Chopin Preludes - Favorite and Most Difficult

[bflatminor24]

Brief question -

Which Chopin Prelude is your favorite??

AND

Which Chopin Prelude do you believe to be the most difficult?

I'll start, my answers are 8, 15, 16 for favorite(s), and I think 16, 24, and 8 are the most difficult.

[jas]

My favourite at the moment is number 10. It's so ... fluttery. Rubbish word, but you know what I mean. And it fits under the hands so nicely, I love playing it.

And for hardest, probably 12, 16 and 24. Although I've always had a bizarrely hard time with number 3... That might be because I lack the patience to learn something I find a bit boring, though.

Jas

[kelly_kelly]

16; It's actually (along with 24) one of the only ones I like.

I agree with 8, 16, and 24 being the hardest, although 16 and 24 are significantly more so.

[nanabush]

I really like the 1st ,it's so satisfying to listen to.  I also like obviously the 16th for its insanity and the 24th for the dark feel to it.  I'd think that #19 should be one of the hardest.... what makes #8 so hard anyways?  I've never even glanced at the sheets to it, what technique makes it so hard, other than it sounds really fast... But bcuz other ppl are saying it #8, as well as 16,29,24

[soliloquy]

Favorites:  No. 10 "The Moth", No. 17 and No. 24 "The Storm"
Most Difficult:  Nos. 12, 16, 19 and 24


I actually thought No. 19 was the hardest and didn't have too much trouble with No. 8

[bflatminor24]

I've played all the preludes, but 16 is the ONLY prelude I can't play correctly. The tempo marking Presto con fuoco entails completion in under a minute (which all my recordings conform to), and I can barely play it under 1:30. Even at a slower speed, I still have lots of trouble with 16 (ironic, it's in the key of my name). I miss too many notes and I can't polish this one off. 19 isn't that bad for me, neither is 24, although they aren't easy either.

Help with 16?

Both hands are hard!

~Max~

[orlandopiano]

I don't particularly like the Preludes to be honest. But I'd say 16 and 19 are the hardest for me.

[bflatminor24]

Favorites:  No. 10 "The Moth", No. 17 and No. 24 "The Storm"
Most Difficult:  Nos. 12, 16, 19 and 24


I actually thought No. 19 was the hardest and didn't have too much trouble with No. 8

What I found hard about #8 was keeping my hands relaxed. I tend to tense up during that piece. 16 is much much harder though. (help!)

[Waldszenen]

Favourite - No. 17 (followed by No. 13 and Posthumous Op. 45)

Difficult - Nos. 8, 16, 19, 24


On the whole, I have to say that the Preludes are amongst my least favourite of Chopin's compositions (though that's not to say I dislike them).

[opuswriter]

Favourite: No.24 in D minor - very effective on the audience, I love really love it - one of Chopin's best shorter pieces. There are many crappy recordings out there though, especially those where the left hand is played in an awkward machine-like staccato sort of way (due to the leaps). Argerich's is my favourite recording.

Most difficult: No.19 in E flat major, tricky to play at tempo.

// Jason Lee