Fav composer/piece

[Elimis]

Hi all, I just joined this forum.

I thought I'd start by asking you all what's your favorite piano piece and your favorite composer.

Also, I thought I'd introduce myself.

I'm a just-turned-17 guy from Israel. I have been playing the piano since I was 5, but until about a year ago, I didn't really like it much, I would just play once a week at my piano lessons

Recently, I watched the movie Shine, which really inspired me, and then I started falling in love with Classical music. I try to listen to as many great pieces as I can.

So now I play a LOT more than I used to.

Currently leraning (way too many, but I can't help it...):Toccotta and Fugue-Bach
Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement-Beethoven.
Flight of the Bumblebee-Korsakow
2nd Hungarian Rhapsody-Liszt

As soon as I finish Toccotta (soon, I hope) and Bumblebee (even sooner), I'll start working on Chopin's Revolutionary Etude.

Anyways, my current favorite performer is Chopin.
Hard to say fav. piece, although I really love the Revolutionary Etude. Also like Liszts Hungarian Rhapsody.

Fun to be able to play the stuff I love.

Elimis

[Renee]

Hi!    its great to see other teens on the forum.I to am learning chopins revolutionary etude and LOVE it!!
I also like Debussy,his melodies are often simple but  beautiful! theres just so much music out there! Does anybody else play hymns and things like that just for the fun of it? i mean like really easy stuff you can change around anyway you want to? i love that to!!
pretty much anything to do with piano sounds good to me!!!

[Diabolos]

Hi there - and welcome.

It's nice to see someone at my age *hehe*
If I had a favourite composer It'd certainly be Chopin, whose pieces I play a lot (By the way: Good luck with the Revolutionary etude).
But there are so many other composers whose works I like to perform (like Beethoven, Mozart, Prokofieff, Grieg, Schubert, Skriabin etc.) that defining who I like best is a hard thing to do.

However, I don't like Bach.   I guess I had to analyze it too much.

Which Hungarian Rhapsody are you talking about? Liszt wrote a lot of them..

Nevertheless, keep on working hard so you can play them Rhapsodies  

Laters

[Mandy]

Hmm-this is a really tough question...here's my 2 cents!

I'd have to say that I'm torn between Schubert and Liszt-everytime I hear something "new" by either one of them, I change my mind!

For Schubert, I'm partial to:

Gb major impromptus op.90, no.3
Bb major sonata

Liszt:
Sposalizio (I looove this piece)

Diabolos-it's too bad you overanalyzed Bach-I know what you mean though, that happened to me with some of the Mozart and Beethoven Sonatas.....

I too played the Revolutionary Etude-it's a killer for people with small hands ( I can just reach an octave!)....it's a very popular piece!  Have fun with it!

Mandy
(P.S. Since we're all sharing our age, I'm 22!!)

[ludwig]

hey, nice to have another person talking here I don't have a favourite composer or piece, although I like pretty much everything I play, I find Mozart's piano pieces a little predictable, so I don't play much of that, although his chamber music I like. I like Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Rachm, Prokofiev, Chopin, I'm starting to like Bach, didn't use to, Schubert and Schumann's piano music is really nice, hopefully I'll learn some new 20th century. Anyhoo...

[Elimis]

Which Hungarian Rhapsody are you talking about?

The second one, the one I'm playing.

And just to clarify: I didn't really start Revolutionary yet, since I have to finish some other pieces first...

I only started praticing the left hand a bit |(ahead of time) both for fun and so that when I start playing it will be esaier.

Tho it's starting to seem like the Right hand is a bigger problem, what with jumping from one huge challenging chord to another.

Elimis

[Diabolos]

Ok, the 2nd is a nice one - and don't worry about the  chords, you'll get them quickly.

Good luck!

[pianistcomposer]

I'd say my favorite piece is Prokofiev's sixth piano sonata.

[ravel]

undoubtedly prokofiev sixth   ( played by richter) is amazing , although i dont think i can cll it my favourite, there are so many
my favourite composers are so many , just to name a few, debussy , ravel,  stravinsky, chopin ,lizst, prokofiev, and ofcourse schoenberg, berg and webern,
by the way i was ust wondering if any one can explain it to me how do pianists manage  to play those glissando s in ravel s piano version of la valse,

[notelady]

I think my favourite piece, at least that I have studied this far, is Brahms Intermezzo op. 118 no 2. There is just something about that opening that so bitterly sweet and beautiful. But I have come to love just about every work that I try to conquer, my passion right now is the Mozart Fantasy in C minor,K. 475.

