Easiest Chopin Etude?

[sinspawnammes]

I've been thinking of starting on the whole set.  I haven't played any of them, neither Op. 10 or Op. 25, but I figured it would be beneficial to start now.  What's the best Chopin Etude to start with (which, I would assume, is also the easiest).  So you can gauge my technique, I've played Chopin Scherzos and the Pathetique Sonata.

[mikey6]

Good God, not again!

[kaiwin]

Haha... obviously you haven't opened your etude book.. What looks the easiest?

*Koff* 10 6 *Koff*

[faustsaccomplice]

A good Etude to start with is op. 25 no. 1.
10 no 6 is also a good idea, but I think it's harder, personally.

[kaiwin]

Musically its harder, but technically not.

But I agree with you faust, 25 1 is a good one to start with. I also personally think 10 1 is a good one to start with also.

[faustsaccomplice]

Musically its harder, but technically not.

But I agree with you faust, 25 1 is a good one to start with. I also personally think 10 1 is a good one to start with also.

10 no 1?  You're going to kill this poor young pianist! 

[nanabush]

10/8 was  my first, then I followed with 10/5... lol those are the only two I play... I think 10/9 is the easiest... I'd say it's easier than the slow etudes, the technique is so straightforward, and there isn't a ton of variation on it. 

If you've played scherzo, then you could probably play from the sets:

Op 10: #3,5,6,9,12
Op 25: #1,2,7, and the butterfly... forget which number I think it's #9

My vote for the easiest would be 10/9, many would disagree... I'm guessing you have pretty big hands, and if so, then this should be quite straightforward. 

[kaiwin]

10 no 1?  You're going to kill this poor young pianist!  Shocked

Young people like me? 

Hey, I'm not dead yet 

[Waldszenen]

Easiest for me are 10-5, 10-3, 10-6, 25-2

(easiest first)

[faustsaccomplice]

Young people like me? 

Hey, I'm not dead yet 

Didn't mean to make assumptions about your age or ability...but 10no1 is NOT the easiest by any means.

[houseofblackleaves]

Didn't mean to make assumptions about your age or ability...but 10no1 is NOT the easiest by any means.

I think it's the hardest...



Nos. 1 & 2 of Op.25 are easiest for me, 10/9 is easy if you have big hands.

Harder ones to wait on are op.10 nos. 1, 2, 4, & maybe 12.  Op.25 nos. 6, 11, and maybe 11/12.

[nanabush]

10/9 doesn't even require someone to have mammoth hands... someone with avg hands would be able to play this, a person with avg hands would find this easier than say 10/5 or 25/1...

[invictious]

Let's just wait till Bernhard tumbles here shall we?

SOMEONE PM HIM TO COME HERE RIGHT NOW!

[bernhard]

Let's just wait till Bernhard tumbles here shall we?

SOMEONE PM HIM TO COME HERE RIGHT NOW!

This has already been discussed several times in several threads. 

The easiest etude is no. 2 from "Three nouvelle Etudes" [grade 7]

Next are no. 1, again from  "Three nouvelle Etudes" , op. 10 no. 6 and op. 25 no. 2 (all approximately equal in difficulty). [grade 8]

Go up a notch and you get  no. 3 (Three Nouvelle etudes), op. 10 no. 3, 9 and 12 and op. 25 nos. 1 - 7 - 9. (again, all approximately equal in difficulty) [grade 8+]

Everything else is horribly difficult. (Except for Koji and Meiting )

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[steve jones]

I thought Op 25 No 2 was pretty difficult! Way more so that Op 10 No 6.

But then again, Im hardly in a position to judge the difficulty of these pieces!

SJ

[invictious]

This has already been discussed several times in several threads. 

