Difficulty ranking (with reason)

[verywellmister]

This is for future pieces I want to learn.  I want to learn all these pieces at some point in my life.

Grieg Sonata Op.7 I.Allegro Moderato
Mendelssohn Variations Serieuses
Brahms Intermezzo Op.117 no.2
Brahms Intermezzo Op.117 no.3
Brahms Intermezzo Op.118 no.6
Brahms Rhapsody Op.119 no.4
Schumann Sonata Op.22 I.So rasch wie moglich
Rachmaninoff Prelude 23/7
Chopin Nocturne Op.48 no.1
Liszt Tarantella from Venezia e Napoli
Debussy Toccata from Pour le Piano
Ravel Sonatine

Thanks.

[letters]

the only one i have tried is the grieg sonata, 1st mvt. This is quite hard for me and im making a pretty big mess of it at the moment! ive done abrsm grade 8 and i would say its definitely harder than that, lots of octaves, and difficult chords to work out, however it is quite easy to make it sound "musical" if you see what i mean - you can put lots of drama into it, and then make contrasts when it turns into a soft folk melody. sorry im not more help!

[nanabush]

Euuh, why do you only want to learn one movement of the Grieg... anyways, I can only talk about a few of these pieces... IMO the sonatine first movement, the first like 4 bars were a killer to get used to, the hands superimposed so tightly took me longer to get used to than anything in the grieg 1st, but the grieg requires more stamina and overall good technique so I'd rate it harder.  The sonatine 2nd is also easier than the grieg, legato chords, but the third movement with it's repeating notes and fast runs IMO is much harder than the Grieg 1st.  The Rachmaninoff and the Debussy I'd say are around the lvl of the Sonatine 3rd movement, both got some awesome runs probly around there too.

[burstroman]

Congratulations on your musical taste.  The Mendelssohn is probably the most musical and technical challenging. 

[verywellmister]

Congratulations on your musical taste.  The Mendelssohn is probably the most musical and technical challenging. 

Thanks.  I love Mendelssohn.

i already know that the rach is harder technically than the sonatine.  those 2 are the only ones i've done.

keep it going

[dnephi]

Mendelssohn Variations Serieuses is a masterpiece, technical showpiece, and difficult musically.  That's quite difficult.  I saw Olga Kern do them.

I have tried a couple, and it's hardcore technique on the virtuosic variations, and deep sentimentality on the slow ones.  Amazing piece.

Grieg was decently easy for me. Brahms Late Piano works shouldn't be too hard.  I like 188 No. 2 Intermezzo. 

Chopin Nocturnes are only hard expressively, Liszt Tarantella should be difficult, but at least pianistic.

Btw, Grieg sonata first movement is good, but the third movement is crippled in form.  Maybe that's why he only wants one.

[pooguy77]

I played the Grieg whole sonata for my college juries last year. The 1st mvt itself is not too bad on the hand, but putting it all together is what makes it difficult. I found the middle section VERY hard, (wrong key choice on Grieg I think), and can be hard to make it sound musical. The ending is very fast but some practice should make it decent. Musically, there isn't much, but that's the difficulty, making music out of what he gives you. Nevertheless, I think it is a fine Romantic Sonata. Btw,...ppl say the 3rd movement is the best of all movements!

Brahms Intermezzo Op. 117 is quite difficult in my opinion. Some of the streches and legato playing requires alot of attention, and most importantly, maturity is need to master Brahms. I actually learned Brahms after Grieg, (found getting what I want out of Brahms more difficult but each are quite different pieces)

Finally, Debussy Toccata, Fun fast piece, but quite hard, almost as hard as Ravel's Toccata. A finger-working piece.

[uriwzw]

This is for future pieces I want to learn.  I want to learn all these pieces at some point in my life.

So, 17 years have passed by.... it would be nice to have an update on if some progress was made !!