.

Mendelssohn – Song without words op. 102 no. 4 – a tarantella with ultra fast staccato on the RH. Impressive yet far easier than it sounds.

Mendelssohn – Cappriccio in A minor, op. 33 no. 1 – Almost never performed, this is a wonderful piece. After a slow, lyrical adagio, all hell breaks loose. Mendelssohn at his best.

Paderewsky – Minuet  op. 14 no. 1 – Lots of fast runs all over the keyboard. Paderewsky is said to have grown to hate it.

Prokofiev – Prelude Op. 12 no. 7 (nice melody on the left hand, with a fast broken chord figuration on the right, plus some glissandi).

Debussy – Arabesque no. 1 – Lovely piece.

Debussy – Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum – Much easier than it sounds.

Grieg – Holberg suite – especially the first movement (“prelude”).

Chabrier - Bourée Fantasque. A bit more difficult than the previous ones, but well worth the effort. Exhilarating and uplifiting

Carl Maria von Weber – Perpetuum mobile – lots of impressive, fast fingerwork.

Villa Lobos – O cravo brigou com a rosa (The clove quarrelled with the rose) from “Cirandas” (no. 4) – very virtuosistic beginning and end with a lyrical middle bit – based on a Brazilian Nursery rhyme, another of Rubinstein’s encores.

This should keep you busy for a while.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[johnjwong]

Beethoven – Six Ecossaises is that the Six variations?

[bernhard]

Beethoven – Six Ecossaises is that the Six variations?

Er... I don't think so.

It is the Six ecossaises WoO 83 (despite the title it is a single piece).

My edition is "Beethoven - A book of dances" - ed. Howard Ferguson - Easier piano pieces no. 20 (ABRSM)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[Spatula]

Yeah, I was referring to the third Liebestraum.  It is highly overplayed, but that's part of the reason I suggested it.  Even non-musical audiences would probably recognize it; it really isn't all that hard, it has a melody-in short, a good show off piece.

Do you like modern stuff?  The Khatchaturian toccata might fit the bill.

I don't really like that piece...ie  Liebestraum nr 3.  I dunno (shivers and hides and closes the door)

[Spatula]

I'm still hunting for the score to Hubert Baths "Cornish Rhapsody" and no one here seems to know what I'm talking about (hides in my mushroom house again)