Favourite piece

[Diabolos]

Hi all.

I recently had a conversation with a fellow pianist, and we both were trying to find out which was our favourite, really all time favourite piano piece.
Well, we didn't get that far - it's really difficult to choose one.

However - what's your favorite piece (solo+concerto)?

I know that's a tough question, but give it a try!

[mahavishnu]

Hey Diabolos,

I am biased towards Ravel (or most of French music)I have to admit.  For me, the favourite so far is Scarbo from the gaspard.  It gives me chills everytime I hear it played (by Martha Argerich ....biased again..hehe) or while playing it...It's so incredibly written.....I could listen to it over and over and over and over...-you get the idea.  

Favourite concerto...that's a toughy considering I am not too experienced in that field.  However, lately I have taken a liking towards the Schumann A minor (which now I want to learn).  Oh! I abosultely love the the Shostakovich 2nd piano concerto...wow-fun!

[ned]

Great question! I have often asked it myself. Quick answer - it's impossible for a pianist to have a single favorite! But as the years pass, in making and listening to music, some pieces do seem to have real staying power in one's affections - not just momentary obsessions, but pieces you could listen to or play every day of your life without losing interest.  For me they would be:
Chopin - Nocturne in F sharp, Polonaise in A flat. The other nocturnes and polonaises, to say nothing of the ballades, barcarolle, scherzi, etudes (I was obsessed with the Revolutionary as a teenager), preludes, waltzes, mazurkas, etc., are wondrous, but I'm not always in the mood for every one.  
Scriabin - Etude in D sharp minor. A sensational blockbuster. None of Scriabin's numerous other pieces comes close.
Beethoven - Appassionata sonata. Hackneyed, but deep and always exciting. After that it would be opus 109.
The pieces I mentioned are perfectly structured. They make a striking and complete musical statement. Hearing the piece doesn't make you say "what else?", as would be true if you played one Chopin prelude. They feel good to the fingers. Listeners love them. Given the decline in classical music knowledge in the general population, have no fear of playing the old chestnuts!  Believe me, Liebestraum and the Chopin Waltz in C sharp minor still make people swoon and they may never even have heard them in their original form.
What about Rachmaninoff.  In the solo stuff,  I would say that I always find a group of pieces more satisfying than any single piece. The famous Preludes in C Sharp minor, G minor and B flat, impressive as they are, are not complete statements. In my opinion, they need contrasting neighbors to round out the aural image. BTW, don't overlook Rach's opus 3. The pieces are vivid and not too difficult.
For Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, I feel that single pieces are always part of a larger context. I can't point to a favorite. In the voluminous Franco-Iberian repertoire nothing can beat Debussy's Reflets dans l'eau or Manuel de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance. Guaranteed winners and not difficult.  But don't overlook Poulenc for some delicious stuff. I would agree that Gaspard de la Nuit is a supreme masterpiece. What about a survey? The top ten etc?
Ned

[Diabolos]

A survey? That'd be something, indeed. We should give it a try.

It is interesting that you mentioned Chopin and Beethoven; they are my favourite composers, although I prefer different pieces than you do - the Polonaise in eFlat is my favourite polonaise and also among the top three Chopin pieces, together with winterwind and Scherzo Nr.2 . Not to speak of his Waltzes among which are some of the greatest pieces ever composed, in my opinion.
My favourite Beethoven-sonata is the tempest; it marks an experimental period in B's life and is therefore very special among his sonatas (although all of these hold a special fascination..).
When it comes to Russian music, Scriabin and Prokofieff are my favourites; S's preludes are simplistic but very, very deep pieces, and prokofieffs mastery as a composer doesn't have to be discussed.
I don't have a lot of experience with French music yet, but although I like Gaspard de la nuit a lot, I'd consider le tombeau de couperin my favourite...
I know that some of the mentioned pieces are not able to stand for themselves without any connection to a cycle, but I can connect them with important moments of my past. And this is, I suppose, a matter that influences anyone's choice..

hm, let's see who's going to make the next statement

[MzrtMusic]

Well, I really agree that you can't pick a favorite piece. But, up there on my list would have to be Appassionata, and Rachmaninoff's Prlude inb c# minor. Anyway.. The reason for this post it so start the above mentioned survey... If you would email your tope ten favorite pieces to sfehrman@pianomail.com I will keep a tally, and post a thred to keep everyone updated!