[MikeThePianist]

I have a great many favorite composers.  I love all the colors/textures in Debussy's preludes, I love the fire in Beethoven, I love Bach and Scarlatti, I love the rhythms in Ginastera and the harmonies of Bartok.  Chopin may be my favorite, but I like all the composers so much, it's hard to say.  Oh, I also like Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev.  I haven't yet acquired the taste for Schubert.  Some of his sonatas are a tad on the long side.  They are extremely beautiful though.

That's my two cents.  

Mike

[aerislanne]

Since all the younger people are gathering here, I'm joining the crowd

My favorite piece... don't really have one. But my favorite composers are Debussy and Chopin. I've always really liked Debussy's "Reverie," it's so dreamy... And Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu (as played by Horowitz) never fails to amaze me. Right now I'm learning the 3rd of "Four Preludes" by Rachmanioff, and it reminds me of Debussy's "Reverie," so I like that one very much as well. The hardest thing I ever played (or attempted to play) was Liszt-Paganini's "La Campanella". It's IMPOSSIBLE to hit the chords right! My hands aren't that big either, they stretch a little more than an octave, about 9 keys comfortably, 10 if I force it. I've always wanted to learn Chopin's Revolutionary Etude and Butterfly... they're so... hm... intriguing? I used to like Beethoven, but I got sick of "Fur Elise"... haven't really had a chance to listen to his better works. But Chopin, is so intensely romantic and just, um... I don't know, I suppose the word would be facinating? I could very easily get lost in Chopin. I would like to play more Rachmanioff though, his works are so complicated-sounding and are like a puzzle waiting to be solved.

Oh, and I'm 16

[chalo]

Hi everyone! I'm new here but I hope to get in touch rapidly.

I reply to the question about fav.composer, piece...

I have Three fav.composers!
The Father: Bach
The Son: Brahms
The Holy Spirit: Liszt

I like very much every work of them, and also their lifes, so intrigating and passionate.

If I had to tell just one piece of them I'd say...
Italian Concerto, Bach
op.9 Variations, Brahms
Valle d'Oberman, Liszt

But they were also Composers not only for piano but for choir and orchestra works, the better ones, as far as I'm concerned. And I love these ones...

Jesu meine Freude, Motet in E minor, Bach
Ein Deutsches Requiem, Brahms
Christus, Liszt

And I looove their chamber music as well...

Fugue Art, Bach
Liebeslieder Walzer, Brahms (simply wonderful!, specially recorded by Deutsche Gramophon with Janet Baker, Brigitte Fassbaender, Peter Schreier and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau... what an incredible CD!!!)
Petrarca Sonets (Lied version), Liszt

... last but not least... I list here my fav.works for other instruments...

Partita in D minor, violin, Bach !!! (astonishing)
O schöne Nacht (op.92, n1), choir a capella, Brahms
Liszt himself was a completed music work, just have to read about his life... incredibly romantic!

Obviously, I like as well Other major composers, like Schumann (with only his Carnaval op.9 he is a genius), Mendelssohn (have a look to his Preldes and Fugues for piano, and also to Elijah, Oratorio), of course Chopin (specially Nocturne in Cminor and in F # Major, Scherzo in C#minor and Barcarole in F#Major), Beethoven (I love specially Sonatas n12 and n32!!), etc etc.

I hope not to bore you with my large explanations...
I'll be back with more...

[ilovechopin]

You may be able to guess my fav. composer by my name, if you're really astute and observant.  His two piano concertos are by far the most beautiful pieces of music ever written, in my opinion.  But I am extremely partial to Artur Rubinstein's playing.  Nobody plays Chopin like Rubinstein.  I love the Ocean etude as well.  Other favorite composers are Rachmaninoff and Mendellsohn.  And Schumann.  I always go for the Romantic composers.  But then I also love Baroque.  Oh what the heck,  I love 'em all!

