Chopin Etudes: Ranked from most to least difficult

[cloches_de_geneve]

1.   25/6
2.   25/11
3.   10/2
4.   10/1
5.   10/4
6.   25/12
7.   25/8
8.   25/10
9.   10/8
10. 10/10
11. 10/7
12. 25/4
13. 10/11
14. 10/5
15. 25/9
16. 25/5
17. 10/12
18. 25/3
19. 25/2
20. 25/1

Slow etudes (10/3, 10/6, 10/9, 25/7) were excluded from the polls.

Various polls were completed to obtain these average rankings. The emphasis here is on "average", that is, these rankings can and will not fit every individual.

Nevertheless: If you think that one or several etudes are seriously misplaced (strongly over- or underrated) please indicate what kind of changes you would suggest (and why).
Where to fit in the slow etudes is another open question.

[fnork]

25/10 easier than 25/8? Shouldn't the octave etude be ranked as far more difficult (more difficult than 25/12)

And, is the winter wind really the 2nd hardest etude of them all?

Just a few thoughts.

[avetma]

25/11 is harder than 25/6 for sure, 10/4 is much much harder than 10/1, 25/12 is easier than 25/8, 25/10 and 10/8...

I would say that these are bad results.

[pianogeek_cz]

I would say that these are bad results.

There will never be perfect results, as the difficulties are individual (for example, op. 10 no. 1 comes quite easily to me, I'd put it somewhere around 8th-10th), but this list might be a good guide for anyone who is attempting to try them - just to give a rough idea of the learning progression. If we put them into groups of 3-4, we'll have etudes of very similar difficulty level in each group, which should be good enough for any student trying to tackle them.

[avetma]

Better idea than this would be to create let's say five groups and into every group goes 4 etudes. But inside group there are not listed by difficulity. That's because every challenge is very individual. 10/1 is relative easy for me to but I don't feel very comfortable with 25/9.

[phil13]

Better idea than this would be to create let's say five groups and into every group goes 4 etudes. But inside group there are not listed by difficulity. That's because every challenge is very individual. 10/1 is relative easy for me to but I don't feel very comfortable with 25/9.

Hmm. Based on this theory... I suggest the following.

Chopin Etudes in Order of Difficulty (group 1= easiest, group 6=hardest)

Group 1

10-6
25-7
10-9
10-3

Group 2

25-1
25-9
10-5
25-3

Group 3

25-5
10-11
10-12
25-2

Group 4

25-4
25-12
25-8
10-8

Group 5

10-10
25-10
10-1
10-7

Group 6

25-6
10-2
25-11
10-4

Phil

[avetma]

That would be it

[phil13]

I'm not so sure about some of the ordering though.

This list would be more accurate if it were not based on polling by unknowledgeable piano students, but rather by a professional who has ACTUALLY STUDIED AND PLAYED all 24 of the Etudes.

Phil

[maxy]

I'm not so sure about some of the ordering though.

This list would be more accurate if it were not based on polling by unknowledgeable piano students, but rather by a professional who has ACTUALLY STUDIED AND PLAYED all 24 of the Etudes.

Phil

the pros seem to say op 10#2 is the hardest.   op 10#1 followed by 10#2 is the dreaded combo 
op 25#11 is supposedly overrated on difficulty (said by a pro).  It is very effective in the sense that it sounds really hard but is not that bad to master.

[orlandopiano]

I'm not so sure about some of the ordering though.

This list would be more accurate if it were not based on polling by unknowledgeable piano students, but rather by a professional who has ACTUALLY STUDIED AND PLAYED all 24 of the Etudes.

Phil

Yeah that's pretty much how I feel.  I've only played about 1/3 of them so obviously am not qualified to order all 24.

[avetma]

the pros seem to say op 10#2 is the hardest.   op 10#1 followed by 10#2 is the dreaded combo 
op 25#11 is supposedly overrated on difficulty (said by a pro).  It is very effective in the sense that it sounds really hard but is not that bad to master.

Again, it's individual. Richter said that he was damn afraid every time he had to perform 25/11.

[stevie]

Again, it's individual. Richter said that he was *** afraid every time he had to perform 25/11.

and it shows, his coldfart is abysmally slow.

just goes to show that someone can be awesome at one technique - in 10/4, and crap in another - 25/11.

[m]

Again, it's individual. Richter said that he was *** afraid every time he had to perform 25/11.

For the record, Richter never used (***) language, whether in private or official matters.

and it shows, his coldfart is abysmally slow.

just goes to show that someone can be awesome at one technique - in 10/4, and crap in another - 25/11.

Stevie,

As usual, you are way off in your judgements. The difference between those recordings is more than 20 years, meaning that 25/11 was recorded when Maestro was in his seventies,  while 10/4 was recorded at his prime.

Late Richter to be judged with his Diabelli Variations or Schubert Sonatas, if you have enough intelligence to comprehend that music.   

[avetma]

For the record, Richter never used (***) language, whether in private or official matters.

Sorry, I wasn't quoting him. And didn't knew that forum automaticly replaces d'a'm'n with ***...

[bflatminor24]

I can name the most difficult Chopin etudes in order, but it becomes moot beyond the top group. Here they are (according to every professional pianist I've asked):

1. 10/2 and 25/6 (tied)
2. 10/1
3. 25/11
4. 10/4
5. 10/7

The other 18 etudes are less difficult for whatever reason. 10/2 and 25/6 are the only etudes I personally could not play, seeing as how I've played 9 of them (10/4, 25/11, 10/1, 25/10, 25/12, 25/1, 10/3, 10/8, and 10/12).

[kelly_kelly]

To increase accuracy towards the bottom of the list, it might be useful to have a poll in which voters choose the easiest etudes.

[stevie]

For the record, Richter never used (***) language, whether in private or official matters.

Stevie,

As usual, you are way off in your judgements. The difference between those recordings is more than 20 years, meaning that 25/11 was recorded when Maestro was in his seventies,  while 10/4 was recorded at his prime.

Late Richter to be judged with his Diabelli Variations or Schubert Sonatas, if you have enough intelligence to comprehend that music.   

what was the point in him playing a randomly weak coldfart?

[cloches_de_geneve]

To increase accuracy towards the bottom of the list, it might be useful to have a poll in which voters choose the easiest etudes.

Done -- see the new poll "Chopin Etudes: Rankomania".