Love,

Sarah

[ned]

I sent in my top ten to Sarah. Diabolos mentioned Scriabin. How about some trivia? Did you know that  Soviet foreign minister Molotov’s real family name was Scriabin!   Molotov (hammer), like Stalin (steel), was a name he took to sound fierce.  As a result, we pianists can be glad that we don’t hear about “Scriabin cocktails” or the “Scriabin-Ribbentrop Treaty of 1939.”  Boris Pasternak, author of Doctor Zhivago, studied music with Scriabin before becoming a full-time author.

I don’t play very much Scriabin, but fortunately I have recordings and scores of all his works, published by Dover.  I really like the Prelude and Nocturne for the left hand, some etudes, Poems op 32, Polonaise, Fantasy op 28, Guirlandes and Flammes Sombres, Etrangeté and some sonatas.  I love his music but find most of it quite difficult, so I need to be really convinced of a piece before learning it. In my salon recitals this winter I will perform a Scriabin group after a Rachmaninoff group:  namely Nocturne for left hand, Etude C# minor op 2, Etude D# minor op 8, Albumleaf op 45, Etrangete and Flammes sombres. I think they go well together and give a good overview of his style. Next piece on the program - Khachaturian Toccata, not difficult and fun. If anybody is interested, I’ll share my thoughts on building an all-Russian program that average listeners should like.

Ned

[sary2106]

Hi Ned! I am interested in your ideas for all-Russian programs.... I love Russian music, particularly Rachmaninoff but others as well. I don't know Scriabin very well yet (Memo to myself: Listen to Scriabin recordings while travelling next week!); I do love his Sonata No. 5 "Poem of Ecstasy" though. My best friend played the Khatchaturian "Toccata" last year at a competition - it's a cool piece!

Out of curiousity, may I ask if you are a professional pianist or college student or.... whatever? How have you had time or incentive to work on so much of one specific type of music for so long? I am in high school and I've been working on my college audition music, so I unfortunately don't think I could work an all-Russian gig into my schedule. I think it's a really great idea, though!!!

Sarah

[ned]

Reply to both Sarahs:
My email on favorite ten pieces could not be delivered to sfehrman@pianomail.com. So here they are:
Chopin - Polonaise in A flat, Nocturne in F#, Mazurka in C# minor, op30/4; Beethoven - Appassionata; Liszt - Etude de concert in D flat, Sonetto del Petrarca no. 104; Scriabin - Etude in D# minor, op8/12; Debussy - reflets dans l'eau; Rachmaninoff - Polichinelle. A really important reason for my choice is that I play them and people like them.
Sary2106 asked about my all-Russian program. I love the music. It comes from a common source but there is plenty of variety. Plus there are some great anecdotes, like when Rachmaninoff, who had just played an all Scriabin program to help Scriabin's widow, retorted to Prokofiev, "You thought I'd play badly!"
Here is my program. It will be in a salon setting, short pieces, about an hour, no intermission:

Rachmaninoff - Melodie and Prelude in C# minor from opus 3, Prelude in G# minor, opus 32, Elegie and Polichinelle op.3
Lyadov - Prelude op 11 no 1 (a rare treat)
Scriabin - Nocturne for left hand, Etude in C# min. op 2;Etude in D# min. op 8, Albumleaf op 45, Etrangete op 63 and Flammes sombres op 73
Khachaturian - Toccata
Prokofiev - "Dance of Girls with Lillies" from Romeo & Juliet, March from "Love for Three Oranges."  

