What would be a good piece?

[banzai]

Hey

Maybe someone could help me figure out what piece to learn?
Recently I've played Liebestraume nr. 3 by Liszt and Sonata in C (not the one for children) by Mozart and the Waldstein by Beethoven - and I would rate myself as a lvl 7-8  student (not sure though).

Was thinking about the 3rd Ballad by Chopin - but I'm not sure if this is the right choice... any other suggestions please?

[banzai]

It's the Sonata in C major, K330 - played all the movements.

[steinwayguy]

The 3rd Ballade would be a most excellent choice. I'm not extremely familiar with the grading system, but I think you're very well ahead of level 7 or 8.

[Goldberg]

Yes, definitely go for the third Ballade. It's a great match!

[Selim]

3rd ballad is a nice piece, a lot of feeling will be really important, nuances, and colour, the first part with the theme, Eb fa sol....Must be played really legato, and with a lot of phrasing! the second part with the broken octaves C-C C-C C-C etc (you understand what I mean?) must be really light, with a small accent on the first C ( the highest) and a Diminuendo on the second.

The "coda" in C# is really powerful and electrising so keep it under control, if it is unclear it will be against you during a performance!

Try to keep a line go Crescendo and keep your "bravura" for the end.

[banzai]

Abit like the "Friska" part in the 2nd Hung. Rhaps. - yah I played half of it....

[nanabush]

That's it, the Coda, couldn't remember the word, that part in the third ballade sounds amazing.  Try Chopin nocturne in C minor op 48 no.1 one of Debussy's images, the reflets dans l'eau sounds the best imo but looks terribly difficult.

[Selim]

Reflets dans l'eau is not a so hard piece, it is easier than it seems to be.

[Barbosa-piano]

 The Ballade No.3 is a great piece. I would go for it if I was you. You seem pretty confident about it... I don't play it entirely yet, but I think it is a very good choice.
 A great piece to go along with the ones that you play.   
Enjoy practice!

Mario Barbosa

[LVB op.57]

How about some Bach? If you really want a challenge try one of the 5 voice fugues from the WTK book 1. Or maybe one of the French suites.

[banzai]

Never seemed like Bach was my cup of tea... 

[C-A]

I highly recommend Chopin's Barcarolle in F#Major Op.60. It's technically challenging, but the musically is miles ahead harder than the technicality, but the rewards are really great. Try it! I hope you'll like it.

[pseudopianist]

How about some Bach? If you really want a challenge try one of the 5 voice fugues from the WTK book 1. Or maybe one of the French suites.

Isn't there only one 5 voice fugue? (C sharp)

[Bouter Boogie]

Go for the 3rd ballad, it's beautiful 

[nanabush]

Aa the C sharp fugue is so difficult!  It's so much at once, and it's so confusing! aaa

[pianocrazy]

hi,
   im new here. why not try smth nice and simple like nocturne in c# minor or (harder) rhapsody no 1 (brahms). they sound really nice (to me)

[pianowelsh]

Are you trying to build a recital prog? If its just for next piece to learn all of these are great suggestions. However if your want a recital programme you should consider how things are balancing up. You seem to have a fair amount in the classical/early romantic period a nice Romatic work or perhaps a twentieth century piece would be  a good addition. Alternatively a Bach prelude and fugue or a toccata would be a nice option.

[6ft 4]

If you played the whole of the Waldstein then you are WAY above grade 8.

[Rach3]

Isn't there only one 5 voice fugue? (C sharp)

No - there's also the B-flat minor, no. 22.

[donjuan]

Abit like the "Friska" part in the 2nd Hung. Rhaps. - yah I played half of it....

haha the most fun you will ever have in all music experiences, most likely!   Learn the whole friska and maybe you will want to do the rest of it.

[banzai]

If you played the whole of the Waldstein then you are WAY above grade 8.

Hehe - sorry only played 1st and 2nd movement.

About the recital prog thing - I've played some other pieces:

Schumann: Arabesque, Des Abends, Grillen, Aufswung, Falbe and pieces from Kinderscenen.

