Your favorite composition

[Terry-Piano]

Hello all ,

    I'd like ur suggestions of the greatest music ever written for piano...
          Chopin and Liszt Etudes are good contenders
          Bach
          Mozart and Beethoven
          So much music..so little time

[JK]

I wouldn't agree with Liszt etudes, but then I'm not a big fan of Liszt!

Beethoven sonata op.111 in cm,
Bach Goldberg variations,
Brahms Klavierstuck op.119 (I think!),
Debussy Images book two,
Ravel Miroirs,
the list goes on..........and on........and on...........!

[Terry-Piano]

Yeah , asking this question must be as vague as asking the meaning of life... it all depends what your looking for keep giving me ideas on what to look for !! thx

Terry

[JK]

Ahh now I might be able to help you on the meaning of life but this naming of all the greatest piano compositions is too hard in comparison!!!

[pseudopianist]

EDIT: Whoops I didn't see you wrote "for piano". I can't be bothered to change the list.  

1. Bach - Air
2. Chopin - Concerto in F minor
3. Chopin - Raindrop
4. Bach - Goldberg Variations
5. Chopin - Nocturne in E flat Op9
6. Chopin - Fanastie Impromptu
7.  Carl Orff - Carmina Burana
8. Chopin - Etude in A flat Op25
9. Bach - St Mathews Passion (sp?)
10. Bach - Toccata in D minor BWV 910

[Terry-Piano]

Yup , all very good pieces... Bach is an old master that certainly everyone must have secretly admired

[f0bul0us]

Ahh now I might be able to help you on the meaning of life but this naming of all the greatest piano compositions is too hard in comparison!!!

Yay! The meaning of life, let's all turn into philosophical existentialists and say, we live as we dream - alone. But then again...that's for the super fun happy forum known as - Anything but piano.  

I won't secretly hide that I openly love the entire French Suite of Bach.

[pseudopianist]

Yay! The meaning of life, let's all turn into philosophical existentialists and say, we live as we dream - alone. But then again...that's for the super fun happy forum known as - Anything but piano.  

I won't secretly hide that I openly love the entire French Suite of Bach.

The french suites are lovely EXCEPT for the fifth one. I find so damn annoying. :p Especially the Gavotte. But then agian that suite also contains the LOVELY Allemande.  

[DarkWind]

Brahms Klavierstuck op.119 (I think!)

It's Beethoven! Brahms and Beethoven sound nothing alike! :p

Anyways, you should already know my choices.

Ravel's La Valse (Cause I just love it!)
           Le Tombeau de Couperin

Rachmaninoff's Piano Concertos (Don't know if those count)

Liszt's Annees de Pelegrinage

I'll try to think of some more.

[JK]

I was questioning the opus number not the composer!

[f0bul0us]

But then agian that suite also contains the LOVELY Allemande.  

You just saved yourself!  

[monk]

John Cage, "4:33"

Flea Waltz

Für Elise

[Pianofan]

The 4 Chopin's ballades are so beautiful, especially with Krystian Zimmermann.

Also,
Tchaikovsky's first concerto, op 23
Liszt's piano sonata in B minor
Ravel's concerto in G, 2nd movement.

[Spatula]

I some how never ever had a taste for fur elise, maybe its because so many "dabblers" have ruined it's true nature and beauty.  Yeah that and the clair de lune really turn my ears off unfortunately.

[rubleski]

My favorite that I've ever played is Rhapsody in Blue, which I am still learning.

I love Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto nos. 2 and 3 though, if they count for this.

[Terry-Piano]

PLEEAAASE dont mention john cage's 4:33 as best composition... its just a damn joke.. and a damn bad one too ...

[goansongo]

My favorite pieces.... I'm more of a romantic kinda guy...

Liszt - Un Sospiro
Chopin - Etude Op. 25 No. 1
Debussy - Claire de Lune
Liszt - Liebestraum
Chopin - Grande Polonaise Brillante (without the Adante Spianato)

[monk]

PLEEAAASE dont mention john cage's 4:33 as best composition... its just a damn joke.. and a damn bad one too ...

Have you ever heard Sviatoslav Richter perform it?

Do it - from then on you will never call it a "joke"!

Best Wishes,
Monk (who is currently writing an orchestral arrangement of 4:33)

[Tash]

oh the choice! i'm going for a lot of chopin- nocturnes op.9 no.1 and no.20 in c# minor; barcarolle (i  LOVE argerich playing this); berceuse; ballades; various waltzes and preludes and etudes... i love it all!

also the works of bach, beethoven, mozart, liszt. i think bartok is bril his piano conercertos are amongst my faves. basically it's all great, amazingt that amyone can create such amazing stuff it an achievement in itself and i have great respect for all composers

[littlechopin]

Hi guys...
very difficult thread.