All one composer or nationality type programs can be interesting. I've heard all-Beethoven (Richter), all-Chopin (Rubinstein), all Russian (Ashkenazy and Kissin), all-Schubert (Brendel) and all-Mozart (Badura-Skoda). You can keep going! Good to hear from you guys. I find program building a real art by itself.  I have heard some recitals by big names which were unbearable because of the lack of variety or coherence. Rubinstein's and Perahia's choice of pieces, on the other hand, seem always very satisfying. By the way, Sary, I am not a professional pianist; I am a lawyer, but  I love to play, and I am lucky to have an exceptionally good teacher.
Ned

[MzrtMusic]

Ok... This is just to let interested parties know that you can email me your top ten pieces to sfehrman@musician.org

sorry the other one didn't work... Make sure that you put something in the subject that identifies you so I don't delete... When I have at least three emails, I will post a thread in misc. with the results! Ned, you don't have to send yours.... I'll take care of it! Thanks!

P.S. The Khachaturian toccata rocks!!!! Love the slow part!

[e60m5]

Ahhhh! Top 10! Hard to decide...  

1. Liszt - Liebestraume no.3

2. Rachmaninov - Elegie Op.3 no.1

3. Chopin - Nocturne Op.9 no.3

4. Balakirev - Islamey

5. Beethoven - Appassionata Sonata Op.57

6. Chopin - Scherzo no.1 in B Minor (I think Op.20)

7. Liszt - Au Bord D'Une Source

8. Debussy - Pour le Piano

9. Bach - Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue

10. Chopin - Prelude in A flat Major



Okay, so maybe the above is biased a lil. I'm a Romantic at heart (or so I think).... and the selection may seem a lil strange... but I am a 15 year old high school student! Come on! lol   I'll also email these in.

[Estel]

I don't think your list is biased. The Liebestraume is a very nice piece :p

My fav piano piece has to be the Piano Concerto 20 Andante K466 by Mozart tho.
I can't get sick of it =p

[selsa]

My favorite pieces so far ( I have only been listening and learning to play for  2 months):

Chopin, Frederic Francois Op.10 'Edude No.11 in Eb'
Chopin, Frederic Francois Op.64 'Waltz in Db No.1'
Chopin, Frederic Francois Op.10 'Edude No.12 in C min
Chopin, Frederic Francois Op.70 'Waltz No.2'
Tchaikovsky Op40 - No6 Chant sans paroles
Tchaikovsky Op29 - mov4 Symphony No3 in D
Tchaikovsky Op23 - mov1 Piano Concerto No1 in Bb min
Beethoven, Ludwig van Op.033 No.5 'Seven Bagatelles'
Beethoven, Ludwig van Op.033 No.2 'Seven Bagatelles'
Beethoven, Ludwig van Op.033 No.1 'Seven Bagatelles'
Liszt, Franz  Impromptu 'Venezia e Napoli'
Liszt, Franz no.13 'Hungarian Raphsody'
Liszt, Franz no.2 'Hungarian Raphsody'

[Diabolos]

Thanks for the replies, guys - it's good to read about other pianists opinions..

Gotta confess that there are some pieces among the replies  I didn't even know yet    Which is actually quite good - some new literature to recover.

Regards

[shark]

I think the Khachaturian is very nice.
But quite difficult I think! Or it isn't?

[eddie92099]

I think the Khachaturian is very nice.
But quite difficult I think! Or it isn't?

It isn't,
Ed

[sharky]

It isn't,
Ed

But... You have to play it very quickly.....  
(sorry!)

[Jemmers]

In no order, Liszt's B minor Sonata (esp. the andante sostenuto... i actually cried when i heard the start), Albeniz's Cordoba (all about the imagery), Chopin's etudes op.10 no.3 and op.25 no.11 and 12 (for obvious reasons), Liszt's Liebestraume (mmm....), I'll add some more later...

[sharky]

LA VALSE of Ravel  for two pianos  

[Hmoll]

But... You have to play it very quickly.....  
(sorry!)