[Diabolos]

Well, a little time has passed - how's that Liszt Rhapsody going? Got the friska right?  

since we've already reached the Chopin etudes: What about winter wind? This is to be my alltime favourite etude (besides Liszt's Wilde Jagd which I like for being able to play a lil stronger and more intense), quite a tough one to play - but still: It's worth it.
Finally, something quite surprising: Nobody mentioned Haydn or Gershwin. What about them?

Regards

[selsa]

Chopin is without a doubt my favorite composer. His works are mostly for the piano, and most of the greatest classical piano pieces are also written by Chopin.

I like almost all of his pieces, but I specially like his Mazurkas, Impromptus and Etudes (especially the Etudes of Op. 10.)

Chopin is the great piano Poet. He wrote about joy, dreaming, relaxation, mystery, charm, elegance, bravery, romance, passion and more.

[RhiAnne]

Hey guys.

 Great topic.

 I will have to break mine down into periods, as I have favorite composers from different time periods.

 Baroque - I love Bach.  I cannot get enough of Bach.  I am working on Prelude and Fugue in c -minor from book II and Chromatic Fantasy in D-minor.  I also am very partial to Scarlatti- great sonatas.

 Classical - I like Mozart alot, but as I have played many of his pieces and concertos, I am beginning to list Haydn as my favorite classical composer.  I am working on his Sonata in d-major no. 37.  Soon, I will begin the Sonata in e-flat major.  Cool.  And depending on how you classify this composer, I LOVE Beethoven.  I have played almost all the sonatas with the exception of the late ones.  I am working on the Appasionata for auditions.

 AS for Romantic - ahh.  I love Liszt.  I am doing the 6th Hungarain Rhapsody.  It is fun.  I am glad to see you doing the 2nd.  You will have fun.  What key is yours written in?  Chopin is great.  I am doing the Etude in f-minor, "the butterfly etude"  I have almost played those as well, I would like to record them at some point.  

 Late Romantic- Tchiakowsky [Piano concerto no. 1 and the Seasons].  HIs works are so great.  Also Rach, Prok, any of your Russian composers.

 Contemporary - really have not explored this, I am beginning to explore it.  I would have like to play a range of composers before mentioning them.

 As to the favorite pieces, they are the some of the ones that I am working on.
 
 

[Estel]

Hey people.

Mozart is without a doubt my favourite composer for the piano, or for anything pretty much.

His sonatas are predictable, but they are very melodic and esp. his late ones have a lot of depth.

His piano concertoes are pretty much all brilliant 20 onwards.

But as for a fav piece, I can't think of one :p

[DonWonIV]

    I find it difficult to choose a favorite composer.  When I first began piano, Bach was my hero, yet he began to wear out my ears after a time.  I loved Eric Saite at one point, and Beethoven, and definitely Chopin too.  
     At this point in my life, age 16, I have recently discovered the innovative genius of Debussy.  His song Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum is amazing, absolutely amazing.  It's one of those songs you end up playing way too much, and too fast, and start slurring your notes into a disgusting mess.  This hasn't happened to me yet, but if I don't show restraint, I'm sure it will.  Anybody who has never heard this song, you must seek it out and hear it, and learn it.  It is in Debussy's piano suite Children's Corner.
     So as you can see, Debussy is my favorite composer currently, yet this opinion will inevitably fluctuate -- which brings me to my final point:
                         
             Don't limit yourself to a select few composers.  They are all beautiful in there own way, and will broaden your musical horizons.  Playing only one composer is like looking through a toilet paper tube - narrow.  

                                            -Peter
 

[notelady]

I wholeheartedly agree with Peter. There are no limits when it comes to favourites. I have so many right now that it is difficult to pick just one. And to me a musician will like just about anything, or at least appreciate everything to some degree. The more that I discover the more that I like and even love.  

[Nemo]

gosh i have so many favorites, but right now i'd have to say Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto 3 In D Minor "Rach 3". Its just so beautiful. I'm downloading the whole work, its over 100 pages long!

EDIT : its actually 136 pages long, but thats the whole orchestral set

[Pianosweety]

I LOVE BACH!!

