Chopin Sonata op.58

[Ecthelion]

Hello, that's my first post here. I've got a question about the Chopin Piano Sonata No.3 in B (Op.58), the first part. Is it much more difficult than Beethoven Sonatas (like Moonlight, Pathetique, Tempest) for example? I've just played some mazurkas and preludes from Chopin but they weren't very difficult. Is it easier to start with a Ballade or Fantasie Impromptu for "high level Chopin" ?? (about my piano degree, I played these Beethoven Sonatas and now i finished cis-moll Rachmaninov prelude)

I'm grateful for any advice!

Ecthelion

[IgnazPaderewski]

I think that this piece is (in terms of finger-busting difficulty) Chopins hardest work, and I would not go near the damn thing for quite a while. The Liszt sonata is technically fairly straightforward, but this piece is rather unfriendly in its pianistic layout (this said not from study, but from just sight reading) and dont go near it until you are entirely comfortable with Chopins way of writing passagework.

[Rach3]

I agree. The finale of this piece is orcishly virtuosic, it's Chopin's Transcendental Etude.

[Ecthelion]

Hi,

Thanks for advice! Some minutes ago I found the notes for this piece and now it's all clear that's only too difficult for me. Perhaps some years later...*hope*

And what's about the Ballades and the Fantasie Impromptu?

kind regards,

Ecthelion

[Dave_2004_G]

I'm not entirely sure but I think the ballades are at a far higher level than fantasie impromptu (that's not to say that it's easy) - even the easiest (no3) looks pretty tough to me, altough I wouldn't take my word for it - I haven't actually played any of these pieces.  

It seems common for people who have played the fantasie impromptu (the one in c#  minor - is that the only one?) to say that it was in fact much easier than they thought it was gunna be, the main problem is the differing rhythms in both hands but once it clicks I think that should be ok

Certainly if you can play those Beethoven sonatas it should be ok

Dave

[steinwaymodeld]

I'm not entirely sure but I think the ballades are at a far higher level than fantasie impromptu (that's not to say that it's easy) - even the easiest (no3) looks pretty tough to me, altough I wouldn't take my word for it - I haven't actually played any of these pieces.  

It seems common for people who have played the fantasie impromptu (the one in c#  minor - is that the only one?) to say that it was in fact much easier than they thought it was gunna be, the main problem is the differing rhythms in both hands but once it clicks I think that should be ok

Certainly if you can play those Beethoven sonatas it should be ok

Dave

I played the Ballade 1 and 3, and i tried to sight-read the Fantasia Impromtu(and you are right, C# minor, Op.66), except the cross-rhythms, also be careful there is somewhere in the piece, there are exaclty same passage appears, but have to be played with different accent thus different melody. It's fun piece to play, just be careful bringing out the melody,

As you have played the beethoven sonata, you should be fine.

After this, maybe you can tried some difficult nocturne or waltz, some etudes, then the ballade.