It's a good piece to give a piano student to acquaint them with moving around the keyboard quickly, but it is not difficult at all, which you will discover when you see the music.
There is a lot of clever passagework between the hands that sounds difficult and impressive, but is not. It shouldn't tax anyone's technique who is at a high intermediate level.

The Prok. is on a different level alltogether.

[sharky]

So it's still a high level, isnt't it?  :-/  
I mean, it's technical a bit difficult for me.  (I'm 17 years old)  
Where do you study?  

[Hmoll]

So it's still a high level, isnt't it?  :-/  
I mean, it's technical a bit difficult for me.  (I'm 17 years old)  
Where do you study?  

I started piano when I was 15, and played that piece when I was you're age. It took me about three hours over the course of a week to learn and memorize.

I'm not trying to brag - it's not the greatest pianistic feat, anyway. I'm just trying to put the difficulty of the piece in perspective. Have you seen the music yet? Once you look at the score for a while, you will know where the "tricks" are.

What other pieces are you playing? When I learned that piece, I was also working on a Mozart sonata, Chopin etudes op10#5, and Op25 #2, and Brahms op. 118 #3.
Again, just to put it into perspective.
Hope that helps -
Regards.

[sharky]

I started piano when I was 15, and played that piece when I was you're age. It took me about three hours over the course of a week to learn and memorize.

I'm not trying to brag - it's not the greatest pianistic feat, anyway. I'm just trying to put the difficulty of the piece in perspective. Have you seen the music yet? Once you look at the score for a while, you will know where the "tricks" are.

What other pieces are you playing? When I learned that piece, I was also working on a Mozart sonata, Chopin etudes op10#5, and Op25 #2, and Brahms op. 118 #3.
Again, just to put it into perspective.
Hope that helps -
Regards.

Now I'm playing very nice pieces: Bach the 6th French Suite, Beethoven Sonata op. 10 no. 1, Chopin Etudes op25 no. 2 & 8 (butterfly), Rachmaninoff Prelude op 23 no. 7   Mendelssohn Variations Serieuses. Bach and Beethoven have I nearly finished, so then I'm allowed to study new pieces.  I have a surprise for my teacher too, the Kachaturian toccata. It's very cool.

I studied today very much, also the toccata. It turns out better than expected, but still difficult... But I love it. It's very cool!

But I don't know if someone could advice me a more modern and nice piece to study? But well then at my level....
 

regards

[sharky]

(anyway, it's a surprise for my teacher, I always do so... )

[Hmoll]

Now I'm playing very nice pieces: Bach the 6th French Suite, Beethoven Sonata op. 10 no. 1, Chopin Etudes op25 no. 2 & 8 (butterfly), Rachmaninoff Prelude op 23 no. 7   Mendelssohn Variations Serieuses. Bach and Beethoven have I nearly finished, so then I'm allowed to study new pieces.  I have a surprise for my teacher too, the Kachaturian toccata. It's very cool.

I studied today very much, also the toccata. It turns out better than expected, but still difficult... But I love it. It's very cool!

But I don't know if someone could advice me a more modern and nice piece to study? But well then at my level....
 

regards

If you can handle the Op10#1, and the Chopin etudes you listed, you should be able to play the Kachaturian in your sleep.

Other "modern" pieces: Prokofiev Visions Fugitives, or Sarcasms, Bartok Allegro Barbaro - also there's one at the end of the 6th book of Mikrocosmos called "Ostinato" (I think) which people perform. Stravinsky Piano Rags, or Circus Polka, Ginastera Danses Argentinas (sp.), etc., etc., etc.

[sharky]

If you can handle the Op10#1, and the Chopin etudes you listed, you should be able to play the Kachaturian in your sleep.

Other "modern" pieces: Prokofiev Visions Fugitives, or Sarcasms, Bartok Allegro Barbaro - also there's one at the end of the 6th book of Mikrocosmos called "Ostinato" (I think) which people perform. Stravinsky Piano Rags, or Circus Polka, Ginastera Danses Argentinas (sp.), etc., etc., etc.