[SteveK]

Ravel's Jeux D'eau
Liszt's Campanella
Beethoven's "Appassionata" and "Moonlight"
Debussy's Tocatta from "Pour le Piano"
Chopin's Etudes: everything
Johannes Brahms's Fantasies op. 116

[dschoenenberger]

Diabolos, you mentioned Gershwin who is my own favourite composer. I think he is not that popular (not only in the pianoforum) because of the old difference between jazz and classical music: It is just kind of a bad feeling LISTENING to any complicated classical piece after having PLAYED jazz. I am sure you know that. Now Gershwin, he is the ONE blend of jazz and classical music. Suppose you play a Gershwin more jazzily than classically: How would you feel? You'll feel bad, and that is why relatively few pianist choose Gershwin.

But consider his Concerto in F (that is, his most classical opus in my own opinion), and you'll feel good because it is on the same level as Ravel's Concerto in G major, for example.

[tosca1]

As our musical taste evolves so too can our favourite composer change and that is as it should be.  The literature of piano music is boundless and while an infatuation with a particular composer may become a life long passion we must always reach out to other composers and make new and exciting discoveries on our musical journey.
If I had to pick a favourite, I would have to pick two.  Chopin, for his complete affinity with the piano and for the exquisite nuances of sound and colour that his music can draw from the instrument. My other favourite is Beethoven with his monumental sense of musical structure and his emotional profundity which touches the very mystery of life itself.
But to chose a favourite piece is even more difficult and whatever I chose to prepare and play I want to give  that piece my complete commitment and devotion and make it my "favourite".

[frederic]

I am learning chopins 3rd sonata and i have to say i LOVE it! I LOVE chopins music.

But i don't know why i just can't stand schumann or brahms or mendelsohnn.
I know they are all very similar but just hate it!

are any you like me??

[Le-ackt]

Same here , Love the revolutionary etude so much much , The emotional content , the Furious level , everything is burning . And the Etude Op25 #12 Ocean etude you might want to check it out too . Another my Favorite .
I actually Like Yngwie Malmsteen too even he isnt a pianoist . His Concerto are ........ Cool , Neo Classical Metal .
Somehow I prefer romantic period and the modern period other than Baroque and Classical , But of cause there are many great pieces . like from the Violinist
Paganini , Vivaldi ~ they are great

[luda888]

cool

[JK]

Too difficult to name one so I'll name a few:

Beethoven: symphony no.6,
Rachmaninoff: 2nd concerto (I have a real soft spot for this piece),
Brahms: symphony no.3,
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Genius),
Schumann: Etudes symphonique.

And to whoever said they can't stand Brahms, Schumann and Mendelssohn: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!!!!!!! (sorry, there probably isn't anything wrong with you, but Brahms and Schumann are two of my very favourite composers!)

[shasta]

Mendelssohn's piano trio in D minor. Absolutely seductive.

[Ecthelion]

Hi! My favourite composers are Beethoven and Bach. I especially like the Symphonies, Sonatas and Concertos, Brandenburg-Concertos, Hapsichord-Concertos, Goldberg Variations and a lot of other pieces! I also like the works of Schumann, Mozar and Haydn. By the way, the Schubert D 960 B Sonata seems to be great! Actually I'm playing the Tempest op. 31 Nr. 2 of Beethoven and some Bach preludes.  

[DarkWind]

cool

Why did you bump a thread over one year old? On top of that, all you just responded with was "cool."

[Chrysalis]

my favourite composer and his piece
=

F.Mendelssohn-Bartholdy with his cool Lied ohne Worte opus 19:1

Further on i really dig

Chopin's Nocturnes
Liszt - Gnomenreigen (hehe)
and Beethovens work

and i think Schubert was pretty neat too (especialy his impromptu's  142:2 and 142:3 rosamunde

[hodi]

Mendelssohn's piano trio in D minor. Absolutely seductive.

the C Minor one is even better

[julie391]

alkan is my favourite piano composer, with his magnum opus being my favorrite work - op39

[nanabush]

MY FAV PIECES ARE

-Ravel Toccata from Tombeau de Couperin
go to www.classicalmusicarchives.com to listen to it, it's so fast paced and awesome

-Liszt Campanella and Gnomenriegen

-Chopin Etude in C major, the hard one that covers the whole piano lol

-Schumann Estrella from Carnaval, easy and sounds awesome

-Beethoven Hammerklavier

-Once again Liszt, Frisak from Hungarian Rhapsody #2

-Again Liszt, Feux Follets, kinda wacky and near impossible

[YeShallBeGods]

I'm mainly obsessed with the Romantic period--Liszt, Chopin, Brahms, everyone... I also have a special admiration for Beethoven...