The easiest etude is no. 2 from "Three nouvelle Etudes" [grade 7]

Next are no. 1, again from  "Three nouvelle Etudes" , op. 10 no. 6 and op. 25 no. 2 (all approximately equal in difficulty). [grade 8]

Go up a notch and you get  no. 3 (Three Nouvelle etudes), op. 10 no. 3, 9 and 12 and op. 25 nos. 1 - 7 - 9. (again, all approximately equal in difficulty) [grade 8+]

Everything else is horribly difficult. (Except for Koji and Meiting )

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

Hehe, check out his video of him playing chopin's etude for thirds.

He needs a life, speaking of life, I need one too.

Power people..

[zheer]

 op 25/2 in f minor is less difficult than most of the other Etudes, infact i will post op 25/2 and op10/1 in the audition room just for fun.

[cloches_de_geneve]

10/5, 10/12, 25/1 are good ones to start with imo. They sound more difficult than they really are, especially the first two, but they are challenging enough to keep you busy and even give you an occasional headache. If you have played the scherzos, they are definitely in your range.

[invictious]

10/5!?!??! Are you crazy?

I am a bit over grade 8 so..

[cloches_de_geneve]

10/5 is not difficult, it sounds difficult or at least very brilliant, but it's all on black keys and fits the hand very nicely. Try, you'll be amazed.

[nanabush]

10/5 is MUCH easier than 10/12, I'd've thought you'd be like "10/12 ARE YOU CRAZY?"

Running notes on five keys in the right hand is much easier than running notes everywhere on the left hand.  The only problem would be the key signature and maybe some of the LH chords in 10/5, but it comes easily if you are at the level to play these etudes.  Once again, 10/9!!!!

[cloches_de_geneve]

Sure the LH is busy in 10/12, but again it fits the fingers very nicely. To me these etudes are really nothing compared to 10/1, 10/4, or even 10/7 and 10/8. 

[nanabush]

OMG 10/7 is a nightmare... I'm more uneasy about those type of double notes than I am at thirds.  My hand goes all wonky when I try to play alternating double notes while extending and contracting my hand; I'd probly be better off with 25/6

[moi_not_toi]

Winter Wind is by FAR the easiest. (psych)

Honestly, stay away from they scary looking ones (or at least the VERY scary ones) because chances are that they ARE scary.

[cloches_de_geneve]

As usual there are two sides to the issue. For example, against all reason, I picked 10/2 as one of my first chopin etudes. Clearly, for me to perform this etude would be a total embarrassement for myself and the audience. Even at home and in the piano lesson my rendering of this piece is substandard. And I say this after having worked on it for several months. However, working on this piece has been tremendously helpful for developing strength in 3,4,5. It all depends what your goals are in learning these etudes. Winter Wind? Why not. You may never be able to perform this piece decently, but you will learn a lot by studying it. The higher you aim, the farther you'll be likely to get.

So, strech your limits! 

[invictious]

More comments on 10/5 please, I am a bit over grade 8, do you think I can handle this?

[cloches_de_geneve]

Just try, if you manage the first page, chances are you will be able to do the rest too.

[invictious]

Anything to watch out for? It's quite a brilliant piece.

[bearzinthehood]

Anything to watch out for? It's quite a brilliant piece.

Don't try the first page if you want your gauge your chances of success, try the second page.  There are a couple annoying spots in this one to watch out for.  The first is in measures 27-28 and the second one is in measures 45-48. 

[invictious]

Why will it gauge my chance of success?

[bearzinthehood]

...

All I'm saying is if you want to see if you can handle the piece, look at the second page.  The first page is much easier.

[quasimodo]

More comments on 10/5 please, I am a bit over grade 8, do you think I can handle this?

Man if I were grade 8 or even 7, I would be insane enough to try all of them. Believe in yourself, practice smartly and you'll do it.

[invictious]

Alright, one more question.

For my right hand, flat fingers or not? It's easier with flat fingers

[chromatickler]

HAHAHAHAHAHA DA 88ZTREET CHOPETZ TOPICZ

a bit...

[mephisto]

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-da Meph