Do you think a piece of Ravel is good for me?
Or Bartok Sonata?

regards

Sharon

(Sorry maybe I'm a bit irritating!)

[Hmoll]

Do you think a piece of Ravel is good for me?
Or Bartok Sonata?

regards

Sharon

(Sorry maybe I'm a bit irritating!)

You are not being irritating at all.

Bartok sonata is pretty difficult.
Ravel - Sonatine, Miroirs #2,3,5.
Also, look at some Debussey - preludes especially.
If you really like 20th century music, some of Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus are not too bad - esp. #1, 2, 11 - off the topof my head.

Regards, and happy New Year.

[sharky]

You are not being irritating at all.

Bartok sonata is pretty difficult.
Ravel - Sonatine, Miroirs #2,3,5.
Also, look at some Debussey - preludes especially.
If you really like 20th century music, some of Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus are not too bad - esp. #1, 2, 11 - off the topof my head.

Regards, and happy New Year.

Thanks for your advices. Ravel's cool!

[sharky]

Beethoven Sonata op. 10 no 1

What do you think? (woow I love this music)

[r0b]

Chopin-Ballade no.1  

(mayb im biased cuz im learning it rite now)

[Rach3]

1. Rachmaninoff op. 30
2. Beethoven Appasionata
3. Beethoven Hammerklavier
4. Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances (why not?)
5. Brahms Third Sonata
6. Liszt Annes des Pelerinage (all)
7. Liszt Liebestraum
8. Mahler symphony #2 (why not, again, I ask?)
9. Beethoven op. 110
10. Beethoven op. 111

Of course, I just typed as I went, the ordering is pretty much spur-of-the-moment and irrelevant, excepting the Rachmaninoff.

I think Mahler and the other Rach would go higher up, and Beethoven 111 too.

[thracozaag]

1. Anything of Scriabin
2. Rosenkavalier (Strauss)
3. Death and the Maiden Quartet (Schubert)
4. Requiems of Faure and Mozart (up to the Sussmeyer)
5. Beethoven Op. 131 Quartet
6. Liszt B minor Sonata, and Benediction
7. Wintereise (Schubert)
8. Dichterliebe (Schumann)
9. Pagodes (from Estampes of Debussy)
10. Le Gibet (from Gaspard de la Nuit of Ravel)

[L.K.]

Right now they are:

Satie: Je te veux (I'm sorry)
Ravel: La valse for orchestra, une Barque sur l'Océan from Miroirs
Schumann: Kreisleriana
Scriabin: Sonata No. 5

               

[pianomaestro88]

How about the 2nd mvt. of Beethoven's 1st Piano Concerto. The structure of this concerto is quite classical, but the main theme of the 2nd movement is absolutely gorgeous, it's so simple and yet full of emotion.
The Scriabin "Black Mass"
Chopin's Barcarolle F# Major op.60

[trunks]

If I have to pick out one single piece to play all my life, that would be LISZT il lamento, the first of Three Concert Studies, followed closely by un sospiro, the last of the same set. Although I also play the second, la leggierezza, I play it mainly for the sake of completeness rather than either the musical content or the showiness.

Another top favourite is Vallee d'Obermann from the same composer's Annees de pelerinage I - Suisse (No.6). Along with the B minor Sonata and the il lamento, the Vallee d'Obermann is certainly among Liszt's greatest. I have given 3 public performances on this piece (only twice for il lamento) and I downright love this piece to the very heart.

[liszmaninopin]

An extremely tough decision, but I'll cast a vote for Rachmaninoff's Sonata #1.

[andyng85]

1. Rachmaninoff concerto No2. 2nd movement Adagio sostenuto
2. Chopin ballad No. 4, Grand Polonaise Op. 53 heroic
3. Beethoven Waldstein sonata Op. 53