How many people have played Rach 3?

[Rob47]

It seems really young kids learn this piece these days, but i'm curious how many people have played or are learning it right now? and how old are you? Is it for competition or leisure? to play with an orchestra?

Rob47

[scriabinsmyman]

Rach 3 is one of my favorite pieces to listen to...i recently started working on it...i'm 19 this year...i didn't feel that i was ready to learn it before, because i felt that i wasn't ready, even though it's a piece i've wanted to learn since i was 10

[allchopin]

I possibly make my whine from sour grapes, but I honestly don't think it is worth the effort to learn the piece, at least in it's entirety.  If stuggling is involved, it is much more economical to pick up and move on to another piece with a higher beauty:difficulty ratio.  However, that is not to say one with the difinite abilities shouldn't master it.  Otherwise, how would we know what it sounds like?

[Rob47]

I like the Horowitz recording the best, haven't heard the Argerich but from the humming of people at school trying to convey the speed of the third movement I take it it is very VERY fast.

I would like to learn it yes.  And I WILL master it.  And it would be nice to play it with a really solid orchestra also.

But Im getting very much ahead of myself...what tips can be given regarding my patience(i sometimes lack), my practicing habits for such an immense work(i play fast as soon as i get notes under my fingers=sloppy results=made up chords=wrong notes), considering patience and good practicing habits are essential for learning this piece?

Any suggestions?

Rob.

[dgk88]

I just finished learning it a week ago, and will have my first performance of it with the community orchestra (not to crazy about that but I gotta start somewhere) in 3 weeks. and just for the record I'm 17 and I started it when I was 13.  It's been fun

[trunks]

My rule-of-thumb:
If you don't like a piece, forget about learning it, however easy it might be.
If you love a piece so much that you can't take your ears off it, learn it, no matter what.

Rachmaninoff 3 is not my favourite, nor even among those I love very much. For that reason alone I won't feel it's worth my effort going through its technical demands. Rachmaninoff 2, however, is one of my favourite of all concertos. There are times that I would be singing in my heart the melodies from any of its three movements. Definitely that is one concerto I would love to learn some time in the future, but not the Third.

[bernhard]

My rule-of-thumb:
If you don't like a piece, forget about learning it, however easy it might be.
If you love a piece so much that you can't take your ears off it, learn it, no matter what.

Spot on!

I couldn't agree more.