Help picking a piece

[xxmynameisjohnxx]

Okay, I'm starting to want to learn some classical pieces and need some suggestions on what to play.  I'm a good pianist, can play mostly anything if I spend enough time learning it, but I want a piece I can learn relatively quickly and play well.  By quickly I mean within a month or two. This isn't for a performance, it's just for building my technical and reading skills to work towards an impressive piece. I've been playing piano most of my life, but sadly my old teacher never made me learn to read music, so I didn't know how till a year ago. 
As a reference of my playing level, I just started working on Bach's invention #4 as a piece for my piano class four days ago and am over halfway through it, being able to play the parts I've learned almost perfectly. I can also decently sight read hands together around a level 3. Not to great but not bad either.
I really love slower, more ballad like pieces, but don't think I'm ready for any Chopin Ballads yet. I'd really love to build up to a chopin piece, but except for maybe etudes 4 or 7 I don't think I'm ready for them.
So, any suggestions?

[akonow]

Okay, I'm starting to want to learn some classical pieces and need some suggestions on what to play.  I'm a good pianist, can play mostly anything if I spend enough time learning it, but I want a piece I can learn relatively quickly and play well.  By quickly I mean within a month or two. This isn't for a performance, it's just for building my technical and reading skills to work towards an impressive piece. I've been playing piano most of my life, but sadly my old teacher never made me learn to read music, so I didn't know how till a year ago. 
As a reference of my playing level, I just started working on Bach's invention #4 as a piece for my piano class four days ago and am over halfway through it, being able to play the parts I've learned almost perfectly. I can also decently sight read hands together around a level 3. Not to great but not bad either.
I really love slower, more ballad like pieces, but don't think I'm ready for any Chopin Ballads yet. I'd really love to build up to a chopin piece, but except for maybe etudes 4 or 7 I don't think I'm ready for them.
So, any suggestions?

Well, if you just recently learned how to read music, I would suggest to sight-read through some easier pieces (usually things like Albums for the Young and such are really good, as are a few pieces of the Bach family like the Notebook for Anna Magdalena). Once you develop your sight-reading a bit more, you could attempt pieces like Chopin's Prelude 4, 6, and 7 or his posthumous Waltz in A minor.

However, I would definitely not suggest learning any Chopin etudes if you've just begun playing classical music. There are several compilations of easy to intermediate piano pieces that would be worth taking a look at. Maybe in a year or two you could start thinking about etudes like 10/3, 10/6, 25/2, etc... but, seeing as you believe that "etudes 4 and 7" are one of the easier ones (if you mean either 10/4 and 10/7 or 25/4 and 25/7), I would probably play some incredibly overplayed pieces like Fur Elise and Clair de Lune first and see where that leaves you.

Have fun though. A complete new world of wonder is being opened up for you.

P.S. If you are looking for some early- to mid-intermediate pieces, look at the piano music section of this website for pieces ABRSM Grade 3-6ish. Some great and accessible composers are Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg, and Mozart. I'd recommend buying recordings of pieces you are interested in to get an idea what you're aiming for.

[xxmynameisjohnxx]

Well, if you just recently learned how to read music, I would suggest to sight-read through some easier pieces (usually things like Albums for the Young and such are really good, as are a few pieces of the Bach family like the Notebook for Anna Magdalena). Once you develop your sight-reading a bit more, you could attempt pieces like Chopin's Prelude 4, 6, and 7 or his posthumous Waltz in A minor.

However, I would definitely not suggest learning any Chopin etudes if you've just begun playing classical music. There are several compilations of easy to intermediate piano pieces that would be worth taking a look at. Maybe in a year or two you could start thinking about etudes like 10/3, 10/6, 25/2, etc... but, seeing as you believe that "etudes 4 and 7" are one of the easier ones (if you mean either 10/4 and 10/7 or 25/4 and 25/7), I would probably play some incredibly overplayed pieces like Fur Elise and Clair de Lune first and see where that leaves you.

Have fun though. A complete new world of wonder is being opened up for you.

P.S. If you are looking for some early- to mid-intermediate pieces, look at the piano music section of this website for pieces ABRSM Grade 3-6ish. Some great and accessible composers are Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg, and Mozart. I'd recommend buying recordings of pieces you are interested in to get an idea what you're aiming for.

Ah I definitely meant preludes, not etudes, typo! No, chopin etudes are quite difficult. :].
And I'm not entirely new to classical, I learned Fur Elise when I was 11 or so, but when my piano teacher moved, I stopped piano for awhile, but finally this last year and a half I've gotten back into it. 
But I'm constantly working on improving my sight reading, I'm always reading random pieces I have lying around the house, particularly musical theater pieces. But thanks for the advice, I'll look into chopin preludes. Maybe a waltz, but I've never been a big waltz fan myself.  Some are incredible though.
Thanks! More advice is welcome. I won't be starting a piece till I get Invention #4 down well since that one is actually for a grade, not just fun.

[kitty on the keys]

Sight-read----Sight-read----sight read!!!!!! Grab those intermediate literature books and read!!! Work on scales --with various rhythms and touches. Look into the Op.299--Czerny--School of Velocity----great for reading and building technique. But work alot on your reading.

kitty on the keys

[xxmynameisjohnxx]

Sight-read----Sight-read----sight read!!!!!! Grab those intermediate literature books and read!!! Work on scales --with various rhythms and touches. Look into the Op.299--Czerny--School of Velocity----great for reading and building technique. But work alot on your reading.

kitty on the keys

I work on reading every day, it's a real big thing to me to build. But I want to build some repertoire too. And my technique is already pretty good in general, I've been playing since I was 8 or so, but like I said, my teacher never made me read much. And for the last couple years I've played mostly rock/musical theater things. But Reading is really important to me.
I'm going to a lesson today with my new teacher and I'll talk about it with him, but I think I'm gonna start on Chopin's Waltz in A Minor, Op. 34 #2.