bach or chopin? help me decide please

[db05]

Hello everyone,

Things are finally starting to kick in, and I think the next semester is going to be great. Teacher said I can already start on Kuhlau Sonatina, turns out I don't have to do so much Clementi anymore. (Sonatinas are required btw.)

I want to choose my pieces; I have a lot at home and I don't want to buy more. Not yet. I figured Inventions sound nice, and they're required anyway. The First Lessons are getting boring. Chopin is good, too. The waltzes make good recital pieces.

gtg, I'll be Bach...

[tanman]

whichever one you feel more inclined to play.

[db05]

whichever one you feel more inclined to play.

Not sure, I started Minute Waltz and Invention No. 1 but I stopped minute because I got tired of hearing it LOL. I'm still working on No. 1. I enjoy studying it, but it would take me a couple months to finish and get up to speed.

My favorites are Chopin Waltz in C#m, and Invention No. 2. I like the Bach more but wouldn't it be too hard?

[pianochick93]

I'm biased, because I really love romantic music (no pun intended), so I'd pick Chopin. However, play what you are drawn to most. Difficulty isn't much of a barrier, unless it is supremely too difficult or you don't have much time.

[db05]

I'm biased, because I really love romantic music (no pun intended), so I'd pick Chopin. However, play what you are drawn to most. Difficulty isn't much of a barrier, unless it is supremely too difficult or you don't have much time.

Which Chopin pieces would you recommend?

Not FI, LOL. 

[pinoypianist]

theres the mazurkas, nocturnes, and waltzes. Can't think of anything specific yet. Maybe do alot of listening so you can choose what you think is best.

[iheartpiano]

Not sure, I started Minute Waltz and Invention No. 1 but I stopped minute because I got tired of hearing it LOL. I'm still working on No. 1. I enjoy studying it, but it would take me a couple months to finish and get up to speed.

My favorites are Chopin Waltz in C#m, and Invention No. 2. I like the Bach more but wouldn't it be too hard?

Can you do both (Minute Waltz and Invention no. 1) or would that be too much for you?  If not, I'd finish no. 1 since it's required anyways, then work on finishing the Minute Waltz.  I've played both and I found the Invention easier than the waltz.

Then work on Invention no.2 and Waltz in C# minor when you're finished.  I also love these pieces and sort of tinkered around with them in the past but never finished them.  I found Invention no.2 to be much more challenging than no.1, so I gave up on it.  That was a few years ago though, and I was a lot harder on myself then than I am now.  I may attempt it again.

[tanman]

I stopped minute because I got tired of hearing it LOL.

lol
just wait until you play FI...

btw have you considered fur elise?   

[pianochick93]

Which Chopin pieces would you recommend?

I really enjoy his preludes. I haven't really played many of them, or much Chopin at all though.

Favourite prelude is No. 15, and I also like Nocturne in D Flat. They are probably overplayed but really, who cares?*

* That was rhetorical and was in no way intended to start a heated debate, please don't create one.

[db05]

Can you do both (Minute Waltz and Invention no. 1) or would that be too much for you?  If not, I'd finish no. 1 since it's required anyways, then work on finishing the Minute Waltz.  I've played both and I found the Invention easier than the waltz.

I stopped the Waltz, and am still doing No 1. I think it is only hard since I fail to understand it though the fingering is easy (like it was taken out of Hanon LOL). I like No. 2 since it is slow and lyrical. But it is still too hard.

lol
just wait until you play FI...

btw have you considered fur elise?  

LOL, is FI very repetitive?

I totally forgot about Fur Elise! Haven't heard that in a while. Since I don't like most classical era, I haven't thought of Beethoven except for sonatas. I wonder is Fur Elise is really Grade 3, or if the piece I have is simplified. I'd want to play the real thing.

I really enjoy his preludes. I haven't really played many of them, or much Chopin at all though.

Favourite prelude is No. 15, and I also like Nocturne in D Flat. They are probably overplayed but really, who cares?*

I don't have my preludes book; I lent it (my mistake). We seem to like Chopin in D-flat much, don't we? I love Raindrop Prelude, but I don't think I'd be able to do it justice. And I might not be able to perform such a long piece in a students' recital. I can imagine half the audience sleeping. 

The nocturne looks scary. Is this really difficult?

[tanman]

LOL, is FI very repetitive?

it's just that it's played SO often.

[chozartmaninoff]

Chopin nearly always goes down well in concerts if played well.

If you think the Dflat Nocturne is too hard consider the easier options, Chopin Nocturnes are all around grade 7-8 The Dflat being 8.

Maybe try a grade 7 Nocturne - A good one is G minor - Opus 37 No.1, Its a nice piece but no real tricky parts.

It all depends on your skill level also. Chopin waltz go down well also: Try a grade 6 waltz, really nice and could be learnt in a week with dedication, it is much easier than it looks - Opus 70 No.2 - Give it a look its in F minor i think.

Good luck

[db05]

it's just that it's played SO often.

Not by the students here. Maybe in competition...? Fur Elise hasn't been played this year either. Weird.

[aewanko]

Yeah, Chopin is good. Like others said, try the nocturnes. But do not play op. 9 no. 2 in E-flat. It is overplayed in some ways. Try op. 55 no. 1 or op. 15 no. 2 (not that popular really), although you will need some "chops" to play it.

Or maybe the mazurkas would do. Many to choose from.

Or if Bach (be specific!), try some pieces from the Well-Tempered Klavier.

[db05]

Or if Bach (be specific!), try some pieces from the Well-Tempered Klavier.

I was thinking Inventions, as they're not as hard. Not so familiar with WTC, except P1 in C and Pand F6 in Dm. I kinda like fugues. 

Hmmm... Nocturne in Fm Op. 55 No. 1 looks doable. I like some Preludes too.

I got an idea. Alternate the two! For example, I finish Invention No. 1 first, then the Nocturne in Fm, then No. 2, then the Waltz in C#m... What do you all think?

[rc]

That's usually what I do when I can't decide: do them all one by one   Alternating style is a good strategy.  Sometimes after working on a Bach piece for a few weeks I don't always want to get into more Bach immediately after.

[db05]

Haha

I stopped the Waltz, and am still doing No 1. I think it is only hard since I fail to understand it though the fingering is easy (like it was taken out of Hanon LOL). I like No. 2 since it is slow and lyrical. But it is still too hard.

LOL, I was working on No. 1 today, and started playing the first few bars faster. The melody just clicked. I'm like, wow. This doesn't sound Hanon-esque at all. I must have disrespected Bach, sorry.

I love this.