Bach: Couple of 2-parts inv. and 3-parts aswell. And the prelude/fugue nr. 21 book 1.

Chopin: Etude opus. 10 nr.3, and a nocturne (can't remember the number). + some mazurkas, and the Minute Waltz.

Mendelsohn: Rondo Cappri.

Grieg: Weddingday at Trollhauge, and some other lyric pieces.

Mozart: Fantasy in D. Sonata in A (the one with the alla turca), Sonata in C.

Debussy: Pour le Piano (the prelude), Prelude and Clair de lune from Suite Bergamasque, Pieces from childrens corner.

Otherwise a Gershwin Prelude and some Kabalevski, abit of Albeniz (Sevilla) and other smaller pieces  .
So it's not because my repetoire is big, but I like those pieces, and yes alot of them are overplayed. Hmm and I've probably missed something. Uhmm - yes and the 1st Etude of Scriabin.

Was thinking - how hard are the ABEGG-variations? And are they worth playing?

[banzai]

Okay I've decided to go for the 3rd Ballade - just hope I can make it through.

Does anyone have any advices on how to practice/interpret it?

I'm listening to a recording by Zimerman - think he plays it quite nice actually - very straight forward... (?)


Thanks

[banzai]

Oh yes and by the way - does anyone have the Paderewski edition? Heard that it's the best one...

[steinwayguy]

Hehe - sorry only played 1st and 2nd movement.

About the recital prog thing - I've played some other pieces:

Schumann: Arabesque, Des Abends, Grillen, Aufswung, Falbe and pieces from Kinderscenen.

Bach: Couple of 2-parts inv. and 3-parts aswell. And the prelude/fugue nr. 21 book 1.

Chopin: Etude opus. 10 nr.3, and a nocturne (can't remember the number). + some mazurkas, and the Minute Waltz.

Mendelsohn: Rondo Cappri.

Grieg: Weddingday at Trollhauge, and some other lyric pieces.

Mozart: Fantasy in D. Sonata in A (the one with the alla turca), Sonata in C.

Debussy: Pour le Piano (the prelude), Prelude and Clair de lune from Suite Bergamasque, Pieces from childrens corner.

Otherwise a Gershwin Prelude and some Kabalevski, abit of Albeniz (Sevilla) and other smaller pieces .
So it's not because my repetoire is big, but I like those pieces, and yes alot of them are overplayed. Hmm and I've probably missed something. Uhmm - yes and the 1st Etude of Scriabin.

Was thinking - how hard are the ABEGG-variations? And are they worth playing?

The Abegg Variations are probably not too far above your level. Personally I don't find them very rewarding. But since you decided on the Third Ballade...

Yes the Padarewski is by far and away the best edition for any Chopin. Although I cross-referenced with the Cortot (Salabert) and Peters Edition, not that they helped much...

[turner]

Good luck with the 3rd Ballade.

It's generally said that the 3rd Ballade is the easiest of the 4 written by Chopin, and there is some truth to that. Just the same, it is by no means "easy." This one is the first Ballade that I learned in my teens and I later returned to it in my 20s. In both stages I'm not sure if I ever "perfected" it to a level that I'm comfortable with.

It's beautiful and full of nuances for you to display your range of interpretive abilities. Rhythmically it's highly flexible--especially the 2nd theme. Technically it posed quite a few challenges for me during my 1st stint. I don't know your abilities, so it's hard to say what will be difficult for you.

For me, the section immediately preceding the coda was quite a workout, where you have almost 2 pages (in my edition, anyway) of tremolo broken octaves in the left hand, with some wide internals thrown in--very tiring, to be able to play accurately and to bring out the suspense and breathless building-up to the coda without rushing the tempo. I think the tremolo section was made more difficulty because your hands are already tired by the section immediately before this, the famous climax C-sharp minor chordal passage, where you have all these difficult left hand skips. I have heard this Ballade performed live quite a few times, and it's amazing how often the players crumble when they get here.

So, start slow and build the endurance gradually and be very patient with your progress.