And it shows in the music I like to play--I'm currently doing the Scherzo in B-flat minor for a recital in May (as well as the D-flat Major nocturne for a competition in February), I finished Un Sospiro last May (looking towards starting a Hungarion Rhapsody in the summer), and I've just started working on the Waldstein...

Oh, and age wise, I'm a relative youngin, only 20

[m]

Anyways, my current favorite performer is Chopin.

'aiti noten 'arbe, v'aiti met lishmoa oto menagen.

[glBelgedin]

Bach:

Keyboard Concerto in Dm
"Little" Fugue in Gm
Italian Concerto
Invention #13
Sinfonia #15
Goldberg Variation #01

You know, I won't even bother listing all my favorites. That should give a pretty good idea. (I actually like quite few more of the Inventions, Sinfonias and Variations as well)

[LaVirtuosa]

Tchaikovsky: Souvenirs de Florence

[rohansahai]

Chopin: E minor Concerto (played by gilels, especially)
Rachmaninov: Concerto no. 2 (Cliburn with Reiner)
I LOVE BOTH OF 'EM!!!!!!

[chopin_girl]

My favourite composer is definitely Frederic Chopin (hence the nick) and I like all of his pieces. Especially Scherzo op.31,  Etude op.25 no.2, Nocturne no.20 op.posth., but the only piece I did not like was the Revolutionary Etude. Military polonaise is nice too, and the g-minor Ballad....

I'm also very fond of Beethoven and his sonatas-and my all-time-favourite sonata is the Pathetique.... I'm obsessed with it...

[mr_shiraz]

Beethoven: Appassionata and Hammerklavier sonatas

Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1

Chopin: Etudes 10/4 and revolutionary
             Waltz in E minor (op posth.) - really fast one!
             
Liszt: Fantasia on Hungarian Folk Themes (piano and orchestra) - I don't think this is as known as the Hungarian Rhapsodies, but I love it!

Rachmaninov: 2nd concerto and Predule in G minor

Oh, and I really like minor keys by the way!

[dlu]

Ohhh Chopin!....poor dear....anyways, my favorite composer is Lutoslawski (and Ligeti Schoenberg and Berg (not Webern so much) come in close second. My other lesser favs include: Bach, Beethoven, Glass, Cage, Antheil, Schumann, Scarlatti, Liszt (only when i'm in the mood for false virtuosity...), Hadyn, Mozart (not as much as Hadyn), and last but not least SORABJI.
DLu

[calidris]

My favourite composer is definitely Frederic Chopin (hence the nick) and I like all of his pieces. Especially Scherzo op.31,  Etude op.25 no.2, Nocturne no.20 op.posth., but the only piece I did not like was the Revolutionary Etude. Military polonaise is nice too, and the g-minor Ballad....

I'm also very fond of Beethoven and his sonatas-and my all-time-favourite sonata is the Pathetique.... I'm obsessed with it...

Wow, we have a lot in common!  Chopin is my favourite composer too.  I'm currently working on the Scherzo op. 31 and have finished his 20th nocturne (well, technically, don't know whether I'll ever master it musically  )
And I absolutely looooove his first ballad  

My all time favourite Beethoven sonata is the Waldstein sonata, but I have a special place for the Pathetique sonata too (I've played the first movement a few years ago).

[musicsdarkangel]

Rachmaninoff - 3rd concerto

I'm also in love with his c minor prelude, op 32 no 7

stunning.

[amanfang]

My current composer obsession would have to be Lowell Liebermann.  Check out his music!!!  I also really enjoy Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms.  Can't say I really have a favorite composer or piece, usually whatever I'm working on at the moment.

[jon]

Well Im just like alot of the rest of you guys.My favorite composer is Chopin followed closley by Liszt. My favorite pieces are scherzo no.2,ballade no.4, and Rachmaninoff concertos 2 and 3.I played the 2nd scherzo so currently im learning the 3rd scherzo,grand polonaise brillante and the fourth ballade (so much more difficult than it sounds on a recording  ).