By Frédéric Chopin

[mila5405]

I dont know what to play..

[mike_lang]

I don't know that one is better than the other.  They are very different types of pieces.  Once is a short A-B-A improvisatory type piece while the other parallels an epic poem.  It depends on the character of the rest of the pieces in your program.

I'm sure that's not the answer you wanted, so I will tell you that I prefer the Ballade, as there is more dramatic development (which appeals to me personally).  Of course, they are in different worlds technically, so perhaps that is a consideration.  Beware the presto coda.

[mila5405]

  I am just 17 years old and i know that its very possible to make misstakes in the Ballade but i will try to play it good,,

Thanks for your help.

[gyzzzmo]

Fantasie impromtu is a bit too cliche.

[mike_lang]

Fantasie impromtu is a bit too cliche.

This seems to be the trendy thing to say about pieces like this.  True, it can be "cliche", but if played well, it ceases to be cliche.  Listen to Horowitz play it on his last recording, for example.

[gyzzzmo]

This seems to be the trendy thing to say about pieces like this.  True, it can be "cliche", but if played well, it ceases to be cliche.  Listen to Horowitz play it on his last recording, for example.

Pianists often add 'easy to listen to' and 'famous' pieces to a cd so a broader public buy the cd.
Though at concerts it better (to my opinion) to play the bit less famous pieces. That makes it more interesting for the public who already heard 'fantasy impromptu' millions of times.

gyzzzmo

[franz_]

I dont know what to play..

Play both and you will have a lot of succes

[steveie986]

Ballade no. 1 is much more subtle, poetic, and demanding piece (technically and especially musically).

[mike_lang]

Ballade no. 1 is much more subtle, poetic, and demanding piece (technically and especially musically).

Hmm...I am interested in what you find subtle about this Ballade.

[steveie986]

Hmm...I am interested in what you find subtle about this Ballade.

Compared to Bach, nothing is particularly subtle about this Ballade, or anything Chopin wrote, for that matter. But it is marginally more subtle than the adolescent, valley-girlish FI.

This is why I don't particularly care for Chopin: the emotional lyricism is so immediate and obvious and unsubtle, it knocks you out so hard the first time that there is nothing new when you come back to it again.