Shchedrin, Rodion: Chastushki - Concerto for Solo Piano

[iumonito]

Any one familiar with this?  Have you ever heard it played, or play it yourself?

The score looks like lots of fun.  It is the composer's transcription of his first concerto for orchestra, known in America as Naughty Limericks.

For you who have Russian culture, Tschastuschki is kind of funny (and not entirely appropriate) improv, right?

I am interested in your comments.  In the meantime, I'll keep here a journal of my progress learning the piece.  Let's see how long this project lasts.  My initial goal is to learn it by February 2008 (I am a slow learner).

Cheers!

[retrouvailles]

This is a fun piece, but it is one of my lesser favorites of Shchedrin. The score does look like a lot of fun and it definitely has some funny movements. I have considered learning it, but I think I'd rather get my feet wet with Basso Ostinato or à la Albéniz first before tackling this piece.

[radmila]

Basso Ostinato and A la Albeniz are really great pieces. I had a lot of fun playing them. Shchedrin also has some other cute pieces. But I've never heard the concerto.  Is it difficult?

[iumonito]

Dunno yet.  It is about 8 or 9 minutes long, some 33 pages, so it goes fast.  Lots of double notes over a walking bass.

It sounds difficult and looks difficult.  But who knows, may it is like the Khatchaturian Toccata and it turns out it fits really well.

We'll see.

BTW, Shchedrin has a bunch of piano concertos with orchestra, not to be confused with this one, which is a concerto for piano solo that is a transcription of his first concerto for orchestra (without piano).