Piano Forum

it is a longterm dream of mine to tackle these complete sets, the chopin op10 + op25, and the liszt trancendental etudes.

which order is the most efficient in learning them all?

and generall..any other advice for undertaking a project like this?

Hi stevie,

Well, I have some dreams, or rather *GOALS*, that are quite similar to yours.  I have provided at the bottom of my message, a link that gives information on order of difficulty for the Chopin etudes, and that may give you a platform to structure your thoughts on this (I don't have anything for the Liszt). 

Now, there are a couple things I would just like to add to this subject as far as *efficiency* is concerned.  I have found for myself, anyway, that it is indeed possible for me to keep myself on a very steady path, and there are certain aspects of my learning that need this and are dealt with in this way.  I also find that because of the sheer quantity as well as quality of stuff I want to know, my thought at times has a difficult time settling on something in particular without wanting to be already learning something new.  This may not be the case with you exactly, however, I am guessing that you can relate to at least part of what I am saying.

I need an anchor, as well as an enormous panoply of seemingly random (it will all serve a purpose and "come together" later) learning happening all around me (giving my thought lots of stimulation and forward moving activity).   Because of this, there are a couple of things I have realized.  My most efficient path (right now) involves two seemingly opposite approaches which I employ simultaneously: 

1.  Making lists, setting specific goals, strategies to learn,  planning recitals etc.  Picking core pieces (5-10 pieces, perhaps) that I set out to learn.  These core pieces along with a strategy to learn them and a goal for their completion serves as an anchor for me and my thought.  I am also interested in performance, so I like to plan these core pieces with a performance in mind.  If I don't have this, I start feeling as though I am floating aimlessly and my learning becomes less productive as far as I can perceive it, my wayward thoughts creating their own obstacle.

2.  I become something like a Baleen Whale.   Just open up wide (the whales don't actually do exactly that, but you know) and start filtering.   Working out chunks of several and *any* different pieces (pieces that I have in my longterm goal list, but are not necessarily in my current core selections), as pertinent opportunities arise, and then do not fuss over it at all.  For example, I want to learn all of the Rachmaninov Preludes (as well as over a thousand other pieces).  I will take opportunities to work out something about any portion of the sets and pieces as it arises, like the fingering for a certain figure and what-not.  I give it sincere thought, write it in the score, and then that chunk is done and I mentally let it go, knowing I have that piece of information when I get back to it.  Again, I will do this with *anything* pertinent to my overall goals as the opportunity arises.   (it is good to be actively seeking these opportunities as well).

Do you teach ?  If you do, you know that teaching forces you to think through thoroughly what it is you need to do to accomplish a certain challenge, and your own perception on pieces or chunks of pieces becomes clarified.


You may enjoy and find useful this thread here on digesting information :
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,7171.msg71496.html#msg71496


And here are the Chopin etudes :

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3197.msg28098.html#msg28098
(Grades for all Chopin’s etudes and nocturnes)



m1469