the most amazing piano piece

[liszmaninopin]

In your opinion, what is the most amazing, stunning, virtuosic solo piano piece you've ever encountered.  I don't necessarily mean the most difficult piece, but rather the one that warrants the biggest "wow!" when it's over.

[donjuan]

I would say::
LISZT
La Muette de Portici: Tarentella Di Bravura
Grand Galop Chromatique
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (Arr. Horowitz)
Spanish Rhapsody
Mephisto Waltz No.1
Reminiscences de Norma
Reminiscences de Robert Le Diable
Reminiscences de Don Juan (check out my name )
Grand Concert Fantasy from Sonnambula
ALKAN
Le Festin d'Esope
Allegro from "Symphony For Solo Piano"
BALAKIREV
Islamey: Oriental Fantasia for the piano
Prokofiev
Toccata Op.11
CHOPIN
Ballade in g Minor

Overall composer for this type of style:
LISZT!!!

donjuan

[donjuan]

Whoops, I forgot to pick out my SINGLE favorite:
Grand Concert Fantasy from Sonnambula (Bellini- Liszt)

[Antnee]

Well, a successful Chopin 'heroic' polonaise will gather a cheer from anyone. As well as his revolutionary etude. For me The entire Appassionata sonata will give me goosebumps, especailly the third movement. There are of course many pices that have this effect. Liszt spring to mind...

-Tony-

[Allan]

Here it is-----

Art Tatum's rendition of "Tiger Rag."  Just popular music?   In Tatum's hand an incredible display of virtuosity that is jaw dropping.   Even the great Liszt would have been more than a little amused!

Also, Lizst' "Feux Follets" and the Reminiscences de Don Juan (no Reminiscences de Allan that I am aware of!)

[Alp635]

The Best wow pieces for me are:

Definitely NOT chopin.  I don't think that the g minor ballade or the heroic polonaise when played beautifully gives me that eye popping feeling.  The revolutionary etude is beautiful and powerful, but wow?  Not enough notes...

I must agree with don juan: LISZT.  
Mephisto waltz, Hungarian rhapsodies

Has anyone heard Stravinsky's Petrouchka live played by an incredible pianist?  It makes you want to tear your shirt off and scream...

Vine Sonata:  it sounds like the most difficult thing ever written for the piano.  

messaien: regard d'espirit de joie: the ultimae party piece

Concerti:  Prokofiev 2 and 3, Rach 3

[Shagdac]

I agree with DonJuan...Liszt certainly has his share of
"WOW" songs. I think a good performance of La Campanella is very impressive, and I do agree also with Chopin's Heroic Polonaise. And I can't stop without mentioning that one of the reasons Gottschalks one of my fav composers, is that although his music may not be the most difficult (I find it hard though), is that when I first heard a CD with all his music, I think after every song, that is what I thought...WOW.

s

[JK]

If you want virtuosty as well as luxurious late romantic harmony try Sriabins' Etude in D#minor op. 8#12 or in C#minor op42#5. But I must admit that for me virtuosity doesn't neccessarily lead to an amazing piece, I think that "Hommage A Rameau" or "Et la lune descend sur la temple qui fut" from the images by Debussy are pretty amazing simply for their absolute beauty and subtle use of harmony.

[faulty_damper]

The "biggest wow"?  That would be walking on stage and being Franz Liszt, himself!  Who cares what he can play.  It's Franz Liszt!

[shatteringpulse]

Although I've never played it...my piano sonata always causes me to WOW...not in an egotistical way, but in sympathy for whomever will play it someday.  

[ayahav]

I'd love to see sheet music for it shatteringpulse....

[liszmaninopin]

You compose?

[shatteringpulse]

I can share the sheet music if someone knows how to change it from a Finale document to something readable...maybe it's in the software instructions...lol...I have a midi if anyone wants it.

I think the greatest WOW piece of all...is perhaps...that I've seen...the video of Cziffra playing GGC.

[liszmaninopin]

I'm no technical whiz, so I can't really be of help there, but you've certainly caught my interest.

[shatteringpulse]

I'm going to post it on the Finale website tonight, on the Finale showcase, if anyone is interested. You just need to download the Finale viewer!  

[L.K.]

