Chopin Concerto No. 2 (f minor) for 2 Pianos

[jam8086]

https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2713878134337291368&q=chopin+concerto

I want to play this over the summer, but in the video, a lot of the orchestral stuff is cut out, which I don't like at all...do they always do this in the arrangement for 2 pianos?

Also, I'm wondering if you think I am ready to play this piece...just to give you some background, this semester I played:
Bach P&F 20 in A minor (WTC Book 1)
Beethoven Waldstein (Entire)
Chopin Scherzo No. 2
Liszt Un Sospiro
Gershwin 3 Preludes

So, over the summer, I'm thinking of doing the Prokofiev Toccata and the Chopin 2nd Concerto.

[kriskicksass]

Play a couple etudes before you tackle a concerto.

[sharon_f]

I don't see why you shouldn't be able to handle the concerto, if you've done the Waldstein and the Scherzo.

[jam8086]

Alright, thanks sharon!

But what about the arrangement for 2 pianos? Are parts usually cut out, or is a true transcription?

[sharon_f]

No, parts are not cut in the music. The second piano part is a complete orchestral reduction. Usually in school recitals, etc, when the orchestra is being played by a second piano, the orchestral tuttis are shortened because the performance is showcasing the soloist not the accompanist.

[thorn]

You've done a lot more than I had when I learned this concerto, so you should be fine.

In the 2 Piano versions of concertos... there is always going to be some stuff cut out in the reduction, because at some points, it may just be impossible for the piano to do everything the orchestra is doing.

Good luck with it 

[ce nedra]

How old are you? The reason I ask is, no matter how virtuostic your technique, you need the soul for a Chopin concerto, the maturity, the experience, the emotion. A great pianist friend of mine (I will not mention his name out of pure respect) once siad to me that one should not tackle a Chopin concerto before the age of 30, because before then, it is just far too early.... I dont think its trhe case always, but generally.

[zheer]

You know i have totally avoided learning a piano concerto and learnt solo piano composition instead. Anyway for some strange reason, Chopins piano concerto in e minor and Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto is a good place to start, am thinking of learning both of them and have managed to sight read through both of them. The f minor concerto i guess is not a good place start it is very difficult.

[sharon_f]

I always thought the E minor was considered to be more difficult than the F minor?

[kriskicksass]

Interesting note about the orchestral reduction of Chopin's concerti: since Chopin didn't really care much about the orchestrations of his concerti, the he wrote the second piano part and then handed it off to someone to orchestrate. There's even an edition out there that uses Chopin's original 2nd piano writing, which only makes sense if you think about it. I'm pretty sure it's the Henle.