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Piano Board => Repertoire => Topic started by: liszt-and-the-galops on September 06, 2024, 12:16:23 AM

Title: Rachmaninoff - Preludes: Favorite and hardest?
Post by: liszt-and-the-galops on September 06, 2024, 12:16:23 AM
Which of Rachmaninoff's 24 total Preludes is your favorite, and which do you believe is hardest?
Title: Re: Rachmaninoff - Preludes: Favorite and hardest?
Post by: droprenstein on September 06, 2024, 02:26:15 AM
I really like 23/2 in B flat major, really powerful piece if played well, good balance of showmanship and musicality that I'm always looking for. A really good encore piece.
I also like 32/3 in E major, really underrated piece imo.
As for the hardest, I think that's 32/4 in E minor for me, I've tried playing it before and those fast moving chords are horrible, especially in trying to make it sound musical beyond just playing the notes.
Title: Re: Rachmaninoff - Preludes: Favorite and hardest?
Post by: evergreen on September 09, 2024, 09:19:37 PM
I've been working on the 23/3 in D minor for the last couple months and actually finished memorizing it today. In my opinion it is a very underrated piece, and I hold it very dear. I love the minuet-like opening of it and the middle part is absolutely wonderful too. It is the exact right piece for the level I'm at right now, it uses a lot of different techniques and I learned a lot by playing and practicing it. I would highly recommend giving it a try, or listen!
Title: Re: Rachmaninoff - Preludes: Favorite and hardest?
Post by: the green piano man on September 19, 2024, 06:22:04 AM
My favourite is maybe 32 no.10 and 32.no.13 . Really good pieces and rachs favourite was 32 no.10 ;D. The hardest is 32 no.13 im sure. Technically, musically complex. One of my academic friend learns it rn and he said he thinks its harder than rachs 1 sonata, but its just shorter than that :o. So my Pick is definitely goes for that one
Title: Re: Rachmaninoff - Preludes: Favorite and hardest?
Post by: liszt-and-the-galops on September 19, 2024, 10:27:45 AM
I myself am leaning towards 23/9, both for favorite and hardest.
Title: Re: Rachmaninoff - Preludes: Favorite and hardest?
Post by: lelle on September 24, 2024, 08:01:45 PM
I've always loved the one in G sharp minor. Really evocative.
Title: Re: Rachmaninoff - Preludes: Favorite and hardest?
Post by: transitional on September 24, 2024, 10:39:00 PM
Rachmaninoff's not really my favorite, so I don't know too much about the preludes, but the ones that stick out to me most are 23/3, 23/6, 32/5, 32/7, and 32/11. There's some beautiful typical Rach melodies and pulses. Some of them get too dense and perpetual for me, so many of the ones that I like happen to be the easier ones. I learned the 3/2 and am not a really big fan but might try some of the ones just mentioned.

I agree with liszt-and-the-galops on 23/9 for the hardest. None of the other ones really seem to require so much dexterity as that one.