Etudes: Chopin vs Liszt vs Scriabin vs Ligeti

[mozoot]

If you had to pick one, which concert of the complete etudes of these composers would you want to attend out of the these?
Chopin
Liszt
Scriabin
Ligeti
Sorabji (just for sh$&s and giggles)

[pita bread]

Sorabji's 100 Transcendental Etudes, by far. From what I've read about these etudes, they're quite varied in style, ranging from beautiful and sensual to fiery and barbaric.

Scriabin would have been fine too, but I don't care much for the Op. 8 romantic-era etudes.

[arensky]

Scriabin. I've heard the Chopin concert several times (the late Yuri Egourov was the best one).

Don't know the Sorabji Etudes; Ligeti would be fine, Liszt would be very interesting, there's a lot of variety there. But I would still go to the Scriabin concert, his music is the most interesting for me.

[prometheus]

If someone is going to perform Sorabji's 100 transcendental etudes, how can you refuse?

[pita bread]

I'd love to hear all the Ligeti too, but tough luck finding a pianist to play all of those...

[mozoot]

Where can you find the music to the 100 transcendental etudes..?

[ahinton]

If someone is going to perform Sorabji's 100 transcendental etudes, how can you refuse?

How can who refuse? We wouldn't, for starters! - especially if the player can play them! At present, the Swedish pianist Fredrik Ullén has performed almost half of them in various concerts and has recorded the first 22, due for relase on BIS late this year; he's also due to record volume 2 of this ongoing series (nos. 23 - 40, we think) for BIS in December.

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

Where can you find the music to the 100 transcendental etudes..?

Direct from us by sending an email to
sorabji-archive@lineone.net
I hate to have to warn you that they are unavoidably expensive - but then they do comprise 864 landscape A3 pages and are bound in two volumes.

Best,

Alistair

[mozoot]

I hope Ullen's Sorabji is better than his Ligeti. Because put up next to Aimards Ligeti, Ullen, doesn't quite sound........well, it just doesnt' sound.

[shasta]

The Chopin-Godowsky Etudes

[prometheus]

I meant, how could anyone refuese Assuming they are well played. Otherwise I would either go with Liszt or Ligeti.

Thats interesting, Alistair. I knew he played them. But I will be looking forward to the recording (ie buying them).

[stevie]

out of the choices - liszt

they are all amazing, and i think they work better as a set

[pita bread]

I can't wait for Ullen's Sorabji cd to come out.

[ahinton]

I can't wait for Ullen's Sorabji cd to come out.

Sadly, you'll have to do so nevertheless (just like the rest of us!) - although not for too long, we hope! It is likely to be the first of about seven featuring the entire cycle of 100; all are planned to be made available separately.

Best,

Alistair

[minor9th]

Sorabji's would take several days, but I'd vote for them! Ullen sounds great in the samples I've heard:

https://www.fredrikullen.com/sorabji.htm

[etudes]

If you had to pick one, which concert of the complete etudes of these composers would you want to attend out of the these?
Chopin
Liszt
Scriabin
Ligeti
Sorabji (just for sh$&s and giggles)

Liszt - ab irato,2 concert etudes,3 concert etudes,Paganini etudes,early Paganini etudes,Transcendental,Earlier transcendental(douze Grandes Etudes,etude op1 all together would be too much in 1 concert!
the same as Sorabji 100 Transcendental,Godowsky-Chopin 53 studies is too long for me.....
so i prefer chopin

[pita bread]

I'm still interested in the Sorabji etudes, especially the more "impressionistic" nocturnes, but I'm also considering Liszt Transcendentals and Ligeti etudes now.

[rohansahai]

Add Alkan's op. 39 and add my vote to it.

[g_s_223]

Add Alkan's op. 39 and add my vote to it.

That's a good call. Deffo an interesting set, these...

[panic]

Or even Alkan's 35s.

[ryguillian]

Aren't Debussy's études worth a concert?

—Ryan

[sevencircles]

I hope Ullen's Sorabji is better than his Ligeti. Because put up next to Aimards Ligeti, Ullen, doesn't quite sound........well, it just doesnt' sound.

Fredrik Ullén is just an amateur. He works as a brainscientist and propably haven´t got that much time to practice.

[ryguillian]

Fredrik Ullén is just an amateur. He works as a brainscientist and propably haven't got that much time to practice.

The first Google search result for “Ullén” has the following description:

“Fredrik Ullen Hompage, pianist, neuroscience researcher, lecturer.”

”Pianist“ is listed first and we can assume that his pursuits as a pianist are equal to his pursuits as a “brainscientist”. We don't really have to assume, though; we can observe the fact that Mr. Ullén recorded nine albums (and appears on two other compilation live albums) which have received positive reviews by professionals; the fact that he has given more than sixty concerts since 2003; the fact that his repertoire includes sixteen piano concertos and hundreds of solo piano pieces ranging from easy to severely difficult (Sorabji / Ligeti / Flynn).

Figures aren't available, but I can assure you that with credentials like this, Mr. Ullén “propably” is no amateur and has much time to practice.

—Ryan

[stevie]

Aren't Debussy's études worth a concert?

—Ryan

sadly, no

[vers la flamme]

Scriabin's

Why?

1) I'm sick of the Chopin etudes
2) Liszt etudes aren't my favorite except for Mazzepa, and La Campanella
3) The Ligeti I have not heard

Scriabin has some real gems, and some etudes that sound like they were written in a mental hospital when he was in a straight jacket (Op. 43 no. 3 F sharp major)

[ryguillian]

ome etudes that sound like they were written in a mental hospital when he was in a straight jacket[.]

Notating music while wearing a straight jacket would make me rather upset, too.

—Ryan

[musicsdarkangel]

Liszt - I've heard the Chopin etudes enough already.

[chromatickler]

chopin

with in hand

[jas]

I'd see the Chopin, because I've never heard the etudes performed live. Scriabin would be my second choice. I've never been very into the Liszt (though I do love some of them) and I don't know enough of Ligeti's to know what I think of them.

Jas

[BoliverAllmon]

I am surprised no one mention Rachmaninoff.

I would go with Ligeti.

[mrcreosote]

Ancient thread - timeless topic

My brain simply cannot process anythig beyond Rach's Etudes-Tableaux.

Chopin only if Zlata Chochieva - otherwise bored.  But can also be too complex for my taste such as Introduction and Rondo

Liszt probably my top pick mainly because I don't know most of them

Scriabin is just too modern if NOT his "simple" works like the Op8#12.

Ligeti also too modern but is OK for a "splash of sound" - but I'm bored or maybe stupefied after 15-30 seconds.

BUT from this list the Rach E-T are right in my sweat spot.  Oh, and Prokofiev is too modern in the "slow bits" - melodies remind me of Brownian motion  ...with rhythm and phrasing.

[j_tour]

Yeah, but the fingerings Chopin precribed for the otherwise charming. Op. 10. no. 2. 

I've come to appreciate Chopin in my middle years, but I just can't/won't play that one at speed with those fingerings.  It's like a Vincent Price/Roger Corman torture device, as far as I'm concerned.  And it's a nice little tune, too, if you just play it without regard to Chopin's fingerings.

[lostinidlewonder]

Direct from us by sending an email to
sorabji-archive@lineone.net
I hate to have to warn you that they are unavoidably expensive - but then they do comprise 864 landscape A3 pages and are bound in two volumes.

Best,

Alistair

Are they still all handwritten scores or has the typesetting been done yet or is it ever going to be?