Rating of Chopin Prelude

[xhunterjx]

I am currently working on Chopins Prelude in A Flat Major No.26 (posthumous)

I was wondering around what level do you think it is?

Intermediate, Advanced, etc.

Thanks,

Hunter

[pianistimo]

on this forum it's rated as level 4 - but with voicing and care to play it as well as possible - maybe higher?  it's all in how you play it!  chopin preludes are not all the same level, as you know!  and, your skill level will make it not only easy playing but beautiful and musical vs. trite.  simple doesn't equal bad.  especially if you plan to teach these (playing them yourself is nice ). 

are you jen hunter?  the same teacher?  how was the concerto class? 

[xhunterjx]

no, my first name is Hunter.

Level 4?

Is that Intermediate? Advanced?

By what scale is it a level 4?

[pianistimo]

oops. my mistake.  you said posthumous. 

i looked here  https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/moldenhauer/2428124.pdf

and it looks very interesting.  cool!  don't know the answer.

[bernhard]

This prelude is ABRSM grade 7.

ABRSM grades vary between 1 – elementary to 8 – advanced; however, grade 8 does not really mean “virtuoso” repertory which is well beyond the grades. You can get more information here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1947.msg15391.html#msg15391
(ABRSM grades and their importance)

Have a look at these several threads where ABRSM grades are given to several pieces from the standard repertory for comparison:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5323.msg50895.html#msg50895
(Grades for all Inventions, sinfonias, French and English suites)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,7303.msg72931.html#msg72931
(grades for all partitas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2958.msg25879.html#msg25879
(Easiest Chopin pieces – grades 4-5-6)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,6957.msg69287.html#msg69287
(Chopin pieces grades 7 &

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,6954.msg69289.html#msg69289
(Chopin Polonaises, graded)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3827.msg34579.html#msg34579
(grades for all Chopin preludes)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3943.msg35797.html#msg35797
(grades for all Chopin waltzes)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5273.msg50900.html#msg50900
(grades for all Mozart sonatas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1314.msg14339.html#msg14339
(grades for Grieg’s Lyric pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4046.msg36920.html#msg36920
(grades for all of Haydn’s sonatas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5027.msg47777.html#msg47777
(grades for Brahms pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5143.msg49023.html#msg49023
(grades for Mendelssohn’s SWW).

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2911.msg24991.html#msg24991
(grade 7 sonatas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3721.msg33399.html#msg33399
(grade 4 – 6 repertory)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3786.msg34321.html#msg34321
(grade 6 repertory)


Of course, grading is to a large extent subjective and not very important after all. Have a look at these threads where the subject is discussed at length:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3472.msg30727.html#msg30727
(grade requirements for different institutions around the world)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,6438.msg99437.html#msg99437
(what are grades – comparison with martial arts belts)

Finally, don´t miss Torp´s spreadsheet, where he has summarized most (if not all) of the information on grading in the forum:

https://www.pianostreet.com/Graded_Pieces_All.xls
(Torp’s graded pieces excel spreadsheet)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[pianistimo]

wow!  thanks bernhard.  i was looking for more grading stuff like this and will copy these threads and add to mtna guidelines.  seems that getting collective ideas gives you a better idea on the pieces that seem flexible one way or the other.  as you said, entirely subjective and kind of according to the expectations of the teacher/school as to the level that they are actually performed.

[rimv2]

This prelude is ABRSM grade 7.

ABRSM grades vary between 1 – elementary to 8 – advanced; however, grade 8 does not really mean “virtuoso” repertory which is well beyond the grades. You can get more information here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1947.msg15391.html#msg15391
(ABRSM grades and their importance)

Have a look at these several threads where ABRSM grades are given to several pieces from the standard repertory for comparison:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5323.msg50895.html#msg50895
(Grades for all Inventions, sinfonias, French and English suites)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,7303.msg72931.html#msg72931
(grades for all partitas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2958.msg25879.html#msg25879
(Easiest Chopin pieces – grades 4-5-6)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,6957.msg69287.html#msg69287
(Chopin pieces grades 7 &

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,6954.msg69289.html#msg69289
(Chopin Polonaises, graded)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3827.msg34579.html#msg34579
(grades for all Chopin preludes)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3943.msg35797.html#msg35797
(grades for all Chopin waltzes)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5273.msg50900.html#msg50900
(grades for all Mozart sonatas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1314.msg14339.html#msg14339
(grades for Grieg’s Lyric pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4046.msg36920.html#msg36920
(grades for all of Haydn’s sonatas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5027.msg47777.html#msg47777
(grades for Brahms pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5143.msg49023.html#msg49023
(grades for Mendelssohn’s SWW).

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2911.msg24991.html#msg24991
(grade 7 sonatas)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3721.msg33399.html#msg33399
(grade 4 – 6 repertory)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3786.msg34321.html#msg34321
(grade 6 repertory)


Of course, grading is to a large extent subjective and not very important after all. Have a look at these threads where the subject is discussed at length:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3472.msg30727.html#msg30727
(grade requirements for different institutions around the world)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,6438.msg99437.html#msg99437
(what are grades – comparison with martial arts belts)

Finally, don´t miss Torp´s spreadsheet, where he has summarized most (if not all) of the information on grading in the forum:

https://www.pianostreet.com/Graded_Pieces_All.xls
(Torp’s graded pieces excel spreadsheet)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

The prodigal son has returned

(could have sworn Ah locked my basement door)

[etoile]

Can someone please tell me what level is Chopin's nocturne in B (opus 9 no. 3)?   That piece seems really obscure compared to no. 1 and 2.

[bernhard]

Can someone please tell me what level is Chopin's nocturne in B (opus 9 no. 3)?   That piece seems really obscure compared to no. 1 and 2.

This is well beyond ABRSM grade 8, in other words, Very Advanced.

Have a look here for the grades for all Chopin Nocturnes:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3197.msg28098.html#msg28098
(Op. 25 no. 1 –  grades for all etudes and nocturnes)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.