Easiest Concerto/i?

[squinchy]

I was reading through the 'favorite concerto' thread when I started wondering-What's the easiest one that is still very nice? Like the one that serves as a good stepping stone into the world [apparently] of concerti, as the Clementi sonatinas are like introductions to intermediate music [that's what my teacher says, anyway].

I just started the Mozart D major KV537 Coronation concerto [my first one, don't laugh]..It doesn't make alot of sense [yet], but I know that it's better when played right.

[anda]

don't start with that! mozart has many many other concerts much better to start with... how about the camera concerti KV 413, 414, 415? or a dur 488? or c dur 200 something (don't remember right now)? or his rondo's? or haydn, for that matter?

also, for romantic concerts, i think mendelssohn is the best first concert - of course, if you have good fingers

[yogibear07]

I recently had a successful performance of Chopin concerto no 1(2nd movement) my 1st time ever with orchestra at an Amateur event. I'm already concerto shopping for next year. Backround on what Ive played and studied: I performed all of Mozart's KV 414 with SQ(different movements at a time,not all at once)have studied and performed in masterclasses the following: Beethoven sonatas op 10no1 and op 14no1,Chopin Etudes op.10 3 and op 25 no1 and 7.Chopin prelude op 45 and nocturnes ops 27no2 and op62 no 1 ( the one in E major I think) some Scarlatti ,Bach Ginastera dances and Gershwin songs,inc 2 wild transcriptions.Im told I'm musical,but my technique isn't huge . Am considering for concerto: Mozart 466:2 nd movement Grieg 2nd movement Beethoven 2nd (2 and 3rd mvmt) .Also looking at Mozart K 175 1st and Rondo and variations K 382. Not quite sure I'm good enough for Beethoven 2nd 1st mvmt or Mozart K 488. Don't want to spend money,etc to play Elvira Maddigan! Any thoughts,suggestions? BTW how much harder is Chopin no 2(2nd mvmt) than Romanze of no1?(Sigh!)Thank you from Yogi.

[richterfan1]

Bach d minor

[redbaron]

Bach d minor

Agreed although it can be quite 'fiddly' in places, like most Baroque music I suppose. The Schumann concerto is relatively straightforward for a Romantic concerto as in Mendelssohn No 1 although the piano writing in the Schumann concerto is sometimes awkward, a recurrent feature with much of his music.

Kabalevsky No 3 in D
Haydn D major

[pianoplayjl]

Any concerto by Bach.

[thalbergmad]

An 8 year old thread. How exciting.

Thal

[49410enrique]

[stoudemirestat]

It is a zombie thread. But if any of you realised it was revived because a poster asked a question that is pretty much what the OP was asking.

[indespair]

Hello i have only been playing for a year and a half. I have had no formal training whatsoever and my skills are very limited. I managed to pick up scott joplin's entertainer up to a certain point, fur elise up to that beautiful run, the whole of Bach's Minuet in G and the first part of the 2nd movement of Beethoven's pathetique sonata. It would be very helpful if anyone could recommend other pieces for me to pick up, that is, pieces that i can pick up with my current level skills.

[redbaron]

Mozart 27 is quite straightforward

[thalbergmad]

I am compiling what I hope will be a reasonably complete list on the subject.

There a probably a hundred good alternatives to the Haydn/Mozart.

Thal

[amelialw]

I was reading through the 'favorite concerto' thread when I started wondering-What's the easiest one that is still very nice? Like the one that serves as a good stepping stone into the world [apparently] of concerti, as the Clementi sonatinas are like introductions to intermediate music [that's what my teacher says, anyway].

I just started the Mozart D major KV537 Coronation concerto [my first one, don't laugh]..It doesn't make alot of sense [yet], but I know that it's better when played right.

That was my first concerto too!! So don't worry about what others say
 
Sorry didn't realize that this was such an old thread :p

[werq34ac]

Agreed although it can be quite 'fiddly' in places, like most Baroque music I suppose. The Schumann concerto is relatively straightforward for a Romantic concerto as in Mendelssohn No 1 although the piano writing in the Schumann concerto is sometimes awkward, a recurrent feature with much of his music.

Kabalevsky No 3 in D
Haydn D major

Schumann I hear is actually VERY DIFFICULT. Technically it's not so bad, but musically it is incredibly difficult. I've seen a masterclass spent on like 8 measures on that piece.

I feel like most start with a Mozart, Haydn, or Bach concerto. Or a Beethoven if they are of sufficient technical ability. Personally, I started with Beethoven 1 1st movement.

[thalbergmad]

I've seen a masterclass spent on like 8 measures on that piece.

Dear Lord, I wish I was there.

Thal

[redbaron]

Technically it's not so bad, but musically it is incredibly difficult. I've seen a masterclass spent on like 8 measures on that piece.

You could spend a masterclass on 8 bars of any piece. It's called reading FAR too much into things. Much as musical interpretation and probing the emotional content of a piece are crucial, you can take it too far. Sometimes it suffices to simply play what's written on the page and the music speaks for itself.

[werq34ac]

You could spend a masterclass on 8 bars of any piece. It's called reading FAR too much into things. Much as musical interpretation and probing the emotional content of a piece are crucial, you can take it too far. Sometimes it suffices to simply play what's written on the page and the music speaks for itself.

Dear Lord, I wish I was there.

Thal

Actually, it was incredibly insightful! I can't exactly summarize it, but I learned more things from that masterclass than any other masterclass I've been to (even ones I've played in!) (though I've only played in one..). Although I do feel sorry for the kid who was playing.. And I was exaggerating a bit, but at least 30 minutes was spent on the theme after the introductory octaves. And it wasn't a wasted 30 minutes either - the difference before and after was astounding even though the kid was playing quite well before.

And actually some of the best lessons I've ever had were spent on only a few measures for the majority of the lesson.

[cjp_piano]

I don't agree with any of these suggestions, sorry! If I were your teacher, after only studying for one year and wanting to play a concerto, I'd go for something much easier just to get the hang of it like:

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Concerto-Romantique/3699440

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Concerto-in-C-Major/3664887

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Concertino-in-C/5432064

[49410enrique]

also the Matthew Davis Concerto for Young Pianists is pretty and approachable at the late intermediate levels with diligent practice and a patient instructor.

[squarevince]

I hear the Prokofiev #2 is a breeze.   

[werq34ac]

I hear the Prokofiev #2 is a breeze.   

I can play it with one hand tied behind my back  . I was going to make a joke how an easy concerto was a challenge, but really can anyone say anything is easy? I mean Mozart concertos are considered pretty easy because the notes are pretty easy, but playing them with Mozartian perfection and ease is ironically not easy at all. There's that saying where you play Mozart if you are under 10 or over 70. Obviously exaggerated, but one needs that sort of carelessness of when one was 10 to play Mozart well.