Maybe the most beautiful piano work is the concert for piano and orch of Scriabin... marvellous... weird...

Then I like very much most Scriabin's, Rach's, Chop's and Liszt's etudes

[Terry-Piano]

Isn't John Cage's 4:33 piece the one where you have to sit in front of the piano and play nothing at all during 4:33 If i'm mistaken , im sorry for calling it a joke... but if im right... it is just a bad joke

[goalevan]

lol i think thats pretty funny

[Saturn]

Isn't John Cage's 4:33 piece the one where you have to sit in front of the piano and play nothing at all during 4:33 If i'm mistaken , im sorry for calling it a joke... but if im right... it is just a bad joke

Yes, that's the one.

It may be a joke to you, but it wasn't a joke to John Cage.  Learn a little about a piece before you judge it!

- Saturn

[Terry-Piano]

pleeeease explain... what is there to learn in 4:33 of silence ? Aren't we musicians all fighting AGAISNT silence lol explain i am not gonna research.... what it was time to relax??? time to see if there is another music playing >> lol im wondering whats such a big deal when i say it is a joke

[Saturn]

pleeeease explain... what is there to learn in 4:33 of silence ? Aren't we musicians all fighting AGAISNT silence lol explain i am not gonna research.... what it was time to relax??? time to see if there is another music playing >> lol im wondering whats such a big deal when i say it is a joke

Musicians aren't fighting against silence.  Why would they?

Silence is very much a part of music (hence the rest notation).  Silence is also everpresent.  Sooner or later, the pianist will get tired of playing, or bored, and he'll have to stop.  And when he stops, the silence will take over.  Silence never gets tired or bored.  So, if a musician is fighting against silence, he'll certainly lose!

Also, there is a lot of information out there on John Cage and the background to 4'33".  You might try looking on these sites:

https://www.google.com
https://www.wikipedia.com

- Saturn

[willcowskitz]

4,33:

https://music.research.home.att.net/4min33se.htm


And *cough* anyone besides me sense sarcasm in monk's posts?  Guess not.

[leyton]

My favorite that I've ever played is Rhapsody in Blue, which I am still learning.

I do love Rhapsody in Blue!  There is also Gershwin's Concerto in F...  that theme in f minor (or perhaps A flat major) is just gorgeous.  This was the first concerto I ever learned, and the first piano piece that I ever worked extensively on.  It will always remain close to my heart...

[Will Millar]

Rhapsody in Blue comes a close second, but Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition is the best ever written...THE WHOLE THING IN SIX WEEKS!! What a genius!!

[pianiststrongbad]

Sorry, But I feel the 433 song is far from being the most musical.  When I listen to a piece of music I can compare it with a painting.  For instance a Chopin Nocturne could generate the picture of a river.  But when I listen to silence I see a blank picture, as if the composer did not know what to say or had no thought.  Anyway, I feel that Chopin's 3rd sonata is one of my favorites in the piano world along with some of Rachmaninoffs preludes, particularly from op23.  As far as the orchestral stuff goes, I love Tchaikovsky 4th and 6th and Beethovens 9th.  Mozarts Requiem Mass also comes to mind.  There are too many great pieces, but I have  a difficult time understanding why anybody would want to sit through a performance of 433.  Afterall isn't a peice suppose to formed through interpretation?  How can a performer interpret silece?  I just don't understand.  Owell.  

[cheeeekan]

I wouldn't consider fur elise and fantasie impromptu great piano pieces, they're overplayed and overrated.
I think Chopin's Fantasy in F Minor, and Polonaise-Fantaisie Op. 61 are my favorite solos...  Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto and Warsaw concerto are really pretty.
here's some other pieces:

Liszt - Un Sospiro
Chopin - Nocturne in D-flat major
Beethoven - Sonata Op.53 "Waldstein"
you guys should go check them out if u haven't heard them before

[scarbo87]

Hmmm........ that's an impossible question.  The "Greatest
piece ever written"... It would have to be a large scale
work encompasing every emotion felt by humans as well as
being structaully perfect.... I'm thinking along the lines
of Rachmaninoff's 3rd concerto, Beethoven's 9th symphony,
Wagner's ring cycle.......... by the way, I'm new to this
group, and I'm wondering why nobody talks about pianists at
all... just works and composers.

[Saturn]

I'm new to this
group, and I'm wondering why nobody talks about pianists at
all... just works and composers.

People here talk about pianists all the time!  Haven't you seen the threads on Maksim and Ali Wood?