The second movement from Alkan's "Les Quatre Âges" is always a big wow. I also like Horowitz's transcription of "Stars and Stripes forever". It's so amazingly pianistic and well done.

[xvimbi]

What about Liszt's transcription of Wagner's Tannhäuser Overture? I have found only two recordings, one by Craig Sheppard that I think is not very good and then Jorge Bolet's famous imprompu after a recording session. It is said that Liszt himself often could not play through it in one piece. I know there are other recordings as well, but where can one get them?

[liszmaninopin]

Just to add a suggestion to the list, the final movements of Rach's Second Sonata and Prok's Seventh Sonata are both tremendous.

[Antnee]

How about Beethoven's Hammerklavier sonata?
The first time I head the whole thing, (especially the final fugue) I was Completely amazed. Such a grand piece of music.

-Tony-

[benji]

What about Scriabin?
Horowitz's rendition of Scriabin's Sonata No. 9 "Black Mass" is amazing.
Etude in C-sharp Minor, op. 2 no.1, played well, will knock anyone's socks off.

Schumann's Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17 is also energizing, especially the first two movements. Otherwise, I agree with everything that's been mentioned.

[donjuan]

Etude in C-sharp Minor, op. 2 no.1, played well, will knock anyone's socks off.

That piece is no virtuosic crowd pleasing, amazing, stunning piece that will draw "wow"s from the audience.  It's an emotional piece, really quite slow.  Scribin composed it at a young age, and many were amazed he was capable of such music.  Anyway, My opinion stands, that etude is too serious for the average crowd to applaud for a while.
donjuan

[ayahav]

I disagree... I played it to a non-musical audience not long ago at a recital that I donated to WIZO, ie all admissions were charity to WIZO... People loved it.

[newsgroupeuan]

"Feux Follets" is something I've been wanting to do for ages but never managed (theres something wrong with my technique,  my wrist hurts when play the sixths),  because it makes me go wow

[benji]

I meant Scriabin's C-sharp Major, op.42, no.5. A while back, while visiting a college, I heard a student play it. She played it about twice as fast as I'd heard it played before (and on a Boesendorfer Imperial Grand). Needless to say, it was breathtaking.

[donjuan]

I meant Scriabin's C-sharp Major, op.42, no.5. A while back, while visiting a college, I heard a student play it. She played it about twice as fast as I'd heard it played before (and on a Boesendorfer Imperial Grand). Needless to say, it was breathtaking.

OOHH, that explains it.  I dont know how anyone would say the previously mentioned Op.2 No.1 is an AMAZING piece.  It's al so clear now..

[Antnee]

Liszt's William Tell transcription would bring a deafening roar form an audience I'm sure. I can only imagine how Liszt would have sounded playing it. Awesome I'm sure... Anyways, yeah, that is quite a cool piece...

-Tony-

[faulty_damper]

Ditto Liszt's transcription of the William Tell Ouverture.  It has everything: a misleadingly slow opening that may sound boring to the un-musical but eventually leads up to a moderato pleasant melody with some tension that only hints to the fury of what's to come... And then, BOOM!  And at the end the audience will just be amazed.

What's great about this piece is the fact that the Lone Ranger theme is in this piece (rather the theme is from this piece.)  Because the audience has perhaps seen a Warner Brothers cartoon or even the Lone Ranger, the second to last and last section will be quickly realized.  That familiarity is what will make audiences love this as a very amazing, perhaps even jaw-dropping, piano piece.

So this is why the William Tell Overture is the most amazing piano piece.  You have to back up what you think, right?  Back it up!  Don't just offer us a couple of pieces.

[EthanT]

Ive played this one...


Hungarian Rhap No 6... Man that melody never gets old... NEVER!!! And that run before the melody is actually fun to practice =p.


How about that Liszt Concerto No.2 ... I don't know if any of you guys have seen the run near the beginning of the peice... but when i saw it, i decided to never touch the peice... and i took No. 1 instead =p.

[Antnee]

Ditto Liszt's transcription of the William Tell Ouverture.  It has everything: a misleadingly slow opening that may sound boring to the un-musical but eventually leads up to a moderato pleasant melody with some tension that only hints to the fury of what's to come... And then, BOOM!   And at the end the audience will just be amazed.  

What's great about this piece is the fact that the Lone Ranger theme is in this piece (rather the theme is from this piece.)  Because the audience has perhaps seen a Warner Brothers cartoon or even the Lone Ranger, the second to last and last section will be quickly realized.  That familiarity is what will make audiences love this as a very amazing, perhaps even jaw-dropping, piano piece.

Absolutely Faulty...
You took the words right out of my mouth...

-Tony-

[donjuan]

I also like Liszt's transcription of the William Tell Overture.  Too bad it isn't played very often...

But there is something magical about the original orchestral piece.  I love the sound of the Trumpets and Trombones in the Chromatic part at the first climax.  Everything is so triumphant!!

donjuan

[Antnee]

I also like Liszt's transcription of the William Tell Overture.  Too bad it isn't played very often...

Yeah... Does anyone know of any recordings of the piece?? I've only listened to midi files. I looked the sheet music and gets scary within a few pages. Seems damn hard to me... One version I've seen during the last part there are a couple of parts where there are rising chords (very fast) while the 4 and 5 finger trill part of the chord as well as the 2 and 3 for the other part of the chord. CRAZY!!!

-Tony-

[Corleone]

I Find the Chopin Etude Op. 10 Nr 1 very WOOOOOW.  

[xvimbi]

Yeah... Does anyone know of any recordings of the piece?? I've only listened to midi files. I looked the sheet music and gets scary within a few pages. -Tony-

Liszt's Transcription of Rossini's Guillaume Tell Ouverture:

https://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/n/nxs53961a.html

On Amazon:
Album: "Rossini Piano Music"
Performer: Frederic Chiu

Album: "Liszt: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 50"
Performer: Leslie Howard

Album: "Liszt's British Isles Tour"
Perfomer: Thomas Wakefield

[faulty_damper]

I also like Liszt's transcription of the William Tell Overture.  Too bad it isn't played very often...

Erm, are you sure that anyone can play it?

[donjuan]

Why not?  Some people manage to play Grand Galop Chromatique, Reminiscences de Don juan, Reminiscences de Robert le Diable, Hungarian Rhapsody No.9 (Carnival In Pest), Polonaise From Eugene Onegin,
and other works of unreal difficulty and endurance.

Leslie Howard managed to play everything, but he doesn't play everything too well..

donjuan  

[liszt1022]

Ive played this one...


Hungarian Rhap No 6... Man that melody never gets old... NEVER!!! And that run before the melody is actually fun to practice =p.


How about that Liszt Concerto No.2 ... I don't know if any of you guys have seen the run near the beginning of the peice... but when i saw it, i decided to never touch the peice... and i took No. 1 instead =p.

It's nice to see some HR6 representation in here - my own playing of it in a recital is here:

https://www.geocities.com/meplayingpiano

I'd like to hear what you think of it, since you've played it. I actually got to play it for Stephen Hough at his masterclass when he was at my university. He offered a lot of good comments, if you're interested I could type them up.

My own ideas as to WOW pieces:

Gottschalk:
Tournament Galop
The Banjo
Most everything else by him

Liszt:
Grand Galop Chromatique
SCHUBERT - ERLKOENIG
Berlioz - March to the Scaffold from Symphony Fantastique

Others:
De Falla - Ritual Fire Dance
Godowsky left hand studies on Chopin's etudes



Though I have to say, the biggest audience reaction I've ever got was when I played the song to Super Mario Brothers 2.

[donjuan]

Hi Liszt1022,
I couldn't get any of the links on your site to play the music, so too bad, no reviews for you...
donjuan

[faulty_damper]

Hey, Liszto,  I was able to listen to it.  Here are my comments.

First section was a bit slow, to the point that it dragged.  I mean it really dragged.  I mean, more than 7 minutes for this piece is long.  You should increase tempo in this area.

Second part:  Careful with your use of the damper.  It's a bit choppy.  Tempo is a tad on the slow side.  I'm not sure if it's the piano or you but the right hand sounds weak near the end of this section.

Third section, the slow prelude to the last section.  Tempo seems good.  Right hand sounds a bit weak when both hands are used.

Fourth, a bit choppy and a bit too much ritardando that it pulls.  Also, the melody, you know the one, is too 'mechanical'.  About 6 minutes in, the tempo should have a noticeable pick up.  At 6:20, the tempo is too slow.  It should be much faster.  The right hand is weak, too much left.

Overall, I say it dragged a lot - tempo was usually too slow.  The end section did not have the 'umph' that it should have to give it more flair.

[liszt1022]

I quit

[rlefebvr]

I quit

Lots of laughs.

Actually, that is very good critic. What I hear of his critc is it's good.
A little choppy and slow. Both can be remedied.

It's critical, but not moronic.

Go get them.

[willcowskitz]

I listened to your playing of Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre and thank you for inspiring me - I want to learn to play it. Obviously there's more to music than the quality of sound, though criticism is only supposed to help you build your self. But I'm not a professional at this and I don't need to/want to be, for I only want to enjoy music as a form of communication.

I was going to listen to the rhapsody next but gaycities wasn't willing to support this idea: "The web site you are trying to access has exceeded its allocated data transfer."

You need a better site host.

When that's fixed, keep them recordings coming!

[liszt1022]

actually I've been meaning to take the Danse Macabre off the page

I can play it better now, and I have plenty of in-tune pianos to re-record it on.
Also I have a recording of me and another pianist playing Saint-Saens' two-piano arrangment, which is far superior to the solo version on my page. Better sound too. Anyway maybe I'll get it on the page sometime. and yeah I'll get a new page when I have $.
I am a college student, after all.

[willcowskitz]

If I get my linux box up I can offer an ftp/http account on it, its only 128kbps outstream but I suppose with streamable realaudio media that would do if you don't go for cd quality -  Uploading would be quicker and space virtually unlimited

PM if you care for it.

[Lied_Mit_Worte]

Although this may be a little cliche, I absolutely loooove Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C# minor. Those octaves, that drama just grab me by the throat every time.

Sonny Chua's "Theme and 12 Deviations" (he's a modern Australian composer) is totally charming, in a very different way. It's a piece with 12 variations ("deviations") based on the theme Chopsticks, and is packed with humour and a variety of musical styles.

Lastly, I am currently obsessed with a rather un-Mendelssohnian Mendelssohn piece, "Agitation" (Op. 53 No. 3), which I'm playing at the moment. It's so passionate, yet flowing and gentle. And the melody line is just breathtaking.

Ahh, I could go on forever. There are just too many beautiful pieces to choose from - but I'll stop here

[faulty_damper]

You quit, Liszto?  You're playing of the HR6 inspired me to play it.  I remember one of the other students playing that piece last year for a recital.  She is technically perfect.  Musically boring.  She played it with such strict tempo and hardly any variance in dynamics that it came out like a computer midi file.  She played Beethoven's Pathetic sonata the same way...  :-/  But she has talent, just not musicality.

You have better musicality.  Just not the technique to play it with vigor.

Also, you have mistakes in the piece.
Also, you have mistakes in the "moonlight" sonata.  Lots of them!  The accidentals need more careful attention.

[f0bul0us]

The most amazing piano piece (one of) is definetely in the Hands of the Master - Horowitz.

Moszkowski - Etincelles

[JK]

Talking of Horowitz..if anyone has seen or heard his variations on themes from carmen then you know I need say no more...

[donjuan]

Talking of Horowitz..if anyone has seen or heard his variations on themes from carmen then you know I need say no more...

I saw and heard recordings of him playing.  It's downright amazing.. but I prefer his arrangement of Hung.Rhap.2
donjuan

[trunks]

Apart from those of the "standard repertoire" I would like to add some of the less played works that sound stunning:

ALBENIZ: Navarra

ALKAN: The Railway (Op.27); Concerto for Solo Piano, first movement (Op.39 No.8 )

BUSONI-MENDELSSOHN: Fantasy on Midsummer Night's Dream

VILLA-LOBOS: O Polichinello (A Prole do Bebe Vol.1 No.7)

[blindmouth]

Carl Tausig-Ungarische Zigeunerweisen; i cant find the sheet music for this song anywhere.  

liszt1022, would you mind sending me those notes stephen hough gave you about the hr. no 6? i would greatly appreciate it.