Mozart Concerto 17 or 20??? Help!

[cchamp27]

My teacher has said I can choose a concerto. I've never played a piano concerto before. She named Mozart 17, 20, 21, or Beethoven 3 "if I really loved it". I think at this point I'd like to do Mozart #17 or 20. The trouble is, these are actually my two favorites! I am struggling with the decision! Please help me out!

These past few months I've played Chopin Revolutionary Etude, Debussy Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum, Bach French Suite #2, Tchaikovsky May from the Seasons. One of my next pieces along with one of these concertos will be the Brahms Rhapsody #1 in Bm, Op. 79.

Thanks for your input! You are free to suggest any other concerto if you feel it is appropriate, or 1-2 other repertoire pieces! Thanks so much!

[matthew from florida]

Definately go for Concerto 20. It is awesome, especially with Beethoven's cadenzas. I listen to a recording of it several times a week. Also Mozart Concerto 24 is good.

I'm a beginner (1.5 years of study) but I'm working on Beethoven's Concerto 4, second movement, it is quite easy. However, I would recommend the whole concerto!

-Matthew

[point of grace]

if you're looking for a classic concerto, i'd say mozart piano concerto 21, i'm in love with it!
i think that mozart piano concertos are very similar, so pick the one you will enjoy playing and learning, you will adquire lots of knowledge with any of them. they are very pedagogic (?) also.
take a look to mozart piano concerto 23 too, a bit overplayed but easy, very popular and nice =)

[amelialw]

if you're looking for a classic concerto, i'd say mozart piano concerto 21, i'm in love with it!
i think that mozart piano concertos are very similar, so pick the one you will enjoy playing and learning, you will adquire lots of knowledge with any of them. they are very pedagogic (?) also.
take a look to mozart piano concerto 23 too, a bit overplayed but easy, very popular and nice =)

it's not about what u love...if u love it so much, go learn it yourself someday

cchamp27: it's your own choice, don't let others push you around and make your decision for you. why don't you try both and see which one suits you more, or you can pick based on which one is more challenging too...

[sharon_f]

I would go with the G major, only because it is not played as often as the D minor. It needs some love, too.

[amelialw]

I would go with the G major, only because it is not played as often as the D minor. It needs some love, too.

I have to agree with this though

[cloches_de_geneve]

Overall, 17 is probably the bigger challenge than 20 even though the latter is more virtuosistic in an obvious way. 20 can be played à la Beethoven, but 17 requires the utmost transparency and delicacy. Think of some of the variations in the last movement. They require a perfect match between piano and orchestra, almost impossible to get right. 16 btw is also a phantastic concerto and that one is really almost never played. If I'd truly wanted to suprise and impress my audience, I'd pick 16 D-major.

[point of grace]

it's not about what u love...if u love it so much, go learn it yourself someday

cchamp27: it's your own choice, don't let others push you around and make your decision for you. why don't you try both and see which one suits you more, or you can pick based on which one is more challenging too...

it was just an opinion. of course i studied and played it