What's a good piece for me to play at this stage?

[xire]

Well, since I'm getting more into classical music right now, wich I really enjoy, I'm planning to play some more classical pieces on the piano. I play the piano for about 4 months now I think and it's going fine, but obviously, my skills aren't that good yet.

So, my question is: what would be a nice classical piece to play? 2 weeks ago (or something) I finished Chopin's Prelude Op 28, No 4, wich I really enjoy to play. I was thinking of start practising on one of the Nocturne pieces, by Chopin. I just listened Chopin's Nocturne in E Minor, Op 72, No 1, and I kinda like it (same key as the Op 28 No 4 Prelude  ). Though, I don't know if this piece is still too difficult for me. Of course, when I practise all day for a few weeks, I can pull it off at the end, but that's not really what I want to do.


So, what piece is a nice piece to play for a player like me?


Thanks in advance.

[kreso]

Chopin is fine.. you could also play some easier valses by Chopin..
And there is Tchaikovsky-The Season which are beautifull pieces..
I suggest Schubert Valses (there are a lot of good one, my favourite are those from op.77)
And Schumann maybe Albumblatter op.124 and BuneBlatter op.99..
Of course Mendhelsohn-Songs without words..

So much amazing things to play..
Everything is up to you..

[fuel925]

Well, since I'm getting more into classical music right now, wich I really enjoy, I'm planning to play some more classical pieces on the piano. I play the piano for about 4 months now I think and it's going fine, but obviously, my skills aren't that good yet.

So, my question is: what would be a nice classical piece to play? 2 weeks ago (or something) I finished Chopin's Prelude Op 28, No 4, wich I really enjoy to play. I was thinking of start practising on one of the Nocturne pieces, by Chopin. I just listened Chopin's Nocturne in E Minor, Op 72, No 1, and I kinda like it (same key as the Op 28 No 4 Prelude  ). Though, I don't know if this piece is still too difficult for me. Of course, when I practise all day for a few weeks, I can pull it off at the end, but that's not really what I want to do.


So, what piece is a nice piece to play for a player like me?


Thanks in advance.

I would consider the Chopin Nocturnes too difficult for someone who has played the piano for only 4 months. In fact, I highly doubt that a student of 4 months can play Chopin's Op.28 No.4 properly. Being able to play all the notes is only a miniscule part of the bigger picture. I am not trying to put a dampener on you, I am just trying to tell things as straightforward as they are.

At your level I would suggest learning some pieces from "Anna Magdalena's Notebook" by J.S Bach. This would be a very good starting point. Also do some research into different composers childrens pieces. These are helpful to all beginners, regardless of age.

[kreso]

And I also forgot one very important thing: Bach of course and a lot of Czerny studies-althaught they are little bit boring, belive me they are VERY usefull!!

[infectedmushroom]

Maybe some of the easier Mozart sonata's will do.



(OT: I'm having some problems with the forum, I hope this post arrives)

[xire]

Thanks for your replies.


kreso: thanks for the advice, I will take a closer look at some of those pieces.



fuel925: you're totally right about that, but I do the best I can. I listened and watched a lot of versions of Chopin's Prelude Op 28 No 4. I especially enjoy the version wich is played by Sergio Tiempo. Of course, this doesn't make me playing this piece right. Technically, this piece isn't hard for me, but to play it how it should be played, is hard for me. Though, I'm happy that I can memorize the piece and know what notes I have to play. I do hear a lot of difference in playing styles, if I compare those versions, of Prelude Op 28 No 4, wich I've heard. For example: I have a recording of it, played by Martha Argerich, and she plays it totally different than Sergio Tiempo (well, I get some kinda feeling with the one Martha plays, but my feeling changes when I listen to the one Sergio plays). To me, it feels like this piece can be played how you want to make people feel, if you know what I mean... But maybe I'm totally wrong with that. 

Anyway, thanks for your advice and I will take a look at Anna Magdalena's Notebook by J.S Bach, if I can find it somewhere.

[kreso]

For some Czerny studies and Schumann, but also for a lot of other good things check out:

https://www.abrahamespinosa.com/partituras2.htm

https://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/

Enjoy and keep working!

[fra ungdomsdagene]

Not an easy question.
The pieces are so many and being very individual is impossible to generalize what your stage is. Skill comes in many shape. There are people who have an instinctive musicality and can play complex sonata just by ear and are not able to read music. Others can easily play complex long and poignant pieces and can't play simple technical pieces. So unlike others I do believe that you can play the Chopin Prelude and probably dynamics and musicality that are not immediate for others and require months of practicing are just like second nature to you.

I think that Bach is a good choice too, I remember that the 18 little preludes and the 2 part invention improved my technique a lot. They're all charming pieces and not just technical studies.  https://tinyurl.com/9ukqo

Tschaikowsky op.39 "Album for the young" is also an interesting one and useful to get a touch of a more chromatically modern technique

Haydn sonatas (7 - 8 and 9) also is something you could like. Listen to them before to be sure you don't find them too boring.

Grieg Lyric Pieces op. 12 (Schirmer edition has op.12 and op.38 on the same volume, but the 38 is more advanced)

Since you like Chopin his Waltzes (n. 12,17,18) could be a good choice or the Mazurkas (op. 6/1 op.7/1-2)

There are also Sonatinas from various composers that you may find interesting, but beware either you love them or you hate them:
Clementi Sonatinas op. 36, 37 and 38
Kuhlau Sonatinas op. 20,55, 60, and 88
Beethoven Sonatinas
Pleyel Sonatinas op. 48
or you can also look for "Piano Sonatinas, Book" vol 1 to 10 for other sonatinas by other composers like Le Coppey, Kohler, Latour, Spindler, Lichner, Duncombe ...

You can also just buy some ABRSM volume graded around you level circa (4-5)
There's a vast choice:
https://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/1401
https://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/1029
https://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/1442
https://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/1420
https://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/1419
https://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/1392
https://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/1382

I would also get:

a book of scales, so you can practice the scale relative to the key of the piece you're going to practice.
https://tinyurl.com/83dun
https://tinyurl.com/dkpul

a book on pedaling: https://tinyurl.com/dvggy

a book on theory:
https://tinyurl.com/b7mk
https://tinyurl.com/886tq

https://tinyurl.com/9nhm6
https://tinyurl.com/d8upy

something to sightread:
keyboard anthologies and beginner pieces "a dozen a day" are good
https://tinyurl.com/7ozp3

but Bach chorals for piano are especially useful.
https://tinyurl.com/c79b6

or also the ABRSM ones:
https://tinyurl.com/brh2k

Good luck
Fra

[xire]

Thanks a lot for your reply and all this useful information Fra, it really helps me!


A lot of interesting things you posted. I'm really gonna get a closer look at those preludes from Bach. I listened to some midi's, wich are on that link you posted, and some pieces really sound interesting, though, it are only midi's, so I'm gonna check if I can get some real recordings of it.

I'm gonna check out some of those Sonatinas too. You posted some composers who I didn't know yet, so I'm gonna listen to some of those, since I always like to hear pieces from composers which I never heard before.


And thanks for all those links with books. I really have to buy some of those, to replace a teacher a bit I guess.   I really have to work on my musical theory knowledge, cause that isn't my best "skill".


Well, time for me to work now. I really like the BWV 936 Prelude in D-moll, by Bach, so I think I might take a closer look at that piece. Maybe it's still too difficult at this stage, but I give it a try anyway. 





EDIT: a little bit off topic, but to get back again a bit about the Chopin Prelude Op 28 No 4: I uploaded some versions of this piece and they're all different.

Ver. 1: https://rapidshare.de/files/9217589/CCE_v06CD1_-_04-Prelude_Op.28-No.04_in_Em-Largo.mp3.html
Ver. 2: https://rapidshare.de/files/9217663/05._Chopin_-_Preludes_Op28_No.04.mp3.html
Ver. 3: https://rapidshare.de/files/9217719/14_Chopin_-_Prelude_In_E_Minor.mp3.html
Ver. 4: https://rapidshare.de/files/9217805/07_Prelude__4_In_E_Minor__Op._28.mp3.html
Ver. 5 (a video, the one Sergio Tiempo plays): https://rapidshare.de/files/8287037/Chopin_prelude_No_4.zip.html


I listened a lot to all of them and for me, it shows me that the pianist is kinda "free" to decide how he wants to play a piece like this and how he wants to let the people feel when he plays it. Like I said, I like the one Sergio plays the most, not cause it's a video, but I just like the way he plays the Prelude Op 28 No 4.

I know I didn't opened this topic about Chopin's Prelude Op 28 No 4, but it can't harm.   Anyway, for the ones who look at this and download some of the versions; enjoy!