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Topic: Piece Ranking  (Read 7842 times)

Offline dough_mouse

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Piece Ranking
on: August 20, 2006, 09:14:06 PM
Please help me rank the following pieces in the order of least to most difficult:

Chopin Etude 25/10 in Bminor
Liszt TE no.12 Chasse-Neige
Rach Etude 39/1 in Cminor
Alkan Etude no.7 Finale
Schubert/Liszt Transcription - Erlkonig
Scriabin Etude 8/12 in D#minor
Scriabin Etude 42/5 in C#minor
Prokofiev Suggestions Diabolique
Beethoven Sonata Tempest - 3rd movement

Thanks in advance!
Doughnut Disturb.
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Offline dnephi

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Re: Piece Ranking
Reply #1 on: August 21, 2006, 01:29:05 AM
Please help me rank the following pieces in the order of least to most difficult:

Chopin Etude 25/10 in Bminor difficult but doable
Liszt TE no.12 Chasse-Neige Very dificult if played as written.
Rach Etude 39/1 in Cminor dunno
Alkan Etude no.7 Finale  serious stamina but it's kinda like ww on 'roids
Schubert/Liszt Transcription - Erlkonig  Serious stamina, hard
Scriabin Etude 8/12 in D#minor requires great chord excution
Scriabin Etude 42/5 in C#minor veryhard
Prokofiev Suggestions Diabolique not as hard as others
Beethoven Sonata Tempest - 3rd movement which one'z that? opus

Thanks in advance!
For us musicians, the music of Beethoven is the pillar of fire and cloud of mist which guided the Israelites through the desert.  (Roughly quoted, Franz Liszt.)

Offline dough_mouse

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Re: Piece Ranking
Reply #2 on: August 23, 2006, 05:35:31 AM
Yes, but I mean, in respect to each other, what is their level of difficulty? You said the Prokofiev was the easiest but how do the others compare to each other?

Also, the Tempest sonata is op31. no.17

Thanks.
Doughnut Disturb.

Offline robertp

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Re: Piece Ranking
Reply #3 on: August 24, 2006, 04:54:10 PM
A lot depends on technique.

For example, the 3rd movement of the Beethoven is "perpetual motion" largely, which involves on set of "iingery" skills. The Schubert-Liszt isn't fingery in the sense, but depends on endurance with repeated chords. Oh my does it  ;).
Piano: August Foerster 170
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Offline dough_mouse

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Re: Piece Ranking
Reply #4 on: August 28, 2006, 05:27:39 AM
Yes, well, certainly they involve different techniques, but each piece can be more difficult than another in its respective area. I mean, I can say that Chopin 25/6 is harder than 25/10 even though the one is thirds and the other octaves. Im not asking for a complete official mandate on the exact skill level of each piece, I just want to know the general difficulty of the pieces in respect to each other since I know some and want to learn others.

I mean, even if someone could simply roughly rank them or only rank a few of them in respect to each other I would greatly appreciate it because Im sure most of you have more experience with these pieces than I.

thanks.
Doughnut Disturb.

Offline pianote

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Re: Piece Ranking
Reply #5 on: August 28, 2006, 07:02:47 AM
... Im sure most of you have more experience with these pieces than I.
thanks.

and that's almost exactly why most people don't / won't rank--even roughly--a list of pieces that are of the conert level. that...and it's almost pointless and "difficult" is very relative.  :P

Offline grisell

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Re: Piece Ranking
Reply #6 on: March 14, 2008, 11:27:20 AM
There are no 'difficult' pieces. Pieces are either impossible or easy. The transition from the first cathegory to the second is only a matter of practice.

Offline nanabush

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Re: Piece Ranking
Reply #7 on: March 17, 2008, 04:39:15 AM
I'm learning the Scriabin op 8/12 etude, and I can say that narrowing down each section isn't difficult, it's just getting those damn 11ths up to speed w/ the right hand playing more chords.  This piece is an awesome left hand workout, and I'm glad I'm playing it... crap though sometimes I want to pull my hair out with some of the chordal jumps in the left hand.

I'd say the 42/5 one is very very very tough... Scriabin was insane with some of his writing for the left hand, and this etude has the left hand spanning several octaves in a matter of a couple notes...I'm lookin thru the sheets right now, and later on, it doesn't look pretty because both hands have wicked combinations.  Way beyond me at this point, so I'm going to say it's probably more difficult than th 8/12.
Interested in discussing:

-Prokofiev Toccata
-Scriabin Sonata 2

Offline mike_lang

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Re: Piece Ranking
Reply #8 on: March 17, 2008, 10:15:26 AM
There are no 'difficult' pieces. Pieces are either impossible or easy. The transition from the first cathegory to the second is only a matter of practice.

Well said!
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