New Performer

[justliam]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum so I don't how friendly people are or how strict everything ism but I just want to say Hi, and hopefully get some info that will improve my skills. I'm 20 and having been playing since I was 13, but as I've been at uni for two years, I only have my keyboard and it's now become difficult to advance.  When I left after studying A-levels, I was able to play Clair De Lune, Nocturne Op.9-2 (chopin).  Pieces at that kind of level, and whilst I've learnt some pieces at that level, can't really advance further as they're aren't enough pieces on my keyboard, although I'm hopeing to get a full size one soon.  I was wondering if anyone could suggest any pieces as nice as clair de lune but a similar difficulty, I would love to play, fantasie impromptu and revolutionary, but feel they may be just beyond me, especially as pieces with fast movement are particularly difficult on the plastic keyboard keys.  Thanks for any help, and sorry any annoyance!

[teresa_b]

Welcome! 

There are a lot of threads on this site about relative difficulty of pieces!  You really need a full sized piano now if you want to study seriously. 

Fantaisie Impromptu and Rev Etude are quite a bit above your current level, I think, but if you work a couple of years...

Pieces you may want to look at now--

Debussy Arabesques
Mozart Sonata in G Major (I've forgotten the number)
Bach 2-Part Inventions
Some of the Chopin Preludes or Waltzes
Schubert Impromptu Op 90 no 2
Beethoven Op 79 Sonata (tricky!)

Have fun!
Teresa

[justliam]

Hey, thanks a lot.  I've got arabesques on my list of stuff I wanna learn hehe, and I play Invention No.8, and 13.  Although 13 isn't quite to speed yet.  I dont really like playing Mozart for some reason, guess it's not to my taste, but I love Chopin so will give those a try.  I'll look out for the Beethoven too, and Schubert should be intresting as I've yet to play anything by him, thanks again!

[allthumbs]

Welcome to the forum.

Pieces I would suggest you try are;

Debussy's Rêverie

Chopin's Prelude in E minor, Op.28, No.4
              Prelude in B minor, Op.28, No.6 - a nice left hand melody piece

Satie's Gymnopedie, No.3 or Gnossienne No.3 - both seamingly easy pieces on the surface, but challenging to bring out all the nuances and colour

Mendelssohn's Venetian Boat Song, Op.30, No.6

Cheers

[jeremyjchilds]

Schubert Impromptu Op 90 no 2

This was the very first thing that popped into my mind...

It's beautiful..

[alzado]

I would also suggest the first (#1) of Prokofiev's "Fugitive Visions."  It's available on the internet at no charge.

Also, the Ravel Prelude of 1913.  Also available.  No calls to the deep bass that I can recall.

Of Satie's Gymnopedies, the second might cause you some difficulty because there are some calls to the deep bass.  In other words, you might run out of keys.  The first and third should work for you with no problems.

[justliam]

Thanks guys, a lot of the pieces mentioned I play or on my list anyway so looks like I'm on the right track.  Some I'm not aware of though so I will listen to those and then perhaps add them my list as well.  At the moment I'm learning Sonata in A K,331 and I already know alla turca so shouldn't be too tricky, then I'm gonna try for simple pieces to learn but which can be intereted my own way just so I build up a more varied repetoire then I will start pushing myself with more difficult pieces, I havea really good version of rhapsody in Blue, and then perhaps look at lots of Chopin and Debussy, and possibly Beethoven.  Oh and get my Bartok 153* Back in upto scratch lol, I can do it in 1:40 but it's not all neat, and thats only on my keyboard, could be tricky on piano, damn keyboard