Order of difficulty (don't you love these!!!!)

[nanabush]

My only real 20th century pieces that I've played recently are Ravel Sonatine and the Danza Argentinas by Ginastera... I want to play another 20th century piece, aaand they are all quite a step up from what I play currently... the pieces I want to choose from are:

Ondine from Gaspard
Feux d'Artifice from Debussy preludes
Prokofiev Toccata
Prokofiev Sonata 3 or 7
Lieberman Gargoyles 3 and 4 together
Scriabin vers la Flamme
Rachmaninoff Etudes op 39 #1,7,8 (as a set)

I'm familiar with some of them, and totally unfamiliar with the scores to others... if someone could give a general guideline on where some of them would be compared to others that'd be great...its fine if your not familiar with all of them, just any advice on which of those would be easiest, or hardest would be great     

(ps, i havn't seen one of these threads in the longest time, so i thot it was about time someone puts one up  )

[pianistimo]

seems that many people like scriabin - and yet i don't really know vers la flamme myself or even heard it that i know of.  what is this all about?

i never pick things according to difficulty (that much).  just if i like the piece and am motivated to practice it.  i think you should also pick things that fit your personality or your 'style.'  if you like ravel you probably like debussy.  it might be a temptation to play things that you like, though, and maybe a contrast such as prokofiev would be nice.  something more percussionistic?

[nanabush]

The scriabin you can see here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XebJY_y4zrE
and trust me, it gets intense 

[pianistimo]

thanks!  yes, i see. 

was thinking of you when i saw this programme of ligeti.  www.sover.net/~foodsong/ligeti.htm

was wondering what nancarrow's canon sounded like  or the arrangements of improvisations.  ligeti was a curious and interesting pianist/composer.  he is now 82?  does he ever play?

[jre58591]

why not something easier, like ligeti's musica ricercata? btw, rachmaninoff really shoudlnt count. hes too romantic.

[nanabush]

I dont know, each of these pieces (rachmaninoff i just kinda added at the end because his etudes are amazing) fascinate me in their own way.  I have played tons of pieces from a lower level than these, and feel I want to step up the difficulty in my repertoire.  The difficulty isn't the main concern, although I do appreciate a challenging piece; the pieces I listed (ok, leave out the rach  ) I would love to play, and the difficulty rating would help me decide a good entrance point into my new level of repertoire.

[pianistimo]

what is the feaux de artifice like of debussy's.  i admit complete idiocy on some of these harder pieces.  i mean - i don't know which is more difficult.  seems that it would tie in with ravel nicely.  sometimes i like to play things i know will go together in a recital.

[jre58591]

i saw hamelin perform feux d'artifice live and it is an intense piece. from this list, however, it is one of the easier ones. i would pick the liebermann gargoyles or ondine, for thsoe arent extremely hard, yet not easy. also, those are my favorites from the list. vers la flamme has a lot of problems that arent easily noticed upon hearing. take a glance at the sheetmusic for each of these pieces. perhaps even sightread a little. it will greatly help your decision.

[nanabush]

I'll have a look at those, and ya I guess trying to sightread each of them would give me a good idea...  from experience, I found that the prokofiev toccata becomes intensely difficult early on, and I've never gotten further than a couple of pages.  I'm assuming that the toccata is probably one of the most difficult on the list... I had to put it up though because it's such an awesome, powerful piece.

[pianote]

the prok 3 is one of the easier prokofiev sonatas, pretty straight forward

and if you liked the danzas argentinas... i think you'd enjoy it

[apion]

Ondine (fr gaspard) and Prokofiev Toccata garner my vote

[lung7793]

RE:  The scriabin you can see here

and trust me, it gets intense 


I love this video...it's from Vlad: A Reminiscence.  He really knew how to kick the **** out of what he played.  I love the atmosphere he sets in the beginning.  I'm not too familiar with all the pieces you listed, but I can tell you I'm working on the Prokofiev toccata right now...it's not as difficult as I thought it would be, but still a tough one.  Probably doesn't compare to the Rach etudes, though I don't have my copy w/ me so I dont' know them.  I've tried Ondine a couple times...doesn't seem too hard if you can get the opening RH figures solid. 

[burstroman]

I would consider them from a point of view of their musical value.  There is no particular order here, but consider these, the Debussy, both Sonatas of Prok. and the Rachmaninov.  These are nice works for anyone's repertoire.

[nanabush]

Yes I am seriously considering the Debussy and the Prokofiev 3rd.  The 7th may be a bit too long for what I am looking for... The rachmaninoff I might learn in addition to a more modern sounding 20th cent.  And I'd think that the Prokofiev toccata is more difficult than the hardest rach etude... I also feel very confident about the etudes because after hearing them hundreds of times, I already know them inside and out.

Right now I'll probably look at the Prokofiev 3rd, because I have been itching to start it for about a year now, and then if I am not too busy, I could add another 20th cent piece; I'd probably debate between Feux d'artifice and ondine.

[verywellmister]

And I'd think that the Prokofiev toccata is more difficult than the hardest rach etude...

You sure about that?  Maybe it's just me, but some of the etudes I found harder.

Plus, the Prokofiev is not much musically (though a great showpiece).  The Rach etudes are more complex, as well as the French pieces you listed.

I would do the Prokofiev 3rd (great piece), and then Feux d'artifice (another great piece).  I think Ondine might be a little beyond you (certainly harder than the Prokofiev Toccata imo).

Have you done the Ravel Sonatine?  I'd say it's about as hard as Feux d'artifice.

[nanabush]

Yes I've played the sonatine, I finished about 2 months ago.  I guess maybe Op 39 #1,3,6 and 9 could be more difficult, it's the the double thirds with an aditional 'pinky' note that scare the bejesus outa me with the toccata.

Anywho, I'll speak to my teacher next week about learning the Prokofiev 3rd, I was going to try it last year, but she gave me the danzas argentinas instead which I didn't like at the time, but love playing now.