Rachmaninoff: Prelude Op.23/4 or 23/6?

[jhon]

Rachmaninoff: Prelude Op.23/4 in D or 23/6 in Eb?  I asked this as it appears to me these are the only the compsoer's slow and major-key preludes - thus with warmth feeling.  (Other preludes like the one in Bm is also slow but being put in minor key gives it a feeling of agitation instead.)

I go for Op.23/4 now.  Is Op.23/6 better - harder?

[steinwayguy]

In my opinion, you should learn both. But if I had to pick, I would most definitely go for No. 4. It is my favorite prelude in the entire opus and rivals the last four from opus 32 as the best from either opus. I'm pretty sure No. 6 is a good deal more difficult than No. 4, but I could be wrong.

[ravel]

just finished opus 23 no.4 ( almostttttt) , one of my favourite rach preludes
 amazing piece to play  and i love ashkenazy's recording of it.

[jbmajor]

In my opinion, you should learn both. But if I had to pick, I would most definitely go for No. 4. It is my favorite prelude in the entire opus and rivals the last four from opus 32 as the best from either opus. I'm pretty sure No. 6 is a good deal more difficult than No. 4, but I could be wrong.

No. 4 has 4 finger chords in each hand in the fast section; accuracy must be tough there.