Am I ready for Chopin ballade in G minor?

[psaiko]

I started on this piece two weeks ago, which is my favorite piano piece from the romantic era (along with his last ballade). I have been working mostly with the agitato and animato section. Although I find these fast sections difficult, I think they are manageable with enough practice.

Recently I did a search on the ballad on this forum. Everyone claims the ballade is so difficult, and should not be attempted by anyone unless they have a degree in piano music and tons of experiece from all the musical eras. My own repertoar is not large. The pieces I have played recently are:

Wedding day at troldhaugen (Grieg)
Fantaisie impromptu (Chopin)
Ballad of revolt (Sæverud)
Notturno (Grieg)

In opion I play these pieces very well, and think I have a very good understanding of the romantic era (basically I have the 1st ballad in my head knowing exactly how I want it to sound). But I dont want to play anything unless I can play it perfectly, therefore I started doubting whether I should attempt the ballade. Also it is important that I learn the most from the time I spend at the piano.

Do you recommend that I drop this piece? I have also been thinking of doing other pieces simultanuously, in my mind I have either a prelude and fugue from wtc2, or a chopin etude.

I have played piano for 11 years.

[thorn]

don't judge your individual piano skills by everyone else's standards- thats my advice.

i dont have a degree or a particularly wide ranging repetoire and i learned this piece fairly easily.

just do what you'd normally do; break the difficult bits down and work at them.

i think 11 years playing experience is more than enough for this piece anyway

[Derek]

Here's my position. There's nothing wrong with learning a hard piece, unless you begin to find yourself in pain frequently. Playing the piano does not need to be a painful experience, in fact I think it should be the opposite. Therefore if you are in pain while trying to practice a difficult piece, perhaps you should try to play something somewhat easier for a while.

In addition, the better able you are to sight read music and learn easier pieces---the faster you will be able to pick up harder pieces. I find that once I've reached the next level and can read a more difficult piece without too much frustration that this is overall less stressful and more enjoyable than learning an EXTREMELY difficult piece at one's present level.

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

I would like to add with a personal experience. I am currently studying Moszkowski's first 2 etudes op72. In the first one(E major), on the 3rd page there are right hand arpeggios. Before, I wouldn't have even had a slight chance at playing both hands correctly, but now, my right hand instinctively plays the arpeggios, whilst my left hand plays the melody. What I am trying to say is that, certain sections in the piece may be very hard for you, but in some time if you tackle that piece again, those sections will be natural and you will have to struggle less. Hope this helps.

[quantum]

Judge it's difficulty by how difficult or easy you find it to play.  There are sections you may find easy, and others hard - and this is different with every person. 

If you have a passion and commitment to learn this piece, you will eventually accomplish it.   

[gonzalo]

What if you learn some Etudes op.10 or op.25 ? They are the key to any difficult